Numerous governments have handed legislation to part out manufacturing or importation of incandescent gentle bulbs for basic lighting in favor of more energy-efficient bulbs options. The regulations are usually based on effectivity, fairly than use of incandescent know-how. Objections to substitute of incandescent lamps for basic lighting embody the upper purchasing expense of different lamps and their hazardous materials content material. To mitigate the fee results of those considerations the cost of alternative lamps may be reduced by subsidies. Manufacturers developed fluorescent lamps with reduced mercury content material compared to original designs, and recycling programs are intended to prevent mercury release. New lamp types offer improved beginning traits, and dimmable varieties are available. The light from an incandescent supply is analogous in character to that from a Planckian "black physique" in spectral distribution, that is, the bulb, because the filament heats up, produces light at wavelengths all through the seen spectrum. Various mild sources use phosphors or mixtures of mono-chromatic LEDs (purple, blue, and inexperienced) to provide "white" mild, giving significantly irregular spectral distributions that may create shade casts in pictures and variations of shade matching when in comparison with incandescent gentle or daylight.

Halogen lamps are a type of incandescent lamp with improved efficiency over common incandescent lamps. Although not as vitality efficient as other alternate options, they're up to forty percent extra environment friendly than customary incandescent lamps designed for a 2000-hour life. Depending on dimension, voltage, and designed life, small, low-voltage halogen lamps can have 70% greater efficacy than massive, line-voltage lamps. They function at a high temperature, which could also be a security hazard in some purposes. A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) makes use of a fluorescent lamp tube which is curved or folded to suit into the area of an incandescent bulb and accommodates a compact electronic ballast in the base of the lamp. Compared to common-service incandescent lamps giving the identical amount of seen mild, CFLs use one-fifth to at least one-third the electric energy and should last eight to fifteen instances longer. Newer phosphor EcoLight smart bulbs formulations have improved the perceived colour, with "delicate white" CFLs judged subjectively similar to plain incandescent lamps. Compact fluorescent lamps begin poorly when cold, and most sorts cannot be dimmed.

Just a few specialist applications are unsuitable for CFLs. Light emitting diode (LED) lamps are used for each basic and particular-goal lighting. UV rays that fade coloured materials. LED lamps radiate much less heat than different applied sciences, and may be both multi-directional or unidirectional, eliminating the necessity for a mirrored reflector within the bulb or fixture. LED lamps can emit saturated coloured gentle. Disadvantages include spectrum limitations on account of discrete emission colors. Their purchase price was a lot larger than other bulbs, but has decreased steadily over time. Botswana has an alternate program distributing CFL bulbs. Of the members of ECOWAS, Cape Verde, reduce energy consumption Guinea, Mali, energy-efficient bulbs Nigeria, Benin and Togo have had alternate programs to exchange incandescent bulbs with energy environment friendly variations. Ghana banned incandescent bulbs in 2008 and Senegal has banned the manufacture and import. Egypt is reported to have a partial ban on incandescent mild bulbs. Kenya has a programme to alternate numerous mild bulbs with more environment friendly types.

Morocco has a programme to trade a variety of light bulbs with extra efficient sorts. Rwanda has an trade program, distributing CFL bulbs. Tanzania has an exchange program to substitute incandescent bulbs. Tunisia is reported to have a partial ban on incandescent light bulbs. Since January 2016, the importation of incandescent light bulbs has been banned in Zambia. Zimbabwe has banned incandescent gentle bulbs. Bahrain has banned incandescent mild bulbs. Bangladesh has an trade program. One other source, nonetheless, has indicated that by 1 October 2016, all incandescent mild bulbs might be banned. Based on this supply, 1 November 2011 to 30 September 2012 can be a transitional period and EcoLight LED bulbs as of 1 October 2012, imports and sales of strange incandescent bulbs of 100 watts or extra will likely be prohibited. The primary section can be adopted by a ban on 60-watt-and-greater incandescent light bulbs starting in October 2014. By October 2016, all incandescent gentle bulbs will be banned in China.

Whereas not a whole ban, the UJALA plan in India sought to change 770 million incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs by 2019. This was expected to scale back vitality consumption by over one hundred billion kWh yearly and EcoLight home lighting reduce annual electricity payments by ₹400 billion (US$4.7 billion). As of April 2017, 229 million LED bulbs had been distributed throughout the nation. The states of Tamil Nadu, energy-efficient bulbs Kerala and Karnataka in India have banned using incandescent bulbs in government departments, numerous boards, cooperative institutions, local bodies, and establishments working on authorities support. 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 manufacturing, import and gross sales incandescent bulbs by 2014 as part of efforts to save power and to help reduce greenhouse fuel emissions. Nepal has banned incandescent gentle bulbs. North Korea reportedly made LED bulbs obligatory in 2014 to alleviate its power crisis. The Philippines was amongst the first Asian countries to section-out incandescent light bulbs.