Appliance Standards and Labeling
In the area of energy consuming equipment, our appliance standards and labeling programs are among our most active. Why do we have such a focus?
The Energy Conservation Law of 1998 mandated the development of energy efficiency standards, but a major driver behind the emphasis on this activity was the dramatic growth in appliance and other equipment saturation in the Chinese market.
The graph below shows only the major household appliances in Chinese urban areas—a market of about 500 million people. The graph omits popular consumer electronics such as VCDs, DVDs, and stereos, but a similar growth trend could be seen for these products and for other office equipment. Markets for these products have grown from zero to near-maturity in the space of about 20 years. Rural markets with about 700 million people are about 10-15 years behind the urban markets.
With such a large and growing market for appliance ownership, early intervention in the form of minimum standards and efficiency labeling promises to deliver significant energy savings. Our work began in 1996 while the market for these products were still growing rapidly.
Standards and Labels: Why do they matter?
From another angle, China is also one of the largest global producers of major appliances and consumer electronics, and for some products provides over 50% of the global supply. By 2004, these production numbers had grown even further, to over 20 million for refrigerators, and over 40 million for air conditioners. To the extent that our work increases the efficiency of Chinese-produced appliances, the global market benefits as well.
China is a major global appliance producer
In short, appliance efficiency programs and China make a great combination. Use of efficient power supplies in 12 major end-uses would reduce consumption by 1.23 TWh, or $86 million in consumer electricity charges.
Potential Savings in China
Click here for more information on our appliance standards and appliance labeling programs.