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24 September 2019

New EU energy label to boost innovation and energy efficiency

The EU energy label for electronic devices is a driver of innovation and market development for energy efficient products. It stimulates innovation on the producers’ side and demand for energy efficient products. Energy efficiency labels are also useful tools for procurers to use in tenders as award criteria to push for more energy efficient products. Providing reliable and comparable information, it enables public authorities to make more sustainable choices.

However, the current label concept involving A+++ to D efficiency classes is less effective in a world where most new products achieve at least A+.  The European Commission therefore has decided to reinvent the original A-G class concept by allowing a rescaling of classes. The rescaling process allows for new products to achieve higher energy standards than the old scale could depict. This will encourage further innovation on the supplier side. To make it a success, the transition process requires guidance and support of stakeholders, for all involved parties to fully understand and correctly apply the new energy label.

As partner in a new project, ICLEI Europe is supporting this transition, by informing public buyers about the rescaling and its implication for (sustainable) procurement. This way, all market parties will be able to make the best use of the new energy label, stimulating innovation and energy savings in the future.