In light of the global energy crisis, a memorandum of agreement was signed by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Energy to develop 21 new standards aimed within 18 months to make lighting products sold in the local market more energy efficient.
The agreement was signed by the DTI’s Bureau of Product Standards and the DoE’s Energy Research and Testing Laboratories Services (ERTLS) to support the Philippine Efficient Lighting Market Transformation (PELMAT) program, the government’s roadmap in the promotion of energy efficient lighting system in the country.
Under the PELMAT program, the BPS is committed to develop 21 standards on EEL systems within 18 months.
The collaboration will strengthen both parties testing capabilities on lighting systems, improve the quality and energy efficiency of lighting products and raise the productivity and competitiveness of these products.
BPS and DOE-ERTLS also convened the active players of the Philippine lighting industry in an Inception Workshop on the Development of Lighting Product Standards. The Inception Workshop created five Technical Working Groups (TWGs) under the BPS Technical Committee on Lamps and Related Equipment (BPS/TC 04).
"The Bureau formed these TWGs to fast-track the updating of existing Philippine National Standards (PNS) on lighting systems and to hasten the development of new lighting standards that include Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS)," said BPS Director Jesus L. Motoomull.
The scope of the standard development on lighting includes the energy efficient version of linear fluorescent lamps (i.e. slim tube T8 triphosphor coated); Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs); high intensity discharge (HID) lamps, ballasts (low loss electromagnetic and electronic); and energy efficient luminaries.
The BPS is also consolidating EEL product performance standards based on relevant codes or standards in other countries and on information gathered from the local lighting industry.
The BPS is also assisting the DOE in developing at least one voluntary agreement scheme with lighting manufacturers and distributors to ensure that the lighting products sold or distributed in the market follow a performance standards higher than the MEPS.
The Inception Workshop is part of the PELMATP, a $15.3 million project of the DOE, through the assistance of United Nations Development Program’s (UNDP) Global environment Facility (GEF), which aims to address barriers to widespread utilization of energy efficient lighting system.
The program encompasses the whole cycle of lighting use, from policy/regulatory issues, manufacturing, quality and standards setting, capacity building, information/ education/ communication and management/recycling of lamp wastes. (BCM)
