IEA 4E SSL annex: providing governments with the tools to accelerate market adoption of SSL products

Abstract

The SSL Annex was established in 2010 under the framework of the International Energy Agency’s Energy Efficient End-use Equipment (4E) Implementing Agreement to provide advice to its ten member countries seeking to implement quality assurance programs for SSL lighting. This international collaboration brought together the governments of Australia, China, Denmark, France, Japan, The Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States of America. China worked as an expert member of the 4E SSL Annex. The SSL Annex completed its first term in June 2014 and started on its second five-year term in July 2014. During the first term, the Annex had undertaken three major collaborative tasks on (1) Quality Assurance, (2) SSL Testing and (3) Standards & Accreditation. On quality assurance, the Annex worked to develop a set of performance tiers aimed to identify a suite of metrics and values related to minimum performance values of SSL for energy efficiency, lighting quality, and safety. Reports on SSL products and LCA aspects as well as SSL products and health aspects were developed within this task. For SSL Testing, the Annex has sought to promote harmonisation of SSL quality and performance testing around the world by establishing the world’s largest interlaboratory comparison (IC 2013) of SSL laboratories with more than 110 laboratories compared around the world. And for Standards and Accreditation, the Annex worked to establish suitable accreditation frameworks for laboratories participating in IC 2013, promoting worldwide mutual recognition of PT. The Annex started its second term in July 2014, and will run through June 2019. The new work plan continues some of the activities undertaken in the first term, but also tackles new challenges such as lifetime testing and market monitoring, verification and enforcement.