UNDP/GEF market transformation of energy efficient appliances: upgrading energy labelling and eco-design policies and programmes in Turkey – an accession country example

Panel: 6. Appliances, product policy and ICT

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Tom Lock, Energy Saving Trust, United Kingdom
Necmettin Tokur, UNDP - Turkey, Turkey

Abstract

The total estimated CO2 emissions from Turkey were 326 Mtons in 2010, up from 140 Mtons in 1990, with the biggest increase coming from electricity generation. Together with the economic growth, the electricity consumption has continued to increase rapidly in Turkey from 96 TWh in 2000 to 172 TWh in 2010. The residential sector accounts for the fastest growing sector, accounting for about 25% of total electricity consumption in 2007. This growth led Turkey to launch a Market Transformation Programme towards more energy efficient household appliances. The Turkish Government chose the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the implementing agency, with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The programme is comprised of 5 key elements. Firstly, capacity building for Turkish Governmental institutions for accelerated transposition, implementation and better enforcement of EU energy labeling and eco-design regulations. A revised and updated Proactive Market Surveillance Programme, including a strengthening of the institutional capacity to test appliances in Turkey and establishment of a Market Monitoring System to monitor Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHGs) caused by household appliances. Training programmes for retail staff to advise consumers on the benefits of energy efficient household appliances and finally, public awareness raising activities and campaigns directed at consumers and the supply chain.

The results from the Market Transformation of Energy Efficient Appliances project (MTEEA) to date, include the creation of the country’s first Market Monitoring System, which estimates that the aggregate reduction in electricity consumption as a result of the project’s activities is 5.8 TWh by 2014 and nearly 30 TWh by 2020. To date, the MTEEA project has been responsible for transposing 8 eco-design and energy labelling regulations which have then gone on to be published into Turkish Law, with a further 3 regulations drafted remaining as yet un-published. Furthermore, 300 Ministry of Science Industry and Technology (MoSIT) headquarter staff and market inspectors have been trained on energy labelling and eco-design, with MoSIT headquarter staff also benefiting from market surveillance programme management training. The MTEEA project has established in Turkey for the first time a market surveillance programme to check compliance of products with energy labelling and eco-design regulations. The MTEEA project also delivered an inventory of laboratory product testing capacities and gaps, a laboratory investment plan to close the gaps and training of laboratory staff. The MTEEA project also conducted a consumer research survey to establish a baseline of understanding of the Turkish population towards energy efficiency, trained a total of 70 sales staff on the contents of the energy label and how to profile energy efficiency in selling products, and delivered a consumer awareness raising campaign across national media.