Current Issues and Projects
DOE’S ATTEMPT TO ROLLBACK LIGHT BULB EFFICIENCY STANDARDS
Contrary to the country’s interest in efficiency and energy independence—and to ratepayers’ interest in higher efficiency products that save consumers money—the Department of Energy has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) to roll back efficiency standards for certain types of lamps.
A brief background:
In 2007, Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act, directing the the US Department of Energy (DOE) to issue stronger energy efficiency standards for certain light bulbs. This Act also set backstop standards to phase out less efficient lighting technology, including a significant phase-out scheduled for 2020.
In 2017, the DOE expanded the phase-out to include most common light bulbs, as it was permitted to do. However, under the new administration the DOE has now proposed a rollback of lamp types. This rollback would flood the market with inefficient light bulbs, compromising significant energy savings and leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions. Energy efficiency advocates have vowed to fight any final rule that compromises the core and common sense benefits that come with enacting the backstop. It is likely that any final rule under the current administration would almost certainly be unlawful as well, due to the DOE’s lack of compliance with the 2007 legislation.
CARES is closely monitoring DOE’s actions in order to protect California residents’ access to affordable and energy-efficient products.
CEC’S NEW LIGHT BULB EFFICIENCY REGULATIONS COULD SAVE CALIFORNIA CONSUMERS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS PER YEAR
The Department of Energy (DOE) recently took two unlawful actions that will lower the energy efficiency of general service lamps (GSLs) nationwide immediately and have repercussions for years to come. First, DOE withdrew an expanded definition of GSLs that it passed in 2017, which would have required more general use lamps to comply with efficiency standards. Second, DOE refused to update the efficiency standards for GSLs as required by Congress. Both of these actions went beyond DOE’s authority and will substantially lower energy efficiency in the short- and long-term, which will lead to harmful effects on the environment and lost consumer savings.
In yet another showing of California’s leading role in energy efficiency, the California Energy Commission (CEC) decided to fight back! In Fall 2019, the CEC proposed to expand California’s GSL definition and standards to be the same as DOE’s expanded GSL definitions and to adopt the higher federal efficiency standards. On November 13, 2019, CARES participated in the CEC business meeting (click here for a video at timestamp 1:28:45) to show its support of the CEC’s adoption of these regulations, which expand the lamps subject to minimum efficiency standards and make it unlawful to distribute or sell in California GSLs that do not meet a minimum efficiency standard of 45 lumens per watt.
CARES is happy to announce that the CEC unanimously adopted its proposed regulations. This is a major step in saving YOUR environment and YOUR money–this rule change is expected to save the average California household up to $210 per year! While DOE continues to move backward on energy policy under this administration, the CEC’s new regulations are a step in the right direction for consumers.
CARES Comments In Support of CEC’s GSL Rulemaking (PDF)
CARES is committed to serving California ratepayers and their interests. If you’d like to support more changes like this one, be sure to sign up to be a CARES member!
