Abstract

Understanding market trends for appliances allows taking sound decisions on the thresholds of energy label classes and of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS). The European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL) database was launched on 1 March 2021, one of its goals being to provide the European Commission with up-to-date information on the energy efficiency of products in the database, which will help with the eventual revision of their energy labels. But in the absence of sales data, will EPREL fulfill that purpose?

Our paper demonstrates the potential of systematic market monitoring based on sales data. In a report published in 2021, which updates a 2017 report on the same topic, comprehensive sales data from GfK were analysed for refrigerators, washing machines and tumble driers. The report covers the years 2004 – 2019, for the French, German and Italian markets, as well as for the EU market. Data analysed included sales per energy efficiency class, average energy consumption, size and price.

The European refrigerator market has steadily improved in terms of energy efficiency between 2004 and 2019. During that period, the average energy consumption fell by 27% despite a remarkable increase in unit volume of around 9%. In France, the market shares of very energy efficient refrigerators are lower than for the European average; in Germany and Italy, on the contrary, efficient refrigerators are sold more than the European average (8.9% of sales in A+++ in 2019 in Europe, 19.7% in Germany, 12.2% in Italy and only 1.9% in France). Italy has the highest reported average energy consumption, as Italians prefer relatively large and less efficient refrigerators. The Germans, on the other hand, prefer smaller, more efficient refrigerators, with lower energy consumption. New, more demanding MEPS will apply in Europe from 2021, as well as a new energy label with an A to G scale and more stringent thresholds. The European Commission estimates that these measures will generate savings of 10 TWh of electricity per year in 2030.

For washing machines, the highest energy efficiency classes have been very well accepted by the market since the introduction of a revised energy label in 2013: A+++ models represent 81.5% of sales in Europe in 2019, with differences between European countries: 70.5% of models sold in France are A+++ ; 81.4% in Italy ; and 92.4% in Germany). Average energy consumption has also fallen in Europe despite a trend towards larger capacities. However, energy consumption is starting to stagnate, in the absence of a label that really encourages innovation. The trend towards large models observed in previous years is still relevant: higher energy efficiency of washing machines translates into large capacities, rather than lower energy consumption. New MEPS and energy labels for washing machines will also apply from 2021, whose savings are estimated by the European Commission at 2.5 TWh of electricity per year in 2030.

Sales figures for tumble dryers still follow the positive trend observed in our previous market monitoring report: heat pump dryers (generally rated A+ and better) represent 59.5% of sales in Europe in 2019, 82.9% in Germany and 98.1% in Italy. In France, heat pump dryers only represent 37.7% of sales. This low figure for France translates into a much higher average energy consumption for tumble dryers sold in France (67% higher than in Germany and 84% more than in Italy). Over their lifetime, heat pump dryers generate a significantly lower total cost to the consumer. The potential energy savings resulting from an eventual MEPS which would ban the marketing of dryers without heat pumps would be 8 TWh/year in Europe, and 1.6 TWh/year in France. Information campaigns or rebates would also be necessary to reduce sales of the less efficient models."

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Panels of

1. Energy consumption and wellbeing

2. Policy innovations to ensure, scale and sustain action

3. Policy, finance and governance

4. Monitoring and evaluation for a wise, just and inclusive transition

5. A smart new start for sustainable communities

6. Transport and mobility

7. Policies for a green recovery in the buildings sector

8. Buildings: technologies and systems beyond energy efficiency

9. Products, appliances, ICT