Energy Effciency Testing

Demand for energy products is growing. However, in view of soaring energy prices and the growing scarcity of natural resources, energy efficiency is obviously important for energy-using products. Regulations of energy efficiency have been adopted by many countries, especially the European Union and the United States, in order to promote green energy and environmental protection.

In October 2009, the European Commission published a framework directive 2009/125/EC on energy-using products (ErP), replacing the existing EuP directive. The new directive defines energy-related products as "any items that have an impact on energy consumption in their use". Energy-related products include all energy-using products and energy-saving products, such as windows and some water-using household equipment (which can reduce water consumption, thereby reducing the energy needed to heat water). Therefore the new directive not only covers the products covered by the original EuP directive, but also covers the energy-related products that indirectly use energy.

In the implementation of the ErP directive, the 2009/125/EC directive only provides regulatory frameworks for ecological design, without addressing specific compliance requirements.

The concrete implementation method for each type of product has been specified in the implementation measures (IM) published and issued by the EC. Each IM defines specific compliance requirements for a specific product or category of products, including technical indicators and technical files.

ENERGY STAR, created in 1992, is a joint programme of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. It is a voluntary programme that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency. The programme’s goal is to identify and promote energy–efficient products and buildings in order to reduce energy consumption, improve energy security, and reduce pollution through voluntary labelling of or other forms of communication about products and buildings that meet the highest energy efficiency standards.

The ENERGY STAR label appears on over 65 different product categories as well as new homes, commercial buildings and industrial plants. The certified product categories cover battery chargers, household appliances and commercial appliances, electronics, office equipment, lighting and fans, heating and cooling, water heaters, building products and others.

ENEC+ is a certification mark that is developed on the basis of ENEC. ENEC has a basis of more than 20 years’ quality and safety certification, while ENEC+ further supplement this standard. Its products cover LED and traditional lamps. This certification is expected to become unique performance standard in the whole Europe to replace tangled performance labels of all countries.

CEC certification is the appliance efficiency regulation that is legally implemented on December 30, 2005 in America California Energy Commission. The implementation of this regulation aims to improve efficiency of electrical appliances, save energy and reduce gas emission and greenhouse effect.