The last phase of China’s incandescent bulb ban will be effective as of Sept. 30, 2016. China will ban the imports and sales of 15W and above general incandescent bulbs Starting from Oct. 1, 2016, and will make adjustments based on interim evaluation results, reported Yicai Global.

The Zambia Electrometer has raised its LED bulb production to 2 million per year following the Zambian government’s decision to ban incandescent bulb imports, according to a report from the Times of Zambia.

Researchers combine the warm look of traditional light bulbs with 21st-century energy efficiency. Traditional light bulbs, thought to be well on their way to oblivion, may receive a reprieve thanks to a technological breakthrough. Incandescent lighting and its warm, familiar glow is well over a century old yet survives virtually unchanged in homes around the world. That is changing fast, however, as regulations aimed at improving energy efficiency are phasing out the old bulbs in favor of more efficient compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and newer light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs).

It’s no surprise that consumers are overwhelmed by all of the changes happening in the lighting aisle, and research shows that most aren’t ready to make the leap to newer energy-efficient lighting solutions. In fact, consumers are purchasing GE Energy-Efficient Soft White bulbs at a rate of two-to-one compared to CFL bulbs, according to Nielsen.

GE announced plans to invest US$ 30 million to expand manufacturing capacity in U.S. The investment will add more than 150 jobs at three GE Lighting plants to meet growing consumer demand for energy-efficient incandescent bulbs. The U.S. produced incandescent bulbs will be sold at 3,400 U.S. Walmart stores by summer 2014. 

The incandescent bulb is about to become obsolete is lost on the vast majority of the public. The phase-out begins in three years as part of the energy bill signed in 2007. They will be edged out by LEDs. So light bulb makers have to revamp some plants, shutter others, and invest enormous sums of money in preparation for a technological shift.