The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, passed by both houses of Congress and signed into law by President Bush in December, includes stringent, mandatory energy-efficiency standards on external power supplies (EPS), the AC adapters and chargers that power cellphones, cordless phones, modems and countless other electronic products. Most external power supplies manufactured for sale in the U.S. after July 1, 2008 must comply with the standards. The standards are equivalent to the second, tighter version of the California Energy Commission EPS standards, also scheduled to take effect on July 1.
The energy law also mandates significant improvements in the efficiency of lighting technologies used in general service lamps. The new lighting standards are expected to result in the phase-out of traditional incandescent light bulbs beginning in 2012, in favor of more efficient technologies including compact fluorescent bulbs and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
Power Integrations offers a comprehensive range of products and design resources to help manufacturers meet the standards cost-effectively and with rapid time-to-market. The company's EcoSmart technology enables switched-mode power supplies and off-line LED driver circuits able to meet all current and proposed efficiency specifications worldwide. The company's Green Room (www.powerint.com/greenroom) provides information on the new law and other efficiency standards plus an array of support tools to enable conforming designs, including application notes, reference design kits and the company's free power supply design software, PI Expert.
Power Integrations
