U.S. Department of Energy will increase energy efficiency standards for fluorescent ballasts

Recently, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) issued the notification G/TBT/N/USA/624, proposing to revise the energy conservation standards for fluorescent ballasts specified in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. If the proposal is passed, fluorescent ballasts manufactured, sold or imported into the United States from June 30, 2014 must meet the new energy efficiency standards.

Compared with the requirements of the original standard, the new standard significantly increases the energy saving requirements for ballasts used in various lamp types, such as instant start and quick start types for medium-sized pin and slender tube lamps. Ballasts, the new standard energy-saving requirements increased by 1.9% ~ 13.4%; for the program-starting ballasts used in medium-sized pin lights, mini-standard output lamps and mini high-output lamps, the new standard energy-saving requirements increased by 9.3 %~12.6%; For the instant start, quick start type ballasts and program start type ballasts running on high output lamps, the energy saving requirement of the new standard is increased by more than 30%.

The United States is China’s most important trading partner. At the same time, the United States is also one of the countries with the most stringent technical trade measures. The US’s lighting standards update is fast and demanding. In recent years, the US Energy Star, energy guide label and other regulatory systems have successively updated energy efficiency standards for products such as compact fluorescent lamps, exit indicators, and fluorescent lamp ballasts.

To this end, the inspection and quarantine authorities reminded the exporting companies that they must obtain information on foreign notifications and technical trade measures related to their products in a timely manner through various channels; they must make early preparations and strengthen their scientific research capabilities through the establishment of joint research institutes among enterprises. Improving technological innovation capabilities, actively developing new energy-saving technologies that break through energy efficiency barriers, innovating and applying methods and equipment for reducing energy consumption, and pursuing new ways to improve product competitiveness in energy-saving production processes; strengthening cooperation with laboratories with energy efficiency testing qualifications ,Using professional resources of the laboratory, periodically conducting energy-efficiency testing of relevant products, analyzing the test results to find out solutions to existing problems, and continuously improving the energy efficiency indicators of the products.