Various governments have handed laws to phase out manufacturing or importation of incandescent gentle bulbs for common lighting in favor of extra energy-efficient alternatives. The laws are generally based mostly on efficiency, energy-saving LED bulbs slightly than use of incandescent technology. Objections to substitute of incandescent lamps for common lighting include the higher purchasing expense of other lamps and their hazardous material content material. To mitigate the cost effects of these considerations the cost of other lamps could also be decreased by subsidies. Manufacturers developed fluorescent lamps with lowered mercury content material compared to original designs, and recycling programs are supposed to prevent mercury launch. New lamp sorts provide improved beginning characteristics, and energy-saving LED bulbs dimmable sorts are available. The sunshine from an incandescent supply is comparable in character to that from a Planckian "black body" in spectral distribution, energy-saving LED bulbs that's, the bulb, as the filament heats up, produces light at wavelengths throughout the visible spectrum. Different mild sources use phosphors or combos of mono-chromatic LEDs (purple, blue, and inexperienced) to provide "white" gentle, giving considerably irregular spectral distributions that can create color casts in pictures and differences of colour matching when in comparison with incandescent mild or daylight.

Halogen lamps are a sort of incandescent lamp with improved effectivity over common incandescent lamps. Although not as energy environment friendly as other options, they're up to forty % more efficient than standard incandescent lamps designed for a 2000-hour life. Depending on measurement, voltage, and designed life, small, low-voltage halogen lamps can have 70% higher efficacy than large, line-voltage lamps. They function at a high temperature, long-life LED which could also be a safety hazard in some functions. A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) uses a fluorescent lamp tube which is curved or folded to fit into the house of an incandescent bulb and contains a compact electronic ballast in the base of the lamp. In comparison with basic-service incandescent lamps giving the same amount of visible gentle, CFLs use one-fifth to at least one-third the electric power and should last eight to fifteen instances longer. Newer phosphor EcoLight bulbs formulations have improved the perceived coloration, with "soft white" CFLs judged subjectively comparable to standard incandescent lamps. Compact fluorescent lamps start poorly when chilly, energy-efficient bulbs and most sorts can't be dimmed.

A couple of specialist purposes are unsuitable for CFLs. Mild emitting diode (LED) lamps are used for energy-saving LED bulbs both common and particular-function lighting. UV rays that fade colored materials. LED lamps radiate much less heat than other technologies, and may be either multi-directional or unidirectional, eliminating the necessity for a mirrored reflector within the bulb or fixture. LED lamps can emit saturated colored mild. Disadvantages include spectrum limitations because of discrete emission colours. Their buy price was a lot larger than other bulbs, however has decreased steadily through the years. Botswana has an alternate program distributing CFL bulbs. Of the members of ECOWAS, Cape Verde, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Benin and Togo have had alternate applications to change incandescent bulbs with power efficient versions. Ghana banned incandescent bulbs in 2008 and Senegal has banned the manufacture and import. Egypt is reported to have a partial ban on incandescent light bulbs. Kenya has a programme to trade various gentle bulbs with extra environment friendly sorts.

Morocco has a programme to change a variety of gentle bulbs with extra environment friendly varieties. Rwanda has an alternate program, distributing CFL bulbs. Tanzania has an change program to substitute incandescent bulbs. Tunisia is reported to have a partial ban on incandescent mild bulbs. Since January 2016, the importation of incandescent mild bulbs has been banned in Zambia. Zimbabwe has banned incandescent light bulbs. Bahrain has banned incandescent light bulbs. Bangladesh has an alternate program. One other source, nonetheless, has indicated that by 1 October 2016, EcoLight all incandescent gentle bulbs can be banned. In accordance with this supply, 1 November 2011 to 30 September 2012 might be a transitional period and energy-saving LED bulbs as of 1 October 2012, imports and sales of ordinary incandescent bulbs of a hundred watts or more will be prohibited. The first phase will likely be adopted by a ban on 60-watt-and-higher incandescent light bulbs beginning in October 2014. By October 2016, all incandescent gentle bulbs will probably be banned in China.

Whereas not a complete ban, the UJALA plan in India sought to substitute 770 million incandescent gentle bulbs with energy-saving LED bulbs bulbs by 2019. This was anticipated to cut back energy consumption by over 100 billion kWh annually and scale back annual electricity bills by ₹400 billion (US$4.7 billion). As of April 2017, 229 million LED bulbs had been distributed throughout the country. The states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka in India have banned the use of incandescent bulbs in authorities departments, varied boards, EcoLight bulbs cooperative establishments, local our bodies, and institutions working on authorities assist. As of 1 August 2017, Kuwait has banned the import of incandescent light bulbs, including halogen bulbs. It was reported in 2012 that Malaysia would ban production, import and gross sales incandescent bulbs by 2014 as a part of efforts to avoid wasting energy and to assist cut greenhouse gasoline emissions. Nepal has banned incandescent light bulbs. North Korea reportedly made LED bulbs obligatory in 2014 to alleviate its energy disaster. The Philippines was among the primary Asian international locations to part-out incandescent light bulbs.