LED there be light!

September 15, 2021

The ban on halogen lamps announced by the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has put LEDs into the spotlight.

The good news, for our industry, is that LED lamps currently account for around 60% of all lamps sold in the UK and the ban announced will make LEDs the new normal for lighting. Thanks to this new regulation, this figure is set to grow to about 85% and should result in even bigger and better savings, as moving to LED lamps can result in significant savings for the end user from their energy bills.

Our own data shows that a complete switch to LED lighting across the UK over five years would help reduce the UK’s carbon footprint by equivalent to one of our four coal power plants, 636 thousand cars, or nearly half a million (496K) households.

The ban announcement means that between now and September 2021, manufacturers can continue to put products that don’t meet the new standards on the market, but these must be sold by March 2023. This ban makes me particularly happy as I feel it’s a step in the right direction to not just respond to the climate urgency but also to help users control their energy bills to a greater extent. The change in regulation has also introduced a new energy label. This label provides comprehensive information on the energy consumption of lamps. What’s great about this is that customers now have full access to the necessary information they need to make an informed choice.

Energy labels

To help make the switch, BEIS has also announced that from September, all lamps will feature new energy efficiency advice via ‘rescaled’ energy labels on their boxes. The labels will simplify the way energy efficiency is displayed on a new scale from A-G, doing away with the A+ and A++ ratings. The new labels will raise the bar for each class, meaning very few lamps will now be classified as A, therefore helping consumers choose the most energy-efficient lamps. Just as they have done so with household appliances, the government is rescaling the energy efficiency labels on lamps to make it harder for lamps to achieve an A-rating. 

From 1^st September, relevant product characteristics will be needed in the newly documented EPREL2 database (European Product Database for Energy Labelling). It will be the manufacturer’s responsibility to upload their product information onto the database. If a product is not registered on the EPREL2 database, the product cannot be sold in the EU and will also not be CE marked. In addition, a QR code on the energy label, clearly displayed on the packaging of the product, will direct consumers to detailed product specifications within the EPREL database, which was not available prior. This QR code provides a user-friendly link.

In the UK, a similar regulation will come into force on 1^st October 2021 with a few small differences from that of the EU regulation. These include there being no requirement to use an EPREL style database as long as data is documented on a publicly accessible webpage, so the customer is still able to access all information and is able to make an informed choice. However, for the sake of simplicity, many manufacturers may choose to utilise the EPREL2 database.

The great news is that these measures are estimated to save customers £75 a year on energy bills. This is possible since LED lamps have a far longer lifetime and are far more energy efficient. An added advantage is that the stronger labelling across the board will enable customers to choose more energy efficient lamps and appliances by making better informed choices.

I welcome this move from the government and feel this is a move in the right direction for progress in achieving net zero by 2050. A step to more sustainable lighting products, using energy-efficient LED equivalents for halogen, and fluorescent lighting on an even broader scale will significantly help the UK on its journey to decarbonisation, driving down annual electricity bills for consumers and ensuring that only exceptional quality products can enter the market and consumers are provided with all information at the time of purchase.

The changes and regulations will impact every manufacturer and are in line with sustainability goals that push for more efficient lighting practices and circular products, that are beneficial for the global economy and put human health and comfort first while also furthering the UK’s journey to reaching net zero.