How To Register For Dlc Rebates

How Volition the New DLC 5.0 Standard Touch Rebates?

Nov 11th 2020 (updated Nov 19)

In February, the Design Lights Consortium ("DLC") finalized the technical specifications for the adjacent generation of LED products. These new requirements, versions v.0 and 5.1, are designed to help usher in new levels of free energy efficiency, light quality, and controllability. The DLC started certifying products under the new v5 spec earlier this year, and they will remove older products that don't meet this certification at the get-go of 2021. This modify can have a pregnant touch on on the potential rebates a project may receive.

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What is the DLC?

The Blueprint Lights Consortium is a non-profit organization that sets standards for efficiency, controllability, and light quality of LED products and controls. Their product specifications ensure that customers get high-quality and efficient lighting that they can depend on. Their qualified product lists cover nigh types of commercial lighting, as well equally networked lighting controls and horticulture lighting.

Screen shot of DLC website

What does the DLC have to exercise with rebates?

The DLC does not provide any rebates or incentives themselves. Instead, their certification is used as a benchmark by many rebate organizations across North America. Based on data from our RebatePro tool, between 70 - 85% of rebates require that a production is DLC listed in social club to get a rebate. This ways that most customers who want to receive an incentive will accept to utilise a DLC listed product.

What is changing?

The DLC v5.0 technical specification requires increased efficacy requirements across all categories compared to the last version (v4.4). The DLC will delist products that do not see the v5.0 efficacy requirements on February 28. In essence, this alter ways customers will get more lumens out of the LED solutions while using fewer watts. Originally, v5.0 would require dimmability on standard indoor luminaires and retrofit kits, simply this requirement was postponed because of the COVID pandemic.

What does this change mean for rebates?

DLC certification is a requirement for a majority of rebates across Due north America. Many programs are very strict nearly this dominion, requiring a screenshot of the current DLC listing. When the DLC delists the v4.4 products on February 28, most rebate programs will no longer provide incentives for those delisted products.

Rebate funding

Will my projects exist affected past the transition to DLC v5?

Unlike the terminal major revision to the DLC requirements, which made manufacturers resubmit testing data to get the new qualification, this transition automatically upgraded any production that already met the v5.0 requirements. Because of this change, most 78% of the DLC production list is already v5 certified.

The chart below shows how many of each product are DLC v4.4 listed versus v5.

*Based on number of search results found on DLC website on 11/4/2020

Another possible issue is that products currently considered as "DLC Premium" nether v4.4 may change to the "DLC Standard" nether v5.0. In areas that provide an boosted incentive for DLC Premium products, that may mean lower rebates for projects in 2021.

Will there exist a grace period for older products?

In 2017, during the last major DLC revision, an estimated xl% of products were no longer eligible to be listed. In response, near rebate programs offered a 60 to ninety 24-hour interval grace flow to still employ older v3 products. It helped distributors use that time to get rid of their erstwhile stock and gave projects already underway fourth dimension to finish.

Nosotros don't expect to encounter many grace periods offered by rebate programs this time. For the v5 transition, the DLC has given over a twelvemonth of find and worked very closely with manufacturers in designing the spec. They've likewise communicated this transition very conspicuously through multiple channels. The market place seems to be much more prepared for this transition than they were in the by, so a grace period is less likely. As of today, no program has indicated that in that location will be whatever grace period.

How can I make sure I still become rebates for my project?

If you are working on any project that volition proceed into 2021, make sure the product is DLC v5.0 rated. You lot tin easily detect out this rating using DLC's tool.

Screen show of a DLC 5.1 listing

If the product is still showing version iv.4, you'll need to make certain the project finishes, and the final rebate paperwork is submitted before the production is delisted on February 28. If it's a project for which you lot received pre-approving, reach out to the rebate programme to come across what implications this alter may take on your incentive.

Looking toward the future

Forth with the v5.0 requirements, the DLC besides published v5.1, which will go into consequence subsequently in 2021. These specifications will have additional conditions like dimming and better light quality. We don't expect these to present an event for 2021 rebate programs, but information technology will be something to go along in mind in the second one-half of the year.

Will in that location still be rebates in 2021?

We expect commercial lighting rebates will be widely available in 2021. Except for a few isolated areas, almost programs accept indicated they will continue next year. While they have not all the same announced their 2021 details, the general consensus is that rebates volition actually increase side by side yr. Many utilities are struggling to attain their savings goals, with a large number of projects being put on concord this twelvemonth. Past increasing their rebate offerings, they're hoping to spur further investment in free energy efficiency projects.

Will you be working on a projection in 2021? We can help you make sure your products will authorize and gauge the incentives yous may receive. See how nosotros tin can work together.