Indiana Could Miss Out On Savings If Light Bulb Standard Changes

Updated Tuesday, April 2 at 2:55 p.m.

The Trump administration wants to nix part of an energy efficiency standard on specialty light bulbs. The Natural Resources Defense Council says the move could cost Indiana households $93 in savings a year.

In 2012, the Obama administration added specialty bulbs — like in chandeliers, sconces, and floodlights — to the energy efficiency standard for lights. The change doesn’t go into effect until next year, and the Trump administration doesn’t want it to at all.

Andrew deLaski with the Appliance Standards Awareness Project calls the Obama version of the standard “one of the best climate and energy policies people have never heard of.”

“And there’s really no good reason to go backwards when the technology is as good as what you see in the LED light bulbs,” he says.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association has opposed the Obama version of the standard because it wouldn’t allow them to sell some specialty bulbs. deLaski says these federal standards could make a big difference in states like Indiana — which often ranks near the bottom in energy efficiency.

"The standards set by the U.S. Congress and by the U.S. Department of Energy provide these savings even if the state’s not doing very much itself,” he says.

The public has until May 3 to comment on the proposal.

READ MORE: Repealing Energy Efficiency Standard Cost Hoosiers Money, Jobs

Correction:  The original story incorrectly identified Andrew deLaski as part of the Natural Resources Defense Council. He actually works for the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, which is not part of the NRDC.

Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.