New modification to minimum energy efficiency standards for indoor lighting products begins May 2021

In July, the Ministry of Energy published ministerial exemption resolution # 10/20 in which it sets minimum energy efficiency standards for indoor lighting products for domestic use. A few months later, on 29 September, the Ministry of Energy issued a new missive, REX 17/2020, changing the date of entry into force with respect to minimum efficiency to 40 lm/W, which was scheduled for January 2021, moving the date to May. The adjustment is related to the global health contingency that has forced the closure of factories in both Europe and China, where the vast majority of lighting products come from, and due to the process of restarting production of these products, domestic importers have had to modify their import deadlines and patterns, making it difficult to comply with the first stage of the implementation schedule contained.

In 2011, the Ministry of Energy approved the regulation (Law 2224, Decree 97) that establishes the minimum energy efficiency standards and rules for their application, which will lead to the introduction of the energy efficiency label for products marketed in our country. In 2013, minimum energy efficiency standards will be implemented in Chile for non-directional general lighting lamps, gradually eliminating less efficient technology and helping to lower the energy consumption curve. In this way, it is expected that incandescent, halogen and fluorescent lighting that continues to be on the market will have better energy standards or will be replaced by light-emitting diode technology, commonly known as LED lighting.

In October last year, a public consultation was held and was called Preliminary Technical Report for Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for Indoor Lighting Products, which was based on the UN Environment Report. The report predicts that lighting use will increase by 50 percent over the next two decades, so a transition to energy-efficient lighting would help reduce global demand for electrical energy for lighting by 40 to 60 percent by 2030. In our country, during the year 2018, this consumption represented 16.9 percent of residential electricity consumption, being the second highest consumption after refrigeration.

As a result of this public consultation the authority sets new minimum energy efficiency standards for the products listed below:

  • Tungsten filament incandescent lamps for domestic and general lighting use, rated at between 25 W and 200 W, shape A or PS lamps; clear or frosted lamps, or lamps with a white finish; E26 or E27 bases, according to the scope and field of application of IEC 60064/2005.
  • Lamps with built-in ballast (LFC) for general lighting, rated up to 60W; rated voltage between 100V and 250V; Edison or Bayonet screw caps, depending on the scope and application of the
    IEC 60969 (2001).
  • Double-capped fluorescent lamps for general lighting, within the scope and application of IEC 60081 (2002) with Addenda A1:2000, A2:2003 and A3:2005. This requirement does not apply to lamps exceeding 1200 mm in length and to lamps with a rated wattage of more than 40 W.
  • Single-capped fluorescent lamp for general lighting, according to the scope and application of IEC 60901 (2001) with its Addenda A1:1997, A2:2000 and A3:2004.
  • Single and double capped tungsten halogen lamps for domestic and similar general lighting purposes with a rated voltage up to 250 volts, according to the scope and application of IEC 60357:2002-11.
  • Incandescent tungsten halogen lamps (non-vehicular) with the following characteristics: Powered by a voltage of up to 250V; With dichroic reflector; With sockets: GU10, GU5.3, GU4 and E27
  • LED lamps with incorporated ballast, with the following characteristics: -For domestic and similar general lighting purposes; Voltage rating up to 60 W; Sockets B15d, B22d, E11, E12, E14, E17, E26, E27, GU10, GZ10 and GX53 Included are the
    LED lamps with filaments that emulate incandescent bulbs, as well as those that operate with devices to vary their light intensity, according to IEC 62612:2018-08

Limits and schedule of application:
The minimum energy efficiency standard will be established gradually, and based on the metric of "lm/W" (lumens / Watt) for bulbs or lamps classified as general use, or for domestic use defined in the Scope, as follows:

  • Minimum efficiency at 40 lm/W, from 1 May 2021.
  • Minimum efficiency at 70 lm/W, from 1 January 2023.
  • Minimum efficiency at 85 lm/W, from 1 January 2025.

The above implies that:

  • From 1 May 2021, lamps with an efficiency of less than 40 lm/W may not be placed on the market;
  • From 1 January 2023, lamps with an efficiency of less than 70 lm/W may not be placed on the market;
  • From 1 January 2025, lamps with an efficiency of less than 85 lm/W may not be placed on the market;

Consultation documentation:

New Ministerial Exempt Resolution #17/2020, 29 September 2020.

Exempt Resolution Ministry of Energy #10/20 dated July 31, 2020.

REGULATIONS WHICH ESTABLISHES THE PROCEDURE FOR SETTING MINIMUM ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS AND RULES FOR THEIR APPLICATION

Source: SEC