New Biden Rule Means Lights Out for Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Compact fluorescent light bulbs — once considered corkscrew-shaped emblems of the clean-energy transition — will effectively be phased out under a Biden administration rule finalized Friday that sets new requirements for the most commonly used types of lighting.

The requirements, which go into effect in July 2028, more than double current energy efficiency standards for the most widely sold residential and commercial bulbs. The rule, which also increases the efficiency of LED bulbs, will save an estimated $1.6 billion annually in household energy costs and slash greenhouse gas emissions, the Energy Department said.

The rule was mandated by Congress as ...