China Phase Out of Incandescent Light Bulbs

China is a country of massive production and consumption of incandescent bulbs. In 2010 the production of incandescent bulb was 3.85 billion and domestic sales quantity was 1.07 billion. It is estimated that lighting power in China accounts for about 12% of total electricity consumption. If we replace all incandescent lamps with energy-efficient lighting alternatives, it will save 48 billion kilowatt-hour per year, equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions of 48 million tons, which has great potential for energy saving and emission reduction. The phasing out of incandescent lamps will not only help accelerating China Lighting Industry technological progress and upgrading electrical lighting industry structure, but also will achieve the emission reduction targets of “the 12th Five-Year Plan” and make a positive contribution to the global climate change.

China incandescent phase-out plan is divided into five steps:

The first step: October 1st, 2011, Chinese government releases the incandescent phase-out announcements and roadmaps. October 1st, 2011 to September 30th, 2012 is set as the transition period.

Second step: from October 1st, 2012, ban the sale and importation of 100-watt and above incandescent lamp for general lighting.

Third step: from October 1st, 2014, ban the sale and importation of 60-watt and above incandescent lamp for general lighting; ban the manufacture, sale and importation of inefficient tungsten halogen lamps lower than the energy efficiency limits based on the energy efficiency standards.

Fourth step: October 1st, 2015 to September 30th, 2016, evaluate the pre-policy and adjust the follow-up policy

Fifth step: from October 1st, 2016, ban the sale and importation of 15-watt and above ordinary incandescent lamp.

Target products that will be banned is general lighting incandescent lamp, the specific types are:

- Power supply voltage: 220V;

- Lamp base: E14, E27 screw-type and B22 bayonet type;

- Blister: transparent, matte, frosted effect resembles a coating or surface treatment, such as the white-form.

Targets product doesn’t include reflective-type incandescent bulb, spotlight lamp, decorative lights and other types of incandescent lamps of special use.​

Not only China, other nations around the world have passed measures or legal provision to partially or fully ban incandescent bulbs for general lighting and encourage more energy-efficient lighting alternatives, like Argentina, USA, Canada, Russia and Australia. It has been hundreds of years since Thomas Edison invented the first incandescent bulb and now it will eventually withdraw the stage of human history. But no one will forget the great contribution incandescent lamp has made to lighting.