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Fluorescent and Incandescent Lamps

This page describes rulemaking activities and regulations regarding energy efficiency for fluorescent and incandescent lamps.

Statutory Authority

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) of 1975 established an energy conservation program for major household appliances. Title III of EPCA (42 U.S.C. 6291 et seq.) set forth provisions designed to improve energy efficiency. Amendments to title III of EPCA in the Energy Policy Act of 1992, P.L. 102-486, established energy conservation standards for certain types of fluorescent lamps and incandescent reflector lamps, and authorized the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to amend these standards if such amendments were warranted. (42 U.S.C. 6291(1), 6295(i)(1) and (3)-(4)) The same amendments authorized DOE to adopt standards for additional types of general service fluorescent lamps if such additional standards were warranted. (42 U.S.C. 6295(i)(5))

On December 19, 2007, the President signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) (Pub. L. 110-140), which amends EPCA and directs DOE to undertake new energy conservation standards rulemakings. EISA 2007 also amends EPCA with regard to general service fluorescent lamps, incandescent reflector lamps, and general service incandescent lamps. A fact sheet describing provisions in EISA 2007 related to general service incandescent lamps is presented below. EISA 2007 requires the Secretary of Energy to develop a unit sales forecast for 2010-2025 for five lamp types exempt from the general service incandescent lamp standards. The forecast report and a spreadsheet of the models are available below.

DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Program develops energy conservation standards for consumer products and commercial equipment. This office has the responsibility for rulemaking activities for fluorescent and incandescent lamps. Past and present rulemaking activities for these products are presented below.

Some of the following documents are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Download Adobe Reader.

Energy Conservation Standard

Test Procedure

  • General Service Fluorescent Lamps, Incandescent Reflector Lamps, and General Service Incandescent Lamps Test Procedure; Final Rule, Federal Register, July 6, 2009 (PDF 161 KB)
  • Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

Unit Sales Forecasts for Five Lamp Types

Previous Federal Register Notices

  • Fluorescent and Incandescent Lamp Test Procedure, Federal Register, May 29, 1997 (PDF 195 KB)

Supplementary Information

  • Fact Sheet: General Service Incandescent Lamp Provisions Contained in EISA 2007 (PDF 75 KB)

Contact Information

Linda Graves
Lighting Standards Project Manager
(202) 586-1851