THE PRODUCT:
Torchiere lighting fixtures are generally floor lamps that aim light upward to bounce off the ceiling. Originally most of these fixtures used very bright halogen lamps, but after well-publicized fire hazards, most fixtures now sold use either incandescent or CFLs or LEDs.
THE STANDARD:
Several states adopted standards requiring torchiere lighting fixtures to use no more than 190 W. The intent was to encourage use of CFL fixtures while permitting incandescent fixtures using less than 190 W. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 made this same standard a national standard, effective January 2006. Torchiere fixtures cannot be capable of using more than 190 W, meaning that some type of shutoff must be employed to turn the lights off if more than 190 W are used.
Note: The DOE website contains a Frequently Asked Questions document and interpretative guidance on what constitutes a torchiere.
