Are You Ready for Level VII Efficiency?

Blog Summary

• Level VII Efficiency Standards Are Imminent: The U.S. Department of Energy's Level VII standards are in the final stages before publication and expected to take effect in about two years, impacting a wide range of sectors including medical, industrial, IT, consumer electronics, and HVAC.

• Stricter Energy Requirements: Level VII introduces tighter constraints on energy consumption, including a 25% reduction in no-load power draw, aligning with global standards like the European CoC. These changes aim to reduce operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

• Advanced Energy’s Readiness: Advanced Energy is proactively offering power supply solutions, such as the new SLE33SPD series, that already meet Level VII requirements—helping OEMs future-proof their designs and ensure compliance with upcoming regulations

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Level VII efficiency standards are currently in the final stages before publication and are anticipated to come into force in about two years. The rules will impact several applications, from medical and industrial technologies to IT equipment as well as home appliances, lighting, consumer products and HVAC systems.

Level VII tightens the constraints on energy consumption and addresses concerns about operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Increasingly, this is reflected in the need to meet global efficiency standards, including those mandated by the DOE.

Level VII Efficiency Specification

The current Level VII draft goes beyond existing specifications to further increase demands for efficiency and no-load operation (25% reduction in no-load power draw) as outlined in the following table.

Nameplate output power (P out)	Minimum average efficiency in active mode (expressed as a decimal)	Maximum power in no-load mode [W]
Single-Voltage External AC-DC Power Supply, Basic-Voltage
P out ≤ 1 W	≥0.5 × P out + 0.169	≤0.075
1 W < P out ≤ 49 W	≥0.071 × ln(P out) −0.00115 × P out + 0.67	≤0.075
49 W < P out ≤ 250 W	≥0.890	≤0.150
P out > 250 W	≥0.890	≤0.150
Single-Voltage External AC-DC Power Supply, Low-Voltage
P out ≤ 1 W	≥0.517 × P out + 0.091	≤0.075
1 W < P out ≤ 49 W	≥0.0834 × ln(P out) −0.0011× P out + 0.609	≤0.075
49 W < P out ≤ 250 W	≥0.880	≤0.150
P out > 250 W	≥0.880	≤0.150
Single-Voltage External AC-AC Power Supply, Basic-Voltage
P out ≤ 1 W	≥0.5 × P out + 0.169	≤0.075
1 W < P out ≤ 49 W	≥0.0582 × ln(P out) −0.00104 × P out + 0.727	≤0.075
49 W < P out ≤ 250 W	≥0.902	≤0.075
P out > 250 W	≥0.902	≤0.200
Single-Voltage External AC-AC Power Supply, Low-Voltage
P out ≤ 1 W	≥0.517 × P out + 0.091	≤0.072
1 W < P out ≤ 49 W	≥0.0834 × ln(P out) −0.0011 × P out + 0.609	≤0.072
49 W < P out ≤ 250 W	≥0.880	≤0.185
P out > 250 W	≥0.880	≤0.500
Multiple-Voltage External Power Supply
P out ≤ 1 W	≥0.497 × P out + 0.067	≤0.075
1 W < P out ≤ 49 W	≥0.0782 × ln(P out) −0.0013 × P out + 0.643	≤0.075
49 W < P out ≤ 250 W	≥0.885	≤0.125
P out > 250 W	≥0.885	≤0.125

Fig. 1: Table originally published in the federal register:
https://www.regulations.gov/document/EERE-2020-BT-STD-0006-0032.

These are still subject to revisions until the specifications are ratified. However, the consensus is that there will be little or no change to these specifications once the standard is in force. As with previous standards, there is likely to be harmonization with other global standards, such as the European CoC Version 5 Tier 2. Therefore, it is important that customers understand the impact of this forthcoming standard on their designs and the power supplies they select today.

Level VII Versus Level VI and Previous DOE Efficiency Standards

As early as 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency started a voluntary program to promote energy efficiency and reduce pollution, which eventually became the Energy Star program. However, it was not until 2004 that the first mandatory regulations dictating average efficiency minimums and no-load power consumption maximums were enacted. Designed to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainability, the DOE standards fall under the authority of multiple legislative acts, including the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) and the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA).

As the table below indicates, these standards have evolved quickly, and the incoming Level VII specification is drafted for higher efficiency and reduced no-load power draw when compared with the current Level VI specification.

Level	Nameplate Output Power (Pno)	Minimum Average Efficiency in Active Mode	Maximum Power in No-Load Mode (W)	Power Factor
I	Used if none of the other criteria are met

II	<1 watt	≥0.39 x Pno	≤0.75	Not Applicable
	1 to ≤10 watts	≥0.107 x Ln(Pno) + 0.39	≤0.75
	>10 to 49 watts	≥0.107 x Ln(Pno) + 0.39	≤1.0
	>49 watts	≥0.82	≤1.0

III	≤1 watt	≥0.49 x Pno	≤0.5	Not Applicable
	>1 to <10 watts	≥0.09 x Ln(Pno) + 0.49	≤0.5
	10 to 49 watts	≥0.09 x Ln(Pno) + 0.49	≤0.75
	>49 to 250 watts	≥0.84	≤0.75

IV	<1 watt	≥0.5 x Pno	≤0.5	Not Applicable
	1 to 51 watts	≥0.09 x Ln(Pno) + 0.50
	>51 to 250 watts	≥0.85

V	≤1 watt	Basic Voltage¹: ≥0.480 x Pno + 0.140 Low Voltage²: ≥0.497 x Pno + 0.067	≤0.3	≥0.9 at 115 Vac/60 Hz for power supply with input power ≥100 W
	>1 to ≤49 watts	Basic Voltage¹: ≥0.0626 x Ln(Pno) + 0.622 Low Voltage²: ≥0.0750 x Ln(Pno) + 0.561	≤0.3
	≥50 to ≤250 watts	Basic Voltage¹: ≥0.870 Low Voltage²: ≥0.860	≤0.5

VI	≤1 watt	Basic Voltage¹: ≥0.5 x Pno + 0.160 Low Voltage²: ≥0.517 x Pno + 0.087	≤0.100	≥0.9 at 115 Vac/60 Hz for power supply with input power ≥100 W
	>1 to ≤49 watts	Basic Voltage¹: ≥0.071 x Ln(Pno) - 0.0014 x Pno + 0.67 Low Voltage²: ≥0.0834 x Ln(Pno) - 0.0014 x Pno + 0.609	≤0.100
	>49 to ≤250 watts	Basic Voltage¹: ≥0.880 Low Voltage²: ≥0.870	≤0.210
	>250 watts	Basic Voltage¹: ≥0.875 Low Voltage²: ≥0.875	≤0.500

VII	≤1 watt	Basic Voltage¹: ≥0.5 × P out + 0.169 Low Voltage²: ≥0.517 × P out + 0.091	≤0.075
	>1 to ≤49 watts	Basic Voltage¹: ≥0.071 × ln(P out )−0.00115 × P out + 0.67 Low Voltage²: ≥0.0834 × ln(P out )−0.0011× P out + 0.609	≤0.075
	>49 to ≤250 watts	Basic Voltage¹: ≥0.890 Low Voltage²: ≥0.880	≤0.150
	>250 watts	Basic Voltage¹: ≥0.890 Low Voltage²: ≥0.880	≤0.150

Fig 2: Efficiency level requirements: AC-DC EPS single output.

Basic Voltage: Nameplate voltage ≥ 6V.
Low Voltage: Nameplate output voltage < 6V and nameplate output current ≥550mA.

By establishing minimum efficiency requirements and encouraging the adoption of energy-saving technologies, the DOE standards help consumers save money on energy bills while contributing to a more reliable power grid.

Effect of the Level VII Specification on Design

While there is no date yet set for the implementation of Level VII, the incoming efficiency specification needs to be considered in light of development times. As for many products, Level VII will likely be in place by the time systems are ready for market launch. This is especially true in sectors requiring product certification, such as medical devices.

In many designs, the choice of internal or external power supply is fundamental to the ability of a system to meet both its performance specifications and the relevant efficiency standards. To this end, power supply manufacturers should already be providing information on how their supplies match the various levels of efficiency, which are denoted by roman numerals.

For example, Advanced Energy (AE) is already offering power supply technologies that meet or exceed the requirements of Level VII as they exist right now. All Advanced Energy products are engineered with a focus on energy efficiency, leveraging advanced power management techniques, low-loss designs and intelligent control algorithms to ensure compliance with efficiency standards, and often surpass the stringent requirements set forth by regulatory bodies.

Figure 3: Advanced Energy’s new SLE33SPD series that is Level VII efficiency compliant.

Fig 3: Advanced Energy's new SLE33SPD seriesthat is Level VII efficiency compliant.

Most recently, Advanced Energy launched the new SLE33SPD series of 33W AC to DC wall mount USB-C power delivery adaptors for medical and industrial applications. These off-the-shelf devices are both ITE rated and medically pre-certified for IEC 60601-1 and crucially already compliant to meet the Level VII efficiency specification.

Conclusion

As the world marches towards a greener future, energy efficiency standards such as Level VII will play an increasingly important role in shaping the landscape of electronic products.

Advanced Energy is leading the charge with innovative power supply solutions designed to meet and exceed the specifications mandated by global standards such as Level VII. As a result, choosing AE technologies for forthcoming designs will give OEMs the peace of mind that they are complying with the latest regulations and addressing customer expectations for energy-efficient electronics that both save money and contribute to a more sustainable environment.

For further information on Advanced Energy’s range of Level VII compliant supplies, please click here.

Are You Ready for Level VII Efficiency?

Veröffentlicht September 25, 2025 von Michael Acepcion

Michael Acepcion