Uptake of energy efficient products saves NZ millions

Uptake of energy efficient products saves New Zealand millions

Consumer and business uptake of energy efficient appliances has resulted in energy savings of more than $96 million in a one-year period, according to analysis of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s (EECA) Products Programme.

EECA’s Energy Efficient Products Manager Eddie Thompson says EECA calculated the energy savings for the year ending March 2014 by tracking improvements in the energy efficiency of products through sales information, as well as analysing how much businesses and households are avoiding in energy costs by using more efficient appliances.

“These electricity savings are the equivalent of the electricity used in a year by over 130,000 New Zealand homes.”

Mr Thompson says nearly eight million energy efficient products have been sold over the year (about 1.6 million large consumer and industrial products and 6.3 million lighting and small electronics), an increase of three percent compared to the previous year. Forty seven million energy efficiency products have been sold since 2002, bringing total savings to $450 million, he says.

“New Zealand products are becoming increasingly energy efficient, mainly as a result of minimum energy performance standards developed jointly with the Australian Government. Minimum energy standards allow New Zealand to make gains in energy efficiency, at low-cost to government and industry, with little impact on consumer choice.”
Improved energy efficiency standards, along with New Zealanders choosing more energy efficient ENERGY STAR qualified products, have resulted in national benefits, Mr Thompson says.

“ENERGY STAR qualified fridge/freezers, which use up to 40 percent less energy than a standard model, are a good example of the opportunities for consumers to save on running costs. These energy savings at a household level translate into major savings for the New Zealand economy.”

Mr Thompson says minimum energy performance standards work in combination with consumer education, with the ENERGY STAR mark and energy rating labels making it easy for business and households to make informed choices about energy efficient products.

For more information
Penny St John: Phone 027 687 3123 or penny.stjohn@eeca.govt.nz

Background
How did EECA calculate the savings?
To evaluate the energy savings from MEPS and labelling, EECA:

1. determines the energy efficiency of each product sold (by model) under Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPs) and labelling (using energy performance data available on the MEPS and labelling registration site)
2.
3. profiles how each product type is used (e.g. how many loads of laundry are washed) to estimate the annual energy consumption for each product (by model)
4.
5. multiplies the energy consumption per product across the number of units sold (using the sales data provided by industry)
6.
7. compares this to a counterfactual scenario (assumptions about how much energy the product would have consumed without MEPS and labelling).
8.
9. calculates annual energy savings from the savings from products sold in that year in addition to the savings from products sold in previous years that are still in use in that year.
10.
Limitations to the existing methodology
It is difficult to estimate the electricity use on some products, such as external power supplies and these products have been excluded from the calculations. Therefore the total energy savings reported under the programme are conservative.

Consumer labels
Energy rating labels give consumers information on how much energy a product uses and a star rating so they can compare similar models. The labels are found on all whiteware, heat pumps and televisions.
ENERGY STAR is awarded to products with superior energy efficiency.

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