When announcing a new EPCO lighting product, fluorescent or LED, the first question I receive from distributors and sales agency personnel is, “Is the fixture DLC approved?”
The Design Lights Consortium (DLC) is a voluntary certification initiative for LED technology that requires lighting products to comply with minimum performance standards for qualifying products based on efficiency. The standards include four critical areas:
- Distribution
- Color Rendering
- Temperature
- Longevity/stress
Testing to DLC requirements must be completed by an Accredited Laboratory, and test results submitted directly to the DLC by the manufacturer.
As a utility-based initiative, numerous utilities nationwide base rebate programs on DLC standards for products including high bays, wall packs, roadway luminaires, retrofit-kits, decorative LEDs, and LED panels (such as refrigerator lights, T8 LED Tubes, and panels used in commercial, industrial, or outdoor applications).
In the Minneapolis and Saint Paul markets (EPCO’s backyard), prescriptive rebates are available from Excel Energy and other Utilities and Co-ops for Energy Star replacement lamps and DLC approved fixtures. This rating simplifies the final approval process for rebates.
Check with your local utility or co-op to see what their requirements are before applying for rebates.
