Skip to main content

Trump administration might undo Obama-era LED light rules

Mike Mozart/Flickr

If you’ve gone looking for an incandescent lightbulb in the last few years, you probably had a hard time finding one — and for good reason! Those bulbs are far less energy efficient, far more wasteful, and often more expensive in the long run than their LED successors. Another change to light bulbs designed to improve energy efficiency was set to happen soon, but the Trump administration may prevent the plan from moving forward.

During President Barack Obama’s second term, his Department of Energy decided to extend a George W. Bush-era rule that encouraged a move to LEDs and other energy-efficient options. Under the department’s rules, specialty fixtures — large, decorative globes found in bathrooms, candle-shaped lights, recessed lighting, etc. — would also have to move away from incandescent bulbs. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, there are about 2.7 billion such light sockets in the U.S., so the change would have a significant impact on energy consumption in many homes.

Recommended Videos

However, the Trump administration believes that in issuing that rule, the Department of Energy overstepped its authority. That view is backed by the lighting industry, which has argued that the law was never intended to be applied to specialty bulbs. The Department of Energy under Trump has adopted this view as well and has issued a proposal that would reverse the agency’s previous position. That would allow makers of specialty lighting to continue to produce inefficient and often wasteful bulbs for the exempt lighting fixtures.

The decision to overturn the rule won’t come without protest. Noah Horowitz, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told NPR that the decision would generate “about 25 large coal-burning power plants’ worth of extra electricity.” It’s expected that environmental groups will challenge the Department of Energy’s rollback of its own law and the courts will decide the legality of the action.

While the battle plays out in court, consumers and businesses may make the decision unnecessary. LED bulbs are quite popular and some major retailers have moved away from less efficient alternatives. Ikea announced in 2011 that it would stop the sale of incandescent bulbs in favor of the more environmentally friendly LEDs.

AJ Dellinger
AJ Dellinger is a freelance reporter from Madison, Wisconsin with an affinity for all things tech. He has been published by…
Best cordless drill early Black Friday deals: DeWalt and more
A DeWalt drill being used.

Update 10/28/24: This marks the beginning of our drill coverage for 2024's Black Friday shopping season, and all of the major brands have at least one great deal. While we're excited for what is to come, this is a fantastic start and there's really no reason to not go ahead and get prepped by buying something now.
If you're buying anything this Black Friday, there's a big chance you might want a drill/driver to go with it. A drill/driver is one part drill, one part (screw)driver and it can help out in many situations. For example, say you take part in one of these early Black Friday TV deals, you very well might want to wall mount it. Then, say you grab up an easy coffee maker from Keurig's early Black Friday deals. An extra side table in your study would sure go nice with that and a drill/driver could very well make the table's construction much easier.
Really, with so so many of your early Black Friday purchases, there might be a chance to pick up a cordless drill or driver and get to work. As such, we've compiled a list of the best cordless drill deals throughout Black Friday deals that are available now, so you can get a head start on prepping for the savings that are to come.

Skil Pwr Core 12 Drill/Driver — $50 $59 15% off

Read more
Best Roomba deals: Top robot vacuums from as little as $170
iRobot Roomba 692 Robot Vacuum.

If you come home and don't really look forward to doing the day-to-day dusting and vacuuming that's required to keep everything clean, then robot vacuums are a great solution. Probably one of the best-known brands is Roomba, and if you're looking to pick up a new one, then Roomba has a lot of great options you can pick from.. Whether you're looking for a budget-friendly option or something a little bit more high-end that comes with a self-emptying station, we've gone out and collected some of our favorite Roomba deals below.

That said, if you don't necessarily want a Roomba, you can check out these general robot vacuum deals, and for the more substantial messes, there are always these vacuum deals and cordless vacuum deals too.
iRobot Roomba i1 -- $170 $220 22% off

Read more
Best cordless vacuum deals: Big discounts on Dyson, Shark, and more
Woman vacuuming floor with Dyson V11 Outsize Total Clean Cordless Vacuum.

Corded vacuum cleaners are a good idea if you're looking to clean up a bigger mess, but they do take up a lot of space and can be quite heavy to handle, especially if you have muscle issues. Luckily, cordless vacuums are a good alternative, and while they have their own issues with how long they run, they are a great alternative. Even better, there are a lot of great options out there, from the higher-end Dyson deals to some more affordable Shark options. Either way, we've gone out and collected some of our favorite cordless vacuum deals for you below.

On the other hand, if you'd prefer to go with a more traditional vacuum, check out some of these vacuum deals, as well as the alternative Robot vacuum deals and Roomba deals.
Best Dyson cordless vacuum deals

Read more