LED flat panel lights for general lighting will be labeled with new energy efficiency standards by 2024.

In order to accelerate the improvement of energy efficiency of energy consuming products and actively promote green consumption, the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation recently issued a notice on the "Catalogue of Products Implementing Energy Efficiency Labeling in the People's Republic of China (16th Batch)" and related implementation rules, revising the implementation rules for energy efficiency labeling of five types of products, including welding machines, LED flat lights for general lighting, commercial induction cookers, AC contacts, and displays. Among them, taking into account the implementation time of national mandatory energy efficiency standards and fully considering the production situation and product sales cycle of enterprises, the "Implementation Rules for Energy Efficiency Labeling of LED Flat Panel Lamps for General Lighting" will be implemented from June 1, 2024, with a validity period of 5 years. It is worth mentioning that in order to reserve sufficient time for enterprises to digest inventory products, products manufactured or imported before June 1, 2024 can have a two-year transition period, which can be postponed until June 1, 2026, and new energy efficiency labels will be added according to the implementation rules.

The reporter learned that the "Implementation Rules for Energy Efficiency Labeling of LED Flat Lamps for General Lighting" are formulated based on the "Management Measures for Energy Efficiency Labeling", and the relevant technical indicators are based on the "GB 38450-2019 Energy Efficiency Limit Values and Energy Efficiency Grades for LED Flat Lamps for General Lighting" standard. This rule applies to LED flat panel lamps for general lighting with LED as the light source, rated voltage of 220V, frequency of 50Hz, and thickness not exceeding 85mm (including LED light source and its control device, the thickness of external control device is not included in the thickness of the lamp); Not applicable to LED flat panel lights with energy consuming non lighting additional functions, LED flat panel lights with dimming/color adjustment functions, and LED flat panel lights with colored patterns or decorative elements on continuous emitting surfaces.

According to the implementation rules, the identification shall be a colored identification with a blue and white background, with a length of 45mm and a width of 30mm. The name of the identification shall be: China Energy Label (English name: CHINA ENERGY LABEL). The detection methods for energy efficiency performance related parameters such as power, luminous efficiency, correlated color temperature, color rendering index, and luminous flux maintenance rate should be based on the current effective versions of GB 38450 and GB/T 31897.201.

In fact, since the implementation of the energy efficiency labeling system in China in 2005, several types of lighting products including self ballasted fluorescent lamps for general lighting, high-pressure sodium lamps, LED products for indoor lighting (LED tube lamps for general indoor lighting, directional integrated LED lamps, and non directional self ballasted LED lamps), and LED lamps for road and tunnel lighting have been included in the product catalog for implementing energy efficiency labeling in China.

In response, the China Lighting and Electrical Appliances Association stated that the energy efficiency labeling system is a system for evaluating and labeling product energy efficiency, promoting energy conservation and emission reduction, and promoting the promotion and application of high-efficiency energy-saving products in the market. With the continuous strengthening of energy conservation and emission reduction work by the country, as well as the continuous maturity of related product technologies and standards, the energy consuming products listed in the catalog will be further expanded. This will help drive more product manufacturers and consumers to pay attention to energy efficiency, and promote the promotion and application of more efficient and energy-saving products in the market.

It is reported that in the next step, the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation will work with relevant departments and units to further strengthen the organization, implementation, supervision and management of the energy efficiency labeling system, actively promote high-efficiency energy-saving products and equipment, vigorously promote green consumption, and promote the formation of green and low-carbon production and lifestyle.