U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Solid-State Lighting

ENERGY STAR® Criteria for Solid-State Lighting

The EnergyStar logo, which consists of a square containing the top third of a circle, under which is written in script the word 'energy' followed by the graphic of a star; underneath is a horizontal line, and under the line are the words 'ENERGY STAR'.

To learn more about ENERGY STAR for SSL, see FAQs

Since September 30, 2008, solid-state lighting (SSL) products that meet efficiency and performance criteria set by the U.S. Department of Energy can earn the ENERGY STAR. The program includes both residential and non-residential applications intended for general illumination.

Category A covers near-term applications where SSL technology can already be applied to provide good lighting performance and energy efficiency. By 2011, Category B will cover a much wider range of future applications that will emerge as SSL technology matures.

Category A Residential Applications eligible for the ENERGY STAR program include:

  • Undercabinet kitchen lighting
  • Portable desk task lights
  • Recessed, surface, and pendant-mounted downlights
  • Ceiling-mounted luminaires with diffusers
  • Cove lighting
  • Surface-mounted luminaires with directional heads
  • Outdoor wall-mounted porch lights
  • Outdoor step lights
  • Outdoor pathway lights
  • Outdoor pole/arm-mounted decorative luminaires

Category A Non-Residential Applications eligible for the ENERGY STAR program include:

  • Recessed, surface, and pendant-mounted downlights
  • Undercabinet shelf-mounted task lighting
  • Portable desk task lights
  • Wall wash luminaires
  • Bollards

For more details on the eligible products and efficiency criteria, refer to the ENERGY STAR Requirements for SSL Luminaires, Version 1.1 (PDF 563 KB). Download Adobe Reader. The criteria are updated on a regular basis to keep pace with SSL technology advances and expand the list of eligible products in Category A.

In December 2009, DOE published ENERGY STAR criteria for integral LED lamps, which go into effect in August 2010. The types of products included in these criteria are screw-based and pin-based lamps designed to replace standard incandescent bulbs, halogen and other reflector-type lamps, and decorative candelabra-style lamps. Qualified lamps must be at least as efficient as ENERGY STAR CFLs, and must pass at least 6,000 hours of lumen maintenance testing of the complete lamp. For more details on these criteria, refer to the ENERGY STAR requirements for integral LED lamps (PDF 755 KB).