A light bulb moment with new energy labels
By Geraldine Fitzgerald
New energy labels are on the way to give EU consumers a better understanding of their carbon footprint and energy consumption.
Irish lighting company Solus outline what exactly is changing when the mandatory new European Commission energy labelling regulations come into effect on 1 September.
A new version of the widely recognised EU energy label for light bulbs and light sources will be applicable in all shops and online retailers from 1 September with an 18-month transition period for products already on the market.
The most important change is a return to a simple A-G scale on energy labels. As most products are now rated A, A+ or A++ on the current scale, it’s a bit confusing for customers, so the new energy label will leave empty energy efficiency classes at the top of the scale for advancing technologies and to encourage manufacturers to develop more energy efficient products.
A further significant change is the introduction of a QR code which can be scanned for product-specific information.
By law, all energy labelled products on the EU market must be registered in a new EU-wide database - European Product Registry for Energy Labels (EPREL).
Eco-design rules are mandatory for almost all lamps sold in the EU and new rules will include circular economy requirements for increased recycling. Over three million light bulbs were recycled in Ireland in 2019, taking 38,000 tonnes of electrical waste back from landfill for use in manufacturing again.
The extensive new EU regulations are the result of nearly five years of negotiations, and it will be mandatory for all manufacturers and retailers to comply.
SEAI Programme Manager Tim Stokes said: “The energy labelling regulation for light sources and its sister regulation relating to eco-design will have an estimated combined energy saving of 42 terawatt hours per annum by 2030”.
Solus welcomes these new regulations which are in line with their progressive Planet First sustainability programme.
The new energy labels will give clarity on energy efficiency for consumers and ensure that businesses continue to innovate.
See solus.ie for more.