EdisonReport has received the below statement from, Tina Halfpenny, CEO Efficiency Forward, in response to an open letter from NAILD.
DLC Response to Recent Commentary
Thank you for reaching out for comment. Recent and ongoing public commentary has misrepresented DLC’s role and responsiveness while spreading inaccuracies that risk undermining the trust and collaboration the market depends on. We want to be clear: DLC engages regularly and openly with stakeholders through advisory committees, public comment periods, and direct outreach to manufacturers, distributors, utilities, and other partners. Constructive feedback is vital, and we actively seek it.
The hyperbole and falsehoods published by NAILD distracts from the real challenges of ensuring quality, advancing sustainability, and preparing for the next phase of innovation with lighting. The DLC team remains focused on advancing shared goals and working with partners who are committed to respectful dialogue and solution-driven progress.
After receiving inquiry letters signed by NAILD President, I reached out to him twice via LinkedIn and others at the DLC have tried to contact him through LinkedIn and his company, in Illinois. In response, the DLC received a letter instructing us to communicate only with the Get A Grip podcast producer and refrain from contacting NAILD’s President directly.
As an organization that regularly engages with stakeholders and partners in good faith, we find it illogical and insincere to decline our direct outreach.
A Shared Foundation
For context, it’s important to note the extraordinary progress the lighting industry has achieved in less than two decades. Together, manufacturers, distributors, utilities, and more have driven one of the most successful technology transformations in history: the rapid adoption of LED lighting. This shift has saved billions of dollars in energy costs, eliminated reliance on mercury-based fluorescent lamps, and ultimately reduced greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
DLC is proud to support this progress by providing transparent, independent tools that help maintain quality and trust in the marketplace. Chief among these are the DLC Qualified Products Lists (QPLs). Accessed globally and required by more than 700 programs across North America, the QPLs provide validated performance data that represent minimum thresholds, not ceilings, to support innovation while ensuring consistency, reliability, and transparency. By consolidating efforts across the industry, the QPLs provide a reliable validation of savings for electric ratepayers and a manageable point of entry to billions of dollars’ worth of rebate programs across North America.
Evolving with the Market
Lighting, like all technologies, continues to evolve. With LED adoption now widespread, the market is shifting toward higher-performing replacements and more sophisticated controls that enable electrification and demand management. Customers increasingly expect not just efficiency, but quality and flexibility.
The DLC’s role is also evolving with these market dynamics. We continue to provide independent, transparent specifications and resources that help meet new challenges, from reducing light pollution and protecting ecological health to advancing control programs that give customers greater choice in how they manage energy use. These goals are inherent in our Solid-State Lighting (SSL) V6 specifications, the first change in requirements since 2020, which are set to take effect in January 2026.
The DLC team appreciates the feedback that we have received on the V6 specification draft, as well as ongoing insight from the Industry Advisory Committee, LUNA Advisory Committee, the DLC Technical Committee, our Members and Program Planning Working Group. Likewise, we contribute to more than 15 external committees facilitated by IES, NEMA, and ASABE and hold memberships with regional IES chapters, which also provide diverse industry insight and experience.
Looking Ahead
The lighting industry has a remarkable record of innovation and collaboration. Even as the market matures, opportunities remain vast. Efficient lighting, advanced controls, and integrated systems will be critical to electrification, decarbonization, reduction of light pollution, and customer empowerment. These are fundamental to our next specification (SSL V6) and QPL.
The DLC is committed to those opportunities and to partners who also value them. Vitriol spreads division, but collaboration delivers progress.