Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) new LED energy efficiency standard has been in effect since July 1, 2014. According to the ministry, Taiwan is the first Asian country to implement minimum energy efficiency standards for LED bulbs. The new standard will be applicable for both imported and domestic products.

The ministry’s Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection has included LED bulbs under inspection protocols. MOEA aims to ensure product quality management and that bulbs meet energy efficiency targets. In the future, foreign and domestically manufactured LED bulbs that fail to meet the minimum efficacy standard will be banned from sales in Taiwan. Under the regulation, indoor cool white LED bulbs efficacy must reach above 75 lm/W, and warm white LED bulbs at least 70 lm/W. The ministry hopes the measure can help the nation conserve energy and meet carbon reduction targets.

The country’s lighting energy consumption was estimated to have re267 billion kw/h of electricity in 2013, which is about 10.9 percent of total energy consumption, according to statistics the ministry compiled.Taiwanese households lighting energy consumption amounted to 40 percent of total lighting energy consumption. Fluorescent tube lights is the most commonly used light in Taiwan households with a 42.15 percent share, followed by Compound Fluorescent Light (CFL) of 37.73 percent and LED bulbs trailing at 5.7 percent. 

In recent years, rapid improvements in LED lighting technology has raised luminous efficacy and driven down LED bulb prices. The result has been rising LED bulb market share in Taiwan over the past years, which is estimated to bring sales volume to 5 million bulbs this year.