OBAMA ANNOUNCES BIGGEST EFFICIENCY EVER

President Obama Announces New Light Bulb Standards; Biggest energy saver in history of Energy Department
Andrew deLaski, Steven Nadel, Glee Murray, June 29, 2009 (American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy)

"New national minimum energy efficiency requirements for light bulbs will save more energy than any other standard ever issued by any administration, according to a coalition representing environmental and consumer organizations, state government, and utilities. The new standards…will make the hundreds of millions of fluorescent tube lamps that light offices, stores, and factories more efficient. They also will phase out conventional incandescent reflector lamps, effectively extending the phase out of inefficient incandescent products initiated by Congress in 2007 to the common cone-shaped bulbs used in recessed light fixtures and track lighting…

"According to the Department of Energy (DOE), lighting uses nearly 40% of all electricity used in commercial buildings…[Announced by President Obama, the standards] affect the more than 500 million fluorescent tube lamps and 265 million reflector lamps sold each year in the United States…"

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"…[The new standards] will save up to 1.2 trillion kilowatt-hours over thirty years, an amount about equal to the total consumption of all homes in the U.S. in one year. Businesses and consumers will gain up to $35 billion in net savings and global warming carbon dioxide emissions will be cut by up to 594 million metric tons, an amount equal to the annual emissions of nearly 110 million cars.

"The maximum levels analyzed by DOE would have increased energy savings by another 230 billion kilowatt-hours over thirty years, or roughly enough to meet the power needs of 22 million more U.S. households for a year. The higher standards would have saved businesses and consumers as much as another $11 billion…"

When the question is efficiency, the answer can be found here. (click to enlarge)

"DOE is slated to set a total of 25 new standards during the current presidential term.

"The new lamp standards, which will take effect in 2012, will have little effect on the outward appearance or lighting performance of the affected light bulbs. For fluorescent lamps, highly efficient “T8” lamps (lamps with a 1 inch diameter) will replace “T12” lamps (which have a 1.5 inch diameter). For reflector lamps, standard incandescent and halogen technology will be replaced with highly efficient halogen infrared reflector technology, a change that will save consumers energy, but not result in any outward change to reflector lamp appearance. In 2007, Congress enacted a phase out of standard incandescent light bulbs in favor of advanced incandescent technology and other high efficiency products starting in 2012."