Pricey Harrison wants North Carolina to ban incandescent bulbs by 2016. The Greensboro Democrat has filed HB 838 to make it so.

I'm not a big fan of banning things, but as fluorescents continue to get better and other technologies keep improving there may be room for the state to help push things forward.

Harrison also is also pushing HB 837, which "will enable the continuation of projects on renewable energy and energy efficiency. These projects have been operating out of NC A&T, ASU, and across the state."

UPDATE: via Doug Clark, who also weighs in on the light-bulb bill, news of a better incandescent to come.

UPDATE: An Instapundit reader suggests fluorescents aren't ready for prime time; invokes Courtney Love. Others have better results.

Comments

[David Wharton]

At our house we've been switching over to the fluroescent bulbs with good results. The GE Soft White seem to give the most natural-looking light.

But I wonder whether banning incandescent bulbs isn't legislative over-reach. Will the energy savings really be worth it? What about halogen and other kinds of lighting? Some people have invested a lot of money in lighting systems that won't work with fluoresenct bulbs.

Pricey says the market is already moving in this direction. Why not just let it keep moving?

[Connie Mack Jr]

Pricey Harrison wants North Carolina to ban incandescent bulbs by 2016. The Greensboro Democrat has filed HB 838 to make it so.* Ed

Oh my! Pricey just failed econ 101 and wants no competition except by those massive mega international corporations who have corner the market. I wonder if Pricey has thought it though that those energy saving light bulbs will be made in China and putting more Americans out of jobs in the future.

And we all thought Hillary was the only candiate for Orwellian banning 1984?

[beth]

That's wonderful news. Very impressive. I think California is about the only state to do something like this.... It's good to see we're keeping up with the times.

I have found flourescents do have a problem with some energy saving switches I've got installed... Sounds more like the switches problem, but everything else in my house is on them.... and they're great!

[Doug H]

But what about fixtures designed for other types of lamps? We have low-voltage fixtures, as well as the type of vanity light with the clear globe bulbs. Does Pricey's bill take these into account?

[Ed Cone]

Again, I'm not big on banning things. It may be that the best way to go involves not a ban but tax credits, or incentives, or usage in state facilities, or some combination of similar things -- or maybe the market will take care of things all by itself. The bill as proposed may be less good than the idea behind it and the path to which it leads.

The bill (linked in the original post):

March 15, 2007

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to prohibit the sale of general service incandescent lamps in the state.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1. The General Statutes are amended by adding a new Chapter to read:

"Chapter 113C.

"Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation.

"§ 113C‑1. Sale of general purpose incandescent lamps prohibited.

(a) As used in this section, 'general service incandescent lamp' means a standard incandescent or halogen type lamp that is intended for general service applications and has all of the following:

(1) A medium screw base.

(2) A wattage rating no less than 25 watts and no greater than 150 watts.

(3) A shape that is defined as A‑15, A‑19, A‑21, A‑23, A‑25, PS‑25, PS‑30, BT‑14.5, BT‑15, CP‑19, TB‑19, CA‑22, or equivalent shape by the American National Standard Institute standard for electric lamps C78.20‑2003 approved 30 October 2003.

(4) A bulb finish of frosted, clear, or soft white type.

(b) No person shall sell or offer for sale a general purpose incandescent lamp in this State.

(c) This section does not apply to an appliance lamp, black light lamp, bug lamp, colored lamp, enhanced spectrum lamp, infrared lamp, left‑hand tread lamp, marine lamp, marine signal service lamp, mine service lamp, plant light, reflector lamp, rough service lamp, shatter resistant lamp, sign service lamp, silver bowl lamp, showcase lamp, three‑way lamp, traffic signal lamp, or vibration service or vibration resistant lamp."

SECTION 2. This act becomes effective on 1 January 2016 and applies to the sale of general purpose incandescent lamps on or after that date.

[David Boyd]

I'd like to ban meddling politicians.

[mick]

Seems naive on many levels.

Beth,
If I wanted to live in Cally.... I'd move there.

[animal lover]

In their present form, the fluorescents have a mercury problem. If the number of bulbs used increases greatly, the problem might be a real one. Just can't win, I guess.

[Mike]

30 years ago a guy like this would have banned pistons in favor of the Wankel Rotary Engine.

[Mark S. Daviet]

Targeting incandescent light bulbs seems so PC but if they banned air conditioning it would save 100 times the energy. It would also stop pumping hot air outside of our homes, businesses and public places.(A Bonus)

Do you think the public would go for that?

[John Lucas]

follow this link it may be a better explination for the ban

http://www.newsobserver.com/104/story/555634.html

you got to help the local boys!

[JimboNC]

I think the bright idea that flashed over Pricey Harrison's head was screwed into the wrong socket.

[Russ Meyer]

Geez. I'm from NC - we have deteriorating roads, the highest taxes in the South, and an illegal immigration problem. And THIS is what our elected representatives are spending their time on?!?!

[John Richardson]

I guess if you are an heiress (Jefferson-Standard Insurance fortune) then price isn't a consideration for you. For the rest of us working stiffs, it IS a consideration. I use fluorescent bulbs where they are appropriate but I also use incandescent bulbs as well.

[Nicholas]

You think you have problems? Here in Australia they're already trying to ban incandescents country-wide over the next three years.

Who's going to pay to have all my light fixtures replaced - the ones which can't take florescents? I guess I'll just have to buy up as many as I can while they last. What a stupid, stupid and misguided idea. They just don't want to have to spend any money maintaining the electric grid, it's easier to let it rot and try to force us to use less energy.

[Brett]

Foolish tyranny, and only fools and tyrants can approve this sort of thing. Besides, in predicting the future, I'll take the word of anyone in the private sector over that of the moonbeams in academia and government.

[Frank]

I think we need to distinguish where the energy to power our lightbulbs comes from versus the energy to power our cars and planes. Electrical power plants are not run on oil, they're run on nuclear, hydro, natural gas and coal.
The problem with electrical power in many regions is not so much capacity as it is distribution over an aging grid. I'm all for conservation in principle, but changing your lightbulbs will not effect global oil markets or this country's foreign dependence in the least, and it only postpones the inevitable investment to upgrade our power infrastructure.