Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, light up the ceiling vaulting inside the Old North Church, Friday, Feb. 29, 2008, in Boston.
The department announced recently that beginning in July of 2028, LED bulbs would have to nearly triple the lumens they must achieve per watt from the current 45 lumens to 120 lumens. The Biden administration has ramped up regulating appliances further as it works to meet the president’s goal of achieving a “net zero emissions economy” by 2050 or sooner.
Incandescent bulbs were cheaper than LED bulbs, but considered more expensive over the long haul because they used more energy and burned out faster. Industry publication Inside Lighting called the new standards “a significant leap” in energy efficiency requirements. It warned meeting the new standards “may prove to be a formidable task for manufacturers of certain LED lamps” and will result in an “increased financial burden” for manufacturers.