Level V External Power Supplies
The
European Commission
(EC) estimates that 80% of all product-related environmental impacts are determined during the design stage. The intent of their
Eco-Design Directive
is to improve the environmental performance of products early in the life cycle. The
European Union
(EU) has set a goal of reducing by 20% the energy consumption of
energy-related products (ErP) by the year 2020. The use of higher efficiency external power supplies plays an important role in hitting this target.
Beginning April 2010, the
EU
required
Level IV
efficiency standards for
external power supplies
. This was the 1st phase (Tier 1) of the
EC
's
Eco-Design Directive
for
ErP
. The second phase (Tier 2) of the Directive is now in effect, as of April 2011. What this means for manufacturers:
External Power Supplies
(
EPS
) intended for the European market must meet
Level V
energy efficiency standards.
The
EPA
in the
US
has estimated that more than 3.1 billion external power supplies are in use nationwide (from 5 - 10
EPS
s in each home), consuming 3 - 4 % of the nation's electricity bill. It was estimated that
Level IV
requirements would increase the efficiency of
EPS
s by an average of 35%, providing a potential US energy bill savings of $636 million. The US implemented
Level IV
requirements in July 2008.
Along with Europe, the
US
has adopted the
Level V
standard, but compliance is voluntary at this date. Current
EPA
requirements are at
Level IV,
mandated by the
Energy Independence and Security Act
of 2007 (
EISA
). The industry expectation is that the
US
and other countries will join the
EC
in mandating the higher requirements and that
Level V
will be the global standard for energy efficient external power supplies.
Read more...
There are certain exclusions from both
Level IV
and
Level V
requirements.
EPA
excludes the following from meeting
EISA Level IV
standards:
1. A device that requires Federal Food and Drug Administration listing and approval as a medical device
2. A device that powers the charger of a detachable battery pack or charges the battery of a product that is full or primarily motor operated
3. A power supply that was manufactured from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2015 as a spare or service part for an end-use product manufactured before July 1, 2008.
Level V
requirements for
EC
's
ErP Directive
do not apply to the following:
1. Voltage converters
2. Uninterruptible power supplies
3. Battery chargers
4. Halogen lighting converters
5. External power supplies for medical devices
6. External power supplies placed on the market before June 30, 2015 as a service or spare part.
Additional Resources:
European Union Eco-Design Regulation
Energy Star International Efficiency Marking Protocol for External Power Supplies
|