By Craig DiLouie, Lighting Controls Association
Published November 2005
While new fluorescent ballast efficiency rules went into effect earlier this year, another batch of rules have just been passed that will affect lighting systems starting in 2009. This time, the efficacy standards have been set high enough that the vast majority of magnetic ballasts-including ballasts operating energy-saving T12 lamps-will no longer comply.
In September 2000, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published the Fluorescent Lamp Ballast Energy Conservation Standards (10 CFR, Part 430), which established new minimum ballast efficacy factor (BEF) standards that would go into effect starting in 2005. Ballasts that did not pass the standards would be phased out of production and sale in the United States.
Prior to 2005, many believed that this would spell the end of magnetic ballasts. However, it was determined that while magnetic ballasts that operated F40T12, F96T12 and F96T12HO lamps failed the new BEF standards, ballasts designed to operate energy-saving versions of these lamps were not covered by the regulation.
With support from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), the government revisited ballast efficiency in the Energy Policy of Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005), which President Bush signed into law on August 8, 2005. Provisions in EPAct 2005 extend the coverage of BEF standards, which will result in the phased elimination and sale of most magnetic ballasts in new fixtures, including those designed to operate 34W T12 lamps, starting in 2009, and replacement ballasts in 2010.
"There has been some market confusion following the 2000 DOE Ballast Rule as to whether ballasts for energy-saving T12 lamps were subject to the federal minimum efficiency requirements," says Kyle Pitsor, Vice President Government Relations for NEMA. "In response, NEMA championed the effort to seek clarity on the coverage of the ballasts for energy-saving lamps in the drafting and passage of HR 6, EPAct 2005. This change now explicitly covers them, will provide market certainty and will improve energy efficiency."