On Sept. 21, 2010, Rep. Joe Barton (R – Texas) introduced the “Better Use of Light Bulb Act”, which would repeal the phase-out of incandescent bulbs under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007).
The same day, NEMA took their stand asserting the Better Use of Light Bulb Act is Not Better. “The Lamp Section of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) reaffirmed its commitment to public policies that encourage transitioning to more energy-efficient lighting, including the energy-efficient light bulb provisions of EISA 2007.”
According to NEMA Vice President of Government Relations Kyle Pitsor, the lighting industry is investing heavily in new products that meet consumers’ demands for efficiency and light quality while developing marketing information that will help people understand the variety of products available to them as this transition takes place.
Sure consumers may be anxious about the shift, but “the reality is that consumer preference already has been shifting away from incandescent products, with the market for standard household incandescent bulbs declining by 50 percent over the last five or so years. With lighting consuming approximately 22 percent of all electricity in the U.S., the potential for energy savings and energy conservation that the country—and the world—can realize with this change to higher-technology light sources is immense. American businesses and consumers will annually save billions of dollars in electricity bills once the transition is complete,” Pitsor said.
As we talked last week about the bulb ban backfiring on the EU, it seems there may be brighter days for the US considering the statistics above, and US consumers’ drive to conserve spending. (Source)

