With the global proliferation of consumer electronics products and miscellaneous electric loads, there is a large and growing set of devices that consume power when not performing the primary (or active-mode) service for a user. Devices with these idle or “low-power mode” functions are responsible for a growing share of total electricity use and often are not already subject to energy efficiency standards; some examples of such devices include, but are not limited to, game consoles, small network equipment, speaker systems, and powered furniture. These electrical devices are often designed around new technologies that continue to evolve rapidly, which can make regulating the energy efficiency of these devices difficult.
This staff report introduces the Voluntary Performance Framework for Low-Power Modes (VPF-LPM), previously referred to as the LPM Roadmap, to gather model-specific data for monitoring, analyzing, and promoting energy efficiency improvements. The VPF is a scalable and flexible framework that allows incremental updates as technologies evolve, reducing the need for frequent, resource-intensive revisions. The VPF-LPM is a method to save energy in devices in the inactive condition, that is, when not performing the primary function for a user. The LPM-VPF proposes a new process of iterative voluntary energy efficiency improvement specifications and other milestones, including product category-specific participation and performance targets. This framework seeks to address the complex and broad topic of passive energy use during off, standby, and similar inactive modes in a variety of devices.
