Analysis on Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Potential of Road and Tunnel LED Lighting Driven by GB 37478 Standard and Its Policy Implications

With China’s accelerated urbanization, road and tunnel lighting demand and its electricity consumption have grown significantly, making energy conservation, and carbon reduction urgent. GB 37478, the core standard for road and tunnel LED luminaires, is crucial for promoting high-efficiency products and the lighting industry’s energy efficiency transformation. This study focuses on its 2019 and 2025 editions, using a bottom-up model, product Stock model, and carbon reduction potential method to analyze the standard’s energy conservation and carbon reduction potential during 2021–2030, alongside international energy efficiency comparisons. The results show that by 2030, GB 37478 will achieve 162 TWh cumulative electricity savings, over 90 million tons of CO2 reduction. The standard has optimized the market structure: Grade 1 energy efficiency products rose from 5% (2019) to over 60% (2025). China’s energy efficiency requirements for such LED luminaires are internationally advanced. Replacing high-pressure sodium lamps with LEDs (50–60% savings) outperforms LED upgrades (10–20%). Future standards should extend from product to system level, integrating safety, health, and intelligence. This study provides a scientific basis for quantifying the standard’s dual-carbon contribution and references for industry policies.