DoE Level VII (7) New U.S. energy efficiency standards

Explains regulatory trends regarding power conversion efficiency by the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE). Although a transition from the current Level VI to the next "Level VII" standard had been planned, the situation has changed significantly following the announcement of a new proposal to withdraw the regulation and revert to the previous standard. This article summarizes the original draft of Level VII and future outlook.

[Important Update on Latest Developments as of May 2025] Regarding the Proposed Withdrawal of Regulations by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

This article explains the plan to transition to the more stringent "Level VII" standard; however, there have been significant recent changes.

On May 16, 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to withdraw the current energy conservation standards for consumer external power supplies (EPS).

Policy shift from Level VII transition: After reevaluating the standards, the DOE has tentatively concluded that the current regulatory standards are not economically justified.
Proposal to revert to previous standards: If this withdrawal proposal is approved, instead of transitioning to Level VII, the standards will revert to the efficiency requirements established by Congress under the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA).
Current status: Public comments on this matter closed on July 15, 2025 and a final decision (announcement of the final rule) is currently pending based on the results. .

Until an official decision is made, please refer to the following article as the "previously proposed draft of Level VII." UNIFIVE will continue to closely monitor the latest U.S. regulatory trends and propose optimal power supply solutions that can comply with any standard.

Planned Transition of DOE Level from VI to VII

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is planning to transition efficiency regulations from the current Level VI to the more stringent Level VII.

The origin of efficiency regulations dates back to the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), which laid the foundation for energy conservation standards for external power supplies (EPS). The latest current efficiency standard, DOE Level VI, was announced in 2014. Compared to ten years earlier, advances in wide bandgap technologies such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride (GaN) have made it possible to produce more efficient external power supplies, and products using these technologies have become widespread in the market. This trend forms the background for raising the efficiency standards accordingly.

Five Key Differences Between DOE Level VI and Level VII

1: Expansion of the scope of efficiency regulations

Level VII expands the scope of EPS (external power supplies). While the Level VI standard was limited to Class A direct operation EPS, Level VII establishes unified standards that include both Class A and non-Class A EPS, regardless of direct or indirect operation. This simplifies regulatory application.

	Class A External Power Supply	Non-Class A External Power Supply
Direct Operation EPS	Level VI	Level VI
Indirect Operation EPS	Level IV	No standards

2: Differences in marking and compliance protocols

Under the DOE Level VI standard, EPS were required to display an efficiency mark with the Roman numeral "VI." In Level VII, this protocol is updated, and new markings will be introduced to clearly indicate compliance with the latest Level VII standards.

3: Efficiency requirements

DOE Level VII is designed to further restrict operating efficiency and no-load power consumption to promote reduced energy consumption.

(Single-output AC-DC adapter - Basic voltage)

Rated Output Power	Minimum Average Efficiency	Maximum No-Load Power Consumption
1W or less	0.5×Pout + 0.169	0.075W or less
More than 1W up to 49W	0.071×ln(Pout) - 0.00115×Pout + 0.67	0.075W or less
More than 49W up to 250W	89.0%	0.150W or less
More than 250W	89.0%	0.150W or less

(Single-output AC-DC adapter - Low voltage)

Rated Output Power	Minimum Average Efficiency	Maximum No-Load Power Consumption
1W or less	0.517×Pout + 0.091	0.075W or less
More than 1W up to 49W	0.0834×ln(Pout) - 0.0011×Pout + 0.609	0.075W or less
More than 49W up to 250W	88.0%	0.150W or less
More than 250W	88.0%	0.150W or less

(Multiple-output power supplies)

Rated Output Power	Minimum Average Efficiency	Maximum No-Load Power Consumption
1W or less	0.497×Pout + 0.067	0.075W or less
More than 1W up to 49W	0.0782×ln(Pout) - 0.0013×Pout + 0.643	0.075W or less
More than 49W up to 250W	88.5%	0.150W or less
More than 250W	88.5%	0.150W or less

Note:

Pout represents rated output power (W).
Efficiency is expressed as a decimal (e.g., 88.0% = 0.880)
Basic voltage: Output voltage 6V or higher
Low voltage: Output voltage below 6V

5: Consideration for adaptive EPS

For adaptive EPS such as USB-C and PD power supplies (power supplies capable of supporting different output voltages), discussions are underway to establish different efficiency limits to improve efficiency while reducing design burdens. In particular, flexible efficiency standards are being considered for low voltage outputs (such as 3.3V and 5V).

Benefits of Introducing DOE Level VII

1: Reduction in operating costs for end users
Annual operating cost savings of approximately $47.3 million are expected. Even when estimated at a 7% discount rate, annual savings of approximately $42.7 million are projected.

2: Climate-related benefits
Annual greenhouse gas reductions equivalent to approximately $11.5 million are expected, contributing to climate change mitigation. This estimate is calculated using a 3% discount rate for social costs such as CO2 reduction.

3: Health benefits

Reductions in emissions of harmful substances such as SO2 and NOx are estimated to provide annual health benefits ranging from approximately $16.7 million to $20.4 million. In particular, reductions in substances that are precursors to PM2.5 are said to contribute to improved health outcomes.

These figures indicate that adoption of the Level VII standard is expected to bring significant economic, environmental, and health benefits.

Final Announcement of the New Standards and Preparation Period

The final rule for the Level VII standard is scheduled to be announced in the latter half of 2024. After publication, as with previous energy conservation regulations, a two-year preparation period for compliance will be provided. UNIFIVE has already added products compliant with the draft DOE Level VII standards to its lineup.

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