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ASAP

Tube Fluorescent Lamps

Last Updated: October 2007
See the federal standards main page to view current status

Standards for fluorescent lamps were enacted by Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 1992, building on standards developed by a couple of states.  The standards cover most four- and eight-foot long fluorescent tubes.  The standards essentially ban halophosphor (e.g. cool white, warm white, etc.) full-wattage lamps in favor of either reduced wattage halophosphor lamps (e.g. 34 W instead of 40 W four-foot tubes), or tri-phosphor lamps of either full or reduced wattage.  The reduced-wattage lamps contain a different fill gas that improves efficacy (lumens of light output per watt of power input) relative to full-wattage lamps.  These standards took effect in 1995. In 2006, DOE began a rulemaking to set new standards for fluorescent tubes.  A final rule is scheduled for June 2009, with the standard to take effect three years later.

• Federal Documentation (DOE Web site)

Filing
Comments on DOE’s May 31, 2006 Federal Register notice and Rulemaking Framework document on energy efficiency standards for general service fluorescent lamps
May 29, 2006