2008 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry

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Informal Sessions Description

Additional Informal Sessions may be organized on-site during the Summer Study.

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CFL Testing - 12,000 Data Points Illuminate the Market.

Stuart Jeffcott

Thursday, August 21
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

The Australian Government seeks to make decisions relating to the development of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), and the resulting enforcement strategies, based on as much market based information as possible. Clearly, a key element in this market information is reliable, independent test data on product performance. Within any specific product category, such information facilitates:

1. A measure by which the accuracy of manufacturer based claims can be assessed and thus allows rational decisions on where performance levels can be set while still meeting consumer requirements
2. The development of a history of typical manufacturer compliance levels, hence facilitating targeting of limited enforcement resources at those suppliers most likely to transgress.

The Australian Government seek to gain this information from national sources and the most successful comparable schemes (MEPS, procurement programmes, certification schemes, etc) from around the world.

During the development of the MEPS for Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), made necessary by Australia's commitment to phase-out inefficient lighting products, Australia had insufficient national data and so when looking to source this information elsewhere. The majority of information in the public domain related to lamps qualified for Energy Star and, to a lesser extent, the UK's Energy Saving Trust. Unfortunately, the independent test data available to these schemes (both for initial entry and ongoing market testing) is not placed in the public domain other than in aggregated from. As this was insufficient for the Australian Government to take rational decisions, they have commissioned testing a range of testing in order to gain the necessary information.

This session will place the full results in the public domain and will report the performance of those lamps against various criteria including Energy Star 3 and the proposed Energy Star 4 performance criteria, thus increasing transparency in the domestic MEPS process, and making the information available to others seeking to make rational decisions based on accurate market data.

For more information, contact:

Stuart Jeffcott
Department of the Environment, Water and the Arts, Australia
e-mail: stuart@jeffcott.fsworld.co.uk

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