Congress is now considering the Energy Act of 2020, which contains numerous provisions related to energy production, distribution, and more-efficient end use. Looking at the highlights, I didn’t see anything directly related to lighting. I’m hoping at least the Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction will get another extension.

LightingEurope is advocating the installation of UV-C disinfection technologies as part of the European Union’s Renovation Wave (part of the EU Green Deal) and the application and enforcement of existing safety rules and standards.

Six environmental and consumer groups have warned the U.S. Department of Energy that they will sue the agency if it does not meet its legal responsibility to review and update overdue energy efficiency standards for 26 consumer and commercial products—including some of the largest energy users, such as air conditioners, water heaters, refrigerators, and clothes dryers—within 60 days.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently asked a federal court to force the U.S. Department of Energy to implement updated energy-saving standards for general-service lamps.

My contribution to the January issue of ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR took a look at the Department of Energy’s recent action on general-service lamp energy standards and its interpretation of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007’s backstop rule.

California’s 2019 lighting standards and regulations went into effect January 1, 2020. The 2019 changes include updates to both the Appliance Efficiency Regulations and Building Energy Efficiency Standards.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and the American Lighting Association (ALA) yesterday ended their legal challenge to the California Energy Commission’s Nov. 13 decision to expand its lamp energy standards. NEMA’s announcement came after reviewing the decision of the federal district court in Sacramento denying the application for a temporary restraining order without prejudice to pursue a motion for a preliminary injunction.

The Department of Energy has confirmed its September 5, 2019 determination that existing energy standards for general-service incandescent lamps do not need to be amended, citing these amendments are not economically justified.

On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed into law HR1865, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act (2020), which contained an extension to the Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction (179D).