Death of the Incandescent Light Bulb

by Sally Painter on October 30, 2009

In case you missed it in 2007, Congress passed a bill to phase out incandescent light bulbs by having up to 35% more efficient bulbs by 2012 to 2014. The world of incandescent bulbs will soon be a thing of the past with incandescent bulbs literally being banned from the market.

Pro-incandescent bulb users cite better lighting and oppose the CLF (Compact Fluorescent Lamp), fluorescent tube lighting,  halogen and LED bulbs that will become the bulb of a new way of life. In fact, the US is not the only country taking such steps. Other countries are banning incandescent bulbs and phasing them out of the marketplace.

In the US alone, it’s estimated that this change in light bulb use will generate a power savings of $40 billion starting in 2012 and reaching into 2030. There’s been an effort to encourage consumers to voluntarily go ahead and make the switch.

Many diehards are not only clinging to incandescent bulbs, but are also making a run on incandescent bulbs. In some areas in Europe, which is moving toward the same kind of ban of incandescent bulbs, people have been stockpiling incandescent bulbs making the retail sales soar 150% higher in 2009 than last year.

It sounds so strange, but people have been buying in bulk over the past couple of years to create a stockpile of incandescent bulbs. One industry that isn’t happy about the replacement of incandescent bulbs are museums that point out the poor color quality fluorescent, LED, and halogen bulbs create.

Incandescent bulbs create heat that further impacts heating and air conditioning in a home. Regardless if you like or dislike incandescent, it’s inevitable that the incandescent technology has outlived its economic value and must give over to a more eco-friendly, efficient and cost-saving one.

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