Billions of line-powered smart devices with radios, sensors, actuators, and other connectivity components constantly need electricity. All of them can add up to a significant impact on the worldwide energy consumption. More than ever, compact and highly efficient offline power converters with ultra-low standby power consumption are needed to support the future of IoT.

As part of the President’s climate agenda, the White House has announced plans to develop sustainability benchmarks for federal buildings. Buildings account for over 70% of U.S. electricity consumption and power sector CO2 emissions.

For the second year in a row, PCIM Europe was held virtually. And, just like last year, Power Integrations went all out with a full slate of activities. In a number of industry sessions we covered our groundbreaking technologies, and announced multiple new products. In case you missed the show here are some highlights.

On November 18, the CEC held an online public hearing on a Notice of Proposed Action to amend Title 20 Computer and Monitor Regulations.

The team at ENERGY STAR reviewed the Draft 1 Specification for Televisions Version 9.0 in a stakeholder webinar held on September 30. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will publish subsequent drafts through early 2021 with the final specification anticipating an effective date in the final quarter of 2021.

On August 5, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) held a public meeting and webinar on the appliance standard for room air conditioners (ACs). The DOE presented a preliminary analysis with various assessments.

On July 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted a webinar to propose recognition criteria across product categories for the ENERGY STAR® Most Efficient (ESME) 2021.  As an extension of the ENERGY STAR brand and in what will be its eleventh year, the Most Efficient label recognizes the most efficient products among those qualifying for ENERGY STAR.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is examining current energy conservation standards for External Power Supplies (EPS). As defined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), an “external power supply” is an external power supply circuit that is used to convert household electric current into DC current or lower-voltage AC current to operate a consumer product. In 2014, the DOE published the Level VI efficiency standard, which has been in effect in the U.S. since 2016.

Since 2005, China has been promoting energy efficiency with its GB (“Guo Biao”) national standards, setting the scope, parameters, and prescriptive test limits for products ranging from household appliances and flat-panel televisions to luminaires/ballasts and automotive parts. On December 31, 2019, China officially published a new GB national standard pertaining to room air conditioners. GB 21455-2019 sets the minimum allowable values of energy efficiency and defines the energy efficiency grades for room air conditioners.