Are Light Bulbs Insignificant?

"The rationale for having the government, rather than the market, set efficiency standards for lighting and other appliances is fairly straightforward. Building and real-estate markets are highly fragmented, and none of the many players—banks, mortgage companies, architects, landlords, contractors, decorators, renters, utilities—have a clear and consistent incentive to demand or install energy-saving innovations. Having the DOE speed up the adoption of bulbs that will be up to 80 percent more efficient than current models will help consumers save $4 billion per year on energy bills between 2012 and 2042, and will eliminate the need for two to seven gigawatts of electricity generation—as many as 14 coal-fired power plants. "