Lighting Council Australia protests new LED rules

Lighting Council Australia is calling on the federal government to simplify the registration rules for LED light bulbs, which the lighting body describes as overly complex and prohibitively high cost.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is in the final stages of preparing a Ministerial Determination to regulate LED light bulbs under the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) Act. It is expected to present its proposal to energy ministers in early 2024.

David Crossley, the National Technical Manager of Lighting Council Australia, said the proposed registration rules for LEDs would reduce energy savings, increase consumer prices and reduce consumer choice.

“Unfortunately, the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is on track to reverse LED energy savings,” Crossley said.

“Despite three recommendations contained in the review into the GEMS Act specifically highlighting that the regulator should ease the regulatory burden on LED suppliers, this Commonwealth government department is pushing ahead with its complex, high-cost registration rules.”

Crossley warned that the proposed rules would not improve the efficiency of LEDs, instead having the opposite effect by stalling the voluntary LED innovation trajectory that is delivering increasing savings to consumers.

“The GEMS Act allows the regulator freedom to stipulate registration requirements. Simple and streamlined registration rules are possible to implement,” he said.

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