Author:
Daniel Pucek, Engineering Product Manager, UL Solutions
Date
07/01/2023
PDF
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The demand for sustainable and efficient products comes from multiple stakeholders, including retailers, consumers and investors. A heightened awareness among consumers that greener products help us live safer, more secure and more sustainable lifestyles puts pressure on brands, manufacturers and retailers to focus on product sustainability and efficiency. Additionally, investors are asking companies to take concrete environmental steps, such as certifying their products’ sustainability and introducing increasingly stringent regulations.
Whether it’s household appliances, external power supplies, information technology (IT) equipment or charging devices, there’s more choice than ever on the market for electrical and technology goods; consumers and businesses alike can purchase products that align with preferences in other areas of their lives. With increasing climate and environmental concerns, they are more likely than ever to opt for energy-efficient and sustainable products.
Global safety science companies like UL Solutions can help electronic component and product manufacturers test and certify their products for energy efficiency; in some countries the certification is mandatory, in others optional. They can provide electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing and certification services that can speed up the process of bringing products to market, and they can verify that all necessary local regulatory standards are met.
Regulatory Requirements for Power Systems
Electrical and power systems products must comply with the mandatory European Union (EU) Ecodesign Directive, which establishes a framework under which manufacturers of energy-using products are obliged to reduce energy consumption and other negative environmental impacts occurring throughout the product life cycle. To reduce energy consumption when in use, in standby and in off, additional regional, national and international regulations have been implemented, including Energy Labelling Directive 2017/1369 and the ENERGY STAR program.
When it comes to developing technology products and power systems for markets outside of the EU, different regulations and compliance requirements apply depending on your region. In Mexico, for example, the National Commission for Energy Efficiency (CONUEE) develops energy efficiency (EE) standards to which all relevant manufacturers must adhere. There is also the Electric Power Saving Trust Fund (FIDE), a voluntary label that identifies energy-efficient products, certifies products that meet specified standards and recognizes them as FIDE-certified energy-efficient products. FIDE also requires conformity assessment bodies to be accredited to issue its certificates.
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When putting steps in place to launch a product in a particular target market, it’s vital that manufacturers find a partner to help plan for specific regulatory requirements in that location. The partner can help navigate regulatory complexity and accelerate a product’s speed to market with a range of global market access services. Those involved in the market launch need to be aware of the applicable requirements and regulations for your product, work to mitigate potential slowdowns by knowing what you need to test for and know the answers to the necessary key questions — all of which an expert team of third-party engineers can support.
Recent Developments in the Regulatory Space
Last month, the EU Commission introducednew EU rules to reduce the energy consumption of electrical appliances when they are in standby mode, further proving that this is increasingly a priority for government bodies. The revised rules introduced a range of changes to the 2008 ecodesign regulation on standby, off mode and networked standby, last updated in 2013 following an extensive consultation period and feedback from the European Parliament and the Council.
The changes take account of technological, market and landscape developments in recent years. These updates extend the scope of the rules, now including, as an example, products with a low-voltage external power supply, such as small network equipment, including Wi-Fi routers and modems or wireless speakers.
By requiring reduced electricity consumption of products when they are in low power mode, the Commission estimates an annual energy savings of 4 TWh by the year 2030 — an amount nearly double the annual consumption of Malta and equivalent to an annual carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction of 1.36 million tonnes of CO2. With this development also comes a tangible benefit to consumers amid an ongoing cost of living crisis in the United Kingdom (U.K.), reducing their bills; the total savings for consumers is estimated to be 530 million euros a year by 2030. Manufacturers now have a transition period of two years to adhere to the new regulation.
Power Supply Efficiency
Energy efficiency testing includes various tests and assessments to evaluate design functions and use considerations of any tech or power system product. Energy efficiency testing can include energy consumption measurements, testing of power consumption in off mode, power management features and allocation of certificates, to name a few.
Power supplies specifically are ranked through the 80 PLUS voluntary certificate program, a certification designed to denote that a power supply isat least 80% efficient at 20%, 50% and 100% loads. This means a 500 W 80 Plus-rated power supply unit (PSU) would draw a maximum of 625 W at 100% load. Due to the low cost and advantages, they provide, including product longevity and reliability, buying anything less than 80 Plus is not typically recommended. Consumers are encouraged to look for this logo when shopping for their next PSU. Most power supplies available today are at least 80 Plus-rated.
When testing external power supplies, UL Solutions completes rigorous standardized efficiency testing by first plugging in the external power supply and measuring two data points: the power going in and the power going out. We run this test for five minutes at a 100% load; from there, we record individual data points at 75%, 50%, 25%, 10% and, finally, no load, calculating the power in and out for these different loads. We can then use this data to determine the power supply’s overall energy efficiency and whether they align with the necessary requirements.
Battery Power Supply
Battery power has gained popularity over the years, with battery technology — specifically lithium-ion batteries — dominating the market. This saturation has resulted in a growing need for lightweight, compact and longer-running batteries with larger energy density, lower discharge rates and faster charging that can maintain energy density over repeated recharging. Safety science providers can evaluate lithium-ion batteries and battery packs to safety and performance standards and test their energy efficiency. They can also test and certify the chargers that go with them.
Battery charger systems are one example of a common technology power system product that undergoes regular testing for environmental impact and energy efficiency. The first step, if necessary, based on battery chemistry, would be to condition the battery by charging it fully and then discharging it three times. After conditioning the battery, the next step is to charge it for a full 24 hours. We can then determine how much energy is consumed during the 24-hour period and during the final four hours of the maintenance period (i.e., the period in which the charger maintains the charge of the battery). The final step is to discharge the battery and determine the energy taken in by the battery alone. This, compared to the energy consumed during charging and maintenance mode, will give us the efficiency of the charging system.
More Stringent Testing
As technology and power products continue to evolve, regulation and compliance standards will also continue to become more complex and intricate, with ENERGY STAR efficiency requirements due for revision in the coming months and the aforementioned rollout of the EU’s new standby energy requirements. Testing becomes more stringent by encompassing more types of products and the different modes products can operate in, with standards requiring all of these products and modes to perform with higher efficiency with each new version of the standard.
This is why it’s important that manufacturers partner with third-party experts who can provide guidance on regulations and regional requirements. They can help empower power system manufacturers to strengthen their products’ safety, security and sustainability while also protecting brand reputation.
Such companies often have extensive, comprehensive facilities and suites, with the UL Solutions global facilities helping to streamline testing and methodologies and evaluate products’ efficiency and safety for public distribution and use. These global teams of engineers actively participate in standards development and can help keep designers and manufacturers ahead of the curve on new and evolving regulations and industry standards for many regional and global energy efficiency programs.
