China’s official news agency, Xinhua, revealed a three-phase schedule for eliminating incandescent lamp sales. To promote energy efficiency and overall carbon reduction goals, imports and sales of 100W-and-higher incandescent lamps will end October 1, 2012; to be followed by 60W-and-above lamps beginning October 1, 2014; and lamps 15W or higher from October 1, 2016.

“China is a major manufacturer and consumer of lighting products,” said Xie Ji, deputy director of the Environmental Protection Department with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said at a conference, pointing out that that China is the world’s largest producer lamps.

Earlier this year, China announced a 5 year plan to cut energy consumption and carbon emission (per unit of GDP) by 16 percent and 17 percent, respectively. The United States, Canada, Britain, and the European Union are all in the midst of phasing out the household A-lamp and other inefficient products.