Standards and Labeling

There is a huge variation in energy consumption of several equipment and appliances of common use made through different manufacturers. In addition, information on energy consumption is frequent not simply available or easy to understand for a product. These factors lead to continued manufacture and purchase of equipment and appliances which are energy intensive and inefficient.

Energy efficiency labels are informative labels fixed to manufactured products that elaborates the product's energy performance (commonly in the form of energy use, efficiency, or energy cost) and rate the product on a comparative scale, thereby providing consumers with essential information to enable making informed purchases. Energy-efficiency standards are procedures and regulations in which prescribe limits on the energy performance (usually maximum energy use or minimum efficiency) of manufactured products.

Standards and Labelling (S&L) Programme is the most cost effective programme implemented all over the world. The S&L programme while in place ensures in which the use of energy efficient equipment and appliances is promoted amongst the consumers.

This provision of EC Act focuses on the energy policy issues of energy efficiency improvement within the domestic and agricultural sectors. This is affected by improvement of designed energy efficiencies of energy consuming appliances. The information on comparative energy efficiencies is given in the form of energy labels on the appliances.

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency has formulated energy-labeling regulations to promote energy efficiency at the design stage for refrigerators, distribution transformers, air conditioners, motors, agricultural pump sets and tube lights after detailed interaction along with manufacturers and other stakeholders.

The National Energy labeling scheme, launched on May 18, 2006, is being implemented, to start with, on voluntary basis for refrigerators (no-frost) and tubular fluorescent lamps. The programme is proposed to be extended to cover the subsequent four products in a phased manner:

• Direct cool refrigerators;
• General purpose electric motors;
• Air conditioners; and
• Ceiling fans.