by CCME content team

SCHWÄBISCH HALL, Germany, 30 April 2024: The Air Movement and Control Association International, Inc. (AMCA) announced that industry professionals are invited to the 2024 AMCA European Fan Symposium. In a Press release, AMCA said that the symposium, set for July 10 and 11 in Schwäbisch Hall, would address a spectrum of pertinent topics within the air movement industry. 

AMCA said this premier event would delve into certification, regulations, market surveillance, sustainability, retrofits, digitalisation, aerodynamics, sound, and motor technology. The Association further said it would provide a unique platform for professionals to exchange ideas, engage in discussions on relevant issues, and connect with key influencers and decision-makers in the industry. 

AMCA said the symposium would feature keynote presentations from speakers from Europe and around the globe, detailed sessions on fan regulations in Europe and the United States, and comprehensive discussions on market surveillance and sustainability practices in the industry. AMCA said keynote speakers include Charles Meyers, AMCA International; Sylvain Courtey, Eurovent Certita Certification and Geoff Lockwood, EVIA Chair WG Fans, among others. The event, AMCA said, would also spotlight a special presentation on retrofitting in refrigeration. 

AMCA said participants are encouraged to register early to take advantage of the early bird rate available until May 15. The Association said to visit AMCA’s official website at www.amca.org or www.cognitoforms.com/AMCA1/AMCA2024EuropeanFanSymposium, for more information on the agenda and to register. 

Jürgen Albig, Chairman, Steering Committee, European AMCA, said: “This is a great opportunity to gain insights into the latest trends and technologies shaping the air movement industry. Everybody can join the experts in Schwäbisch Hall for two enlightening days of discussions and networking.”  

AMCA said to contact Robb Clawson, AMCA Senior Director, Association Engagement, at rclawson@amca.org or call +1 847-704-6325 for inquiries. 

Here’s a table that shows the number of newly built homes in England and Wales that have been constructed with heat pumps between 2019 and 2023.

Air-source and ground-source heat pumps (GSHP) are only in a small number of new-builds. Since 2019, air-source heat pumps have been installed in 4.53% of new homes, while ground source heat pumps are in just 0.39%. Together, they are in 4.92% of all new-builds in England and Wales. This means around 54,000 new homes are using these green options. 

Adoption of heat pumps in new-builds: Is it improving? 

Yes. Between 2018 and 2023, the installation of air-source and ground-source heat pumps in new homes across England and Wales has increased. Installation of air-source heat pumps went from 2.68% in 2018 to 7.58% in 2023, a jump of 4.9 percentage points. Ground-source heat pumps rose from 0.21% to 0.47% in 2023, a change of 0.26 percentage points. 

The increases are modest, but there’s a definite move towards greener heating in newly built homes, fuelled by environmental consciousness and advancements in renewable energy technology. 

The areas leading the way 

The top 10 local authorities in England and Wales with the largest per cent of new-builds with air-source heat pumps between 2019 and 2023 are…

In King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, over half of new homes built between 2018 and 2023 had heat pumps installed in them, followed by Ceredigion with 39.26% and Breckland with 38.58%. Some areas like Liverpool (0.08%), Halton (0.08%) and Sandwell (0.04%), though, have had very low adoption rates of air-source heat pumps in newly built homes. 

The top 10 local authorities in England and Wales with the largest per cent of new-builds with ground-source heat pumps between 2019 and 2023 are…

Some areas, like Pendle (7.78%), Rhondda Cynon Taf (6.65%) and Warrington (4.77%), stand out with higher adoption rates of ground-source heat pumps in new-builds. But most areas have lower rates with many below one per cent, suggesting slower GSHP uptake overall, especially compared to air-source heat pumps. 

So, which areas have improved the most over five years for heat pump installations in new-builds? 

The top 10 local authorities in England and Wales with the largest per cent increase of new-builds with air-source heat pumps between 2018 and 2023 are…

The percentage of new-builds installing air-source heat pumps has increased across many areas over the last five years. Showing a growing trend towards sustainable heating solutions. Bromsgrove, Cotswold, Isle of Anglesey and Pembrokeshire have all seen over a 40% increase in new-builds being constructed with an air-source heat pump. 

The top 10 local authorities in England and Wales with the largest per cent increase of new- builds with ground-source heat pumps between 2018 and 2023 are…

In Pendle, the use of ground0source heat pumps in new buildings jumped from 0.95% to 28.52% over five years, showing more interest in this heating method. In Luton, no new-builds had these pumps in 2018, but had increased to 87 in 2023. 

All other areas in England and Wales saw less than a 10 percentage point increase over five years, suggesting a much slower takeup of ground-source heat pumps compared to air-source heat pumps. 

Heat pumps in homes are slowly getting more popular, but are still a long way off from being the most common heating source installed in new homes. Between air-source and ground-source heat pumps, air-source is leading the way. This is likely due to the space required to 

install it and the overall cost. While the costs of installing greener heating sources are still high, consumers can look for the most cost-effective options for their energy needs by comparing quotes at reliable websites. 

Methodology of the study that formed the basis of this report 

● Domestic EPCs issued in England & Wales between 2018 and 2023 were sourced from epc.opendatacommunities.org, and filtered for those issued to new builds. 

● The number of EPCs listing either air-source heat pump and/or ground-source heat pump was counted for each local authority in England & Wales, compared by the total in the period 2019-2023 and the change between 2018 and 2023. 

● Where EPCs were issued in local authorities that no longer exist due to mergers, they were counted towards the totals of the new local authority. 

● The Isles of Scilly was removed, as less than 10 new-builds were listed over the total period. 

● The City of London was removed from the five-year change data, as zero new-builds were registered in 2023. 

In a small number of cases, properties have both air- and ground-source heat pumps – the combined figures only include such properties once.

MUSCAT, Oman, 29 April 2024: Electricité de France S.A. and its subsidiary EDF Renewables (EDF Group), Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (J-Power) and Yamna Co Ltd (Yamna) announced that they were awarded a land block by Hydrogen Oman SPC (Hydrom), a state-owned company and leader of the Omani hydrogen vision. Making the announcement through a Press release, the consortium announced that spanning over 341 square kilometres, this land block located in the Governorate of Dhofar will allow the development of a large-scale green ammonia project with a capacity of one million tons per year. 

The consortium said that leveraging Oman’s excellent renewable energy resources, it intends to install approximately 4.5 gigawatts of wind and solar capacity coupled with battery storage and approximately 2.5 gigawatts of state-of-the-art electrolyser. The consortium further said the hydrogen produced would then be supplied to an ammonia plant to be built in the Salalah Free Zone. 

The consortium said it signed a project development agreement and sub-usufruct agreement with Hydrom, granting it the exclusive right to develop, build, own, operate and maintain the project for 47 years.

The consortium said the project agreement was signed by H. E. Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals and Chairman of Hydrom; Luc Koechlin, CEO Middle East, EDF Group; Olivier Bordes, CEO Middle East, EDF Renewables; Michihide Kita, Director General, International Business Development Department; J-Power; and Abdelaziz Yatribi, CEO, Yamna. The consortium said this signing closes the Hydrom Phase A Round 2 competitive green hydrogen tender procedure launched by Hydrom in June 2023, and enshrines the award of the land block to the consortium, for the development of the Project.  Furthermore, the consortium said, the award materialises the successful partnership between its members. The consortium added that once commercially operational, the project will make Oman home to one of the world’s largest green hydrogen and derivatives plants. 

H.E. Al Aufi said: “Oman is strategically located between two key green hydrogen demand centres in Europe and Asia. In addition, our tier-1 infrastructure and logistics capabilities, have enabled us to leverage our first-mover advantage in the global hydrogen industry. The availability of renewable natural resources in Oman, coupled with the country’s favourable geopolitical positioning, investor-friendly policies and progressive energy transition strategies, make it one of the most suitable countries for green hydrogen production. I would like to congratulate EDF Group, J-Power and Yamna on their awarding and look forward to working together to realise our collective vision.”

Beatrice Buffon, Chairwoman and CEO, EDF Renewables and Vice President in charge of the International Division, EDF Group, said “EDF Group and its subsidiary EDF Renewables are proud to be awarded, alongside their partners in the Hydrom project. This achievement demonstrates Oman’s trust in our decarbonisation solutions. With its hydrogen plan, EDF is supporting the energy transition of the sectors which emit the most CO₂. Hydrogen fuels a future where sustainability meets innovation. This is why we are not just generating power, we are paving the way for cleaner, greener, and more innovative energy solutions for the generations to come”. 

Hiroyasu Sugiyama, Executive Vice President, J-Power, said: “We are honoured by this great opportunity to participate in the project and to collaborate with Omani stakeholders as well as our partners. Considering the development of renewable energies and renewable-based hydrogen, the project is in line with our strategy, Blue Mission 2050, to accelerate the transition to carbon neutrality. It will contribute to both Oman and global net-zero-emissions goals.”

Yatribi said: “We are excited to embark on this journey with our partners, with a target to deliver a transformational flagship project for Oman and the global hydrogen industry. We are eager to significantly contribute to the success of this project by leveraging on our expertise of green hydrogen and ammonia and our experience in Oman.”

The consortium said green hydrogen and its derivatives are crucial for Oman’s energy transition and sustainability strategy, as the government aims to raise renewable energy-based hydrogen production to at least one million tons per annum by 2030, as part of the Oman National Energy Strategy 2040.

The consortium said it would continue the development of the project by conducting detailed studies with a view to swiftly deliver this transformational project for Oman and the energy transition.

DUBAI, UAE, 29 April 2024: Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation PJSC (Empower) announced that it has signed an agreement with Al Habtoor Group to supply the Al Habtoor Tower with District Cooling services of approximately 7,200 refrigeration tons (RT) (equivalent to 75% of the peak cooling capacity of Burj Khalifa). Making the announcement through a Press release, Empower said Al Habtoor Tower, expected to provide housing for over 5,000 residents, will be supplied with Empower’s District Cooling services by the beginning of the second quarter of 2025. 

Empower said the agreement was signed at Al Habtoor Group’s head office, by H.E. Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO, Empower, and Mohammed Khalaf Al-Habtoor, Vice Chairman & CEO, Al Habtoor Group. The District Cooling utility provider said that located in a prime spot along Sheikh Zayed Road, spanning a building area of 3,517,313 square feet and towering 350 metres high, this tower project offers a distinctive perspective of the Dubai Water Canal’s banks. Empower said that according to its statement on the DFM website, the development boasts 87 floors, housing 1,701 residential units alongside retail spaces, health and fitness amenities, and facilities catering to business needs, conferences, and diverse events. 

Empower said the Al Habtoor Tower residential project will be built by the China Railway 18th Bureau Group Ltd and served by Empower’s Business Bay District Cooling plant. 

H.E. Bin Shafar said: “We are proud to provide the world’s largest residential building with the most efficient and high-quality District Cooling services. Al Habtoor Tower is a unique addition to the city’s skyline and an architectural and engineering  icon that will enrich Dubai’s future landscape of building projects and bring up the lifestyle of residents to unprecedented levels of luxury.” 

Khalaf Al-Habtoor said, “Our Group is keen to collaborate with government agencies to contribute to achieving Dubai’s goals of reducing carbon footprint, protecting the climate and promoting community health by providing our portfolio of real estate projects in Dubai with competitive and environmentally friendly cooling services.” 

The District Cooling utility provider said Mohammed also underlined that the Group identified Empower as the perfect partner to realise these objectives, particularly due to its capacity and efficiency in servicing the Al Habtoor Tower project. 

PARIS, France, 25 April 2024: The International Energy Agency (IEA) announced the publishing of Special Report on Batteries and Secure Energy Transitions. Making the announcement through a Press release, IEA said that according to the report, growth in batteries outpaced almost all other clean energy technologies in 2023 as falling costs, advancing innovation, and supportive industrial policies helped drive up demand for a technology that will be critical to delivering the climate and energy targets outlined at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai. 

According to the IEA, the report is the first comprehensive analysis of the entire battery ecosystem, and it sets out the role that batteries can play alongside renewables as a competitive, secure, and sustainable alternative to electricity generation from fossil fuels while also underpinning the decarbonisation of road transport by powering electric vehicles. 

IEA said that in less than 15 years, battery costs have fallen by more than 90%, one of the fastest declines ever seen in clean energy technologies. The Agency said the most common type of batteries, those based on lithium-ion, are typically associated with consumer electronics. But today, IEA said, the energy sector accounts for over 90% of overall battery demand, and added that in 2023 alone, battery deployment in the power sector increased by more than 130% year-on-year, adding a total of 42 gigawatts (GW) to electricity systems around the world. In the transport sector, batteries have enabled electric car sales to surge from 3 million in 2020 to almost 14 million last year, with further strong growth expected in the coming years, IEA said. 

Fatih Birol, Executive Director, IEA, said: “The electricity and transport sectors are two key pillars for bringing down emissions quickly enough to meet the targets agreed at COP28 and keep open the possibility of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C. Batteries will provide the foundations in both areas, playing an invaluable role in scaling up renewables and electrifying transport while delivering secure and sustainable energy for businesses and households. The combination of solar PV and batteries is competitive today with new coal plants in India. And just in the next few years, it will be cheaper than new coal in China and gas-fired power in the United States. Batteries are changing the game before our eyes.” 

IEA said battery deployment will need to scale up significantly between now and the end of the decade to enable the world to get on track for its energy and climate goals, according to the report. In this scenario, IEA said, overall energy storage capacity will increase sixfold by 2030 worldwide, with batteries accounting for 90% of the increase and pumped hydropower for most of the rest.

By enabling greater shares of renewables in the power system and shifting electricity supply to when it’s most needed, IEA said, batteries will help advance progress on the goals set at COP28. IEA said that these include will tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, doubling the pace of energy efficiency improvements, and transitioning away from fossil fuels. The Agency further said that to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, 1,500 GW of battery storage would be required, and a shortfall in deploying enough batteries would risk stalling clean energy transitions in the power sector. 

IEA said to scale up batteries globally, the report found that costs need to come down further without compromising quality and technology. IEA also said ensuring energy security requires greater diversity in supply chains, including extracting and processing the critical minerals used in batteries and manufacturing the batteries themselves. Countries are already tackling this through ambitious industrial programmes to support local manufacturing capacity with targeted policies in the United States, European Union and India, among others, IEA further said.  

IEA said global battery manufacturing has more than tripled in the last three years and added that while China produces most batteries today, the report shows that 40% of announced plans for new battery manufacturing are in advanced economies such as the United States and the European Union. The Agency further said that if all those projects are built, those economies would have nearly enough manufacturing to meet their own needs by 2030 on the path to net zero emissions.  

According to IEA, the report highlights the versatility of battery storage in supporting electricity security cost-effectively as part of clean energy transitions. In the power sector, IEA said that batteries help smooth out the variability of renewable electricity from technologies such as wind and solar. Moreover, IEA added, battery storage can alleviate grid congestion in times of high supply, offering an outlet to capture and store excess renewable electricity that would otherwise be lost, and they provide highly technical services to the grid, such as voltage and frequency control, that can help system operators.

IEA also said that batteries can play a vital role in improving access to electricity for those who still lack it. In a pathway to achieving universal energy access worldwide by 2030, IEA said, it helps 400 million people in emerging and developing economies gain electricity access through decentralised solutions like solar home systems and mini-grids with batteries.

DUBAI, UAE, 25 April 2024: Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation PJSC (Empower) and ELIPS, a subsidiary of Empower, announced that they renewed their ISO certifications for Quality Management System (ISO 9001:2015), Environmental Management System (ISO 14001:2015) and Occupational Health and Safety Management System (ISO 45001:2018). Making the announcement through a Press release, Empower said, the renewals reflect companies’ commitment to adopting best practices, standards and management systems for quality, environment and occupational health and safety. Empower said that it has also renewed its information security management system (ISO27001:2013) certification, which reflects the measures taken by the company to protect its financial data, intellectual property, customer information, and privacy. 

H.E. Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO, Empower and Chairman, ELIPS, said: “Empower and ELIPS are committed to providing the best quality services that satisfy customer needs. We proceed according to the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to adopt the best government practices and achieve leadership in all fields, to make the UAE’s government work a global reference. This also supports various strategies to make the Government of Dubai a pioneering and excellent government that is proactive and creative in meeting the needs of individuals and society.”

Empower said H.E. Bin Shafar pointed out that the renewal of the ISO certifications is a testimony of Empower’s business sustainability and continuous development. H.E. Bin Shafar said: “Our success in the ISO recertifications confirms our strong performance indicators reflected in the integrated administrative systems audit. Moreover, it highlights our commitment to international standards. The recertification for the Quality Management Systems, ISO 9001:2015, accredited by the UKAS Management System, is the process to create values through the continual improvement of our quality management system to ensure providing comprehensive quality services to achieve customer satisfaction.”

Empower said implementing the highest environmental standards is one of its key goals. The District Cooling utility provider said, after the successful recertification of environmental management systems based on ISO 14001:2015, H.E. Bin Shafar stressed that Empower continues its efforts to preserve the environment and natural resources for future generations based on its commitment towards environmental deliverables in its ESG strategy. 

Empower also said it has been implementing QHSE systems since 2006 and by successful completion of the surveillance audit of ISO 45001:2018 from Bureau Vertias, the company re-affirms its compliance to all local and international legal compliances on Occupational Health and Safety. 

H.E. Bin Shafar further said: “Information security compliance is one of the important commitments for Empower’s governance model to protect the information of Empower and its stakeholders. Successful recertification of information on Empowers affirmation for its compliance with the highest level of information security policies & procedures in line with international standards of ISO27001. Empower also implemented information security regulations-version two from the Government of Dubai as a part of its compliance with requirements of the Government of Dubai.”

DUBAI, UAE, 25 April 2024:  Eurovent Middle East announced that it awarded the first certificates for F-Gas handling to eleven HVACR engineers and technicians from EPTA Middle East. Making the announcement through a Press release, Eurovent said that during the three-day course, which is part of the Association’s HVACR Leadership Academy, technicians were trained on the correct handling and treatment of HVACR equipment containing fluorinated greenhouse gases. Eurovent said it is dedicated to all professionals who wish to learn the best practices for installing and performing servicing activities such as maintenance, repair, recovery, leakage checking, and dismantling RAC systems containing F-Gases. 

Eurovent said the certification ceremony was organised during a four-day meeting of the West Asia Network of National Ozone Officers in Dubai, organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Association said the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol by the governments in the region is increasing the pressure to transition to long-term alternatives and natural refrigerants. Education, training, and qualification of HVACR technicians play a vital role in this transition and are major pillars in climate action and the fight against rising greenhouse gas emissions, Eurovent further said. 

Eurovent said EPTA, a company specialising in commercial refrigeration products, solutions, and services, is the first to make use of the Association’s training programme for HVACR technicians. The Association further said that EPTA is spearheading the initiative for upskilling and is fully committed to strengthening its leadership by qualifying its personnel in the region through further education and training.

Andrea Cavalet, General Manager, EPTA Middle East, said: “Training and qualification of HVACR personnel will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it also encourages better understanding and handling of HVACR equipment, leading to savings in various areas, from power consumption to maintenance. Upskilling, in general, harbours the largest saving potential in the industry.”

Khaled Klaly, Regional Coordinator for the Montreal Protocol West Asia, UNEP, said: “We are extremely happy to see this education and training initiative by Eurovent Middle East unfold in the region. We need to radically reduce leaks and ensure better handling of such refrigerants throughout the HVACR industry. Products or policies alone are not sufficient. We depend on every technician and service provider to handle refrigerants responsibly and skillfully. And this can only be achieved by training and qualification of the people involved.”

Eurovent said companies and individuals interested in enrolling in this course programme can obtain all relevant information from the Association’s website, www.eurovent.me. For any further details, contact the Eurovent Middle East Team at office@eurovent.me.

DUBAI, UAE, 25 April 2024: In the wake of the recent severe weather conditions across the UAE, Daikin announced that it stands in solidarity with affected residents and businesses dealing with damaged property, lost furniture, and more. Making the announcement through a Press release, Daikin said it announces free inspections and special rates for repairing its air conditioning units in offices, apartments and villas across the UAE, understanding the challenges faced by the communities whose spaces have been impacted by the floods.

Daikin said it recognises the critical importance of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of every member of the community during times of adversity. The company said that understanding that a comfortable environment is essential for healing and recovery, it steps forward to offer complimentary AC inspections for its units to assess any damage caused by the floods and special rates on parts and repairs. Daikin further said that this initiative aims to aid homeowners and businesses in restoring comfort and normalcy to their living and working spaces. 

Daikin said this initiative is a testament to its commitment to supporting the UAE government’s efforts to assist the communities during times of crisis. 

Samer Alawiah, Managing Director, UAE at Daikin Middle East & Africa, said: “We understand the challenges many families face in the aftermath of the recent adverse weather conditions. In moments of hardship, we extend a compassionate hand, committed to aiding customers in restoring comfort and tranquillity to their homes. Our dedicated service team offers free inspections and thorough support on parts and services, ensuring the wellbeing of the community remains our utmost concern. We aim to provide assistance and support wherever we can and contribute to the recovery efforts.” 

Daikin said it has ensured that its after-sale and service fleet, processes, technicians, service staff, engineers and manpower are fully equipped to mobilise swiftly in response to AC downtime requests. The company also said that this commitment extends special support to affected customers, exemplifying its dedication to social responsibility. 

Daikin said it encourages residents and businesses in affected areas to make use of this initiative, available until May 31, by reaching out to its nearest Daikin service hub to schedule an inspection appointment. 

Alawiah said: “We will relentlessly strive to alleviate the burden of adversity, ensuring your living and working spaces are havens once again. The wellbeing of our customers is our priority, and we are here to assist every step of the way.”

For more information about Daikin’s free AC inspection service, visit www.daikinuae.com, contact 800-Daikin (800-324546), email at serviceuae@daikinmea.com, or reach out via WhatsApp at +971522691085.

BRUSSELS, Belgium, 23 April 2024:  Eurovent announced the release of an industry recommendation that provides a methodology to calculate life cycle energy consumption and costs of Air-handling units. Making the announcement through a Press release, Eurovent said, it aims to support the environmental impact assessment of AHUs.

Euorvent said that the ‘Eurovent Recommendation 6/19: Life cycle cost calculation for AHUs’ defines a standardised methodology for calculating the energy demand and the resulting life cycle costs (LCC) of air handling units to estimate the total costs of ownership of the unit over its lifetime. Since the energy demand of an AHU normally has a major impact on the overall environmental impact, Eurovent said, this publication can be seen as a very important step forward to ensure harmonised procedures to assess the product environmental footprint of AHUs. Furthermore, Euorvent said, the calculation rules defined in Eurovent 6/19 are based on scientific basics and available standards, where available, related to the performance of components in AHUs, including their characteristics in part load operation.

Martin Lenz, Chairperson, PG-AHU, said: “We are convinced that this new recommendation has significant importance to achieve a harmonised European procedure for AHU life cycle assessment. Furthermore, the methodology allows selecting the perfectly fitting AHU for each application based on environmental and economic aspects (total costs of ownership). It makes me proud that we were able to develop this very helpful method and recommendation with so many European experts from the Eurovent network.”

Eurovent said this document was developed jointly by participants of the Special Project ‘Air Handling Units 2030’ (SP-AHU1). The document can be downloaded free of charge in the Eurovent Document Library.

Appliance Energy Efficiency Package means countries and regions implementing policies, programmes or packages aimed at promoting energy-efficient appliances. These initiatives typically involve establishing energy efficiency standards for appliances, providing incentives for manufacturers and consumers to adopt more energy-efficient technologies and raising awareness about the importance of energy conservation. The policy package is defined and implemented looking at what is achievable in the short term to harness immediate opportunities readily available in the market and devise long-term objectives in order to organically save on energy consumption without raising the equipment purchase cost.

Appliance Efficiency Policy Package – regulation 

Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) should exclude the least efficient products from the market – in line with international best practices while reflecting good understanding of 

local circumstances – and should be regularly updated. Regulations are essential for moving the market towards the best available technology, in line with achieving net-zero goals. 

In the UAE, the Energy Efficiency Standardization & Labelling (EESL) programme, supervised and managed by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MOIAT), is a good example of an effective policy. The programme deals with energy efficiency requirements and labels for products such as air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, water heaters, dishwashers and television sets. 

Similarly, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) has well-structured energy efficiency & labelling programmes in place for domestic and commercial products. 

A Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) is a specification containing a number of performance requirements for an energy-using device that effectively limits the maximum amount of energy that may be consumed by a product in performing a specified task. MEPS are a highly cost-effective way to improve equipment efficiency. 

How are MEPS designed? 

MEPS for appliances are typically established through a process that involves technical assessments, stakeholder consultations and consideration of energy efficiency goals. The following steps summarise the basic process: 

1. Define Objectives: 

· Identifying the specific objectives of implementing MEPS: These could be reducing energy consumption/peak demand, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting the use of energy-efficient technologies. 

2. Stakeholder Engagement: 

· Engaging with stakeholders, including manufacturers, industry associations, consumer groups, environmental organisations, academia and government agencies to gather input on potential standards and address concerns or challenges. 

3. Market Analysis: 

· Conducting market analysis, considering the types and energy consumption patterns of appliances to understand the current state of energy efficiency in the market. 

4. Technical Assessment: 

· Performing technical assessments to determine the energy performance levels that can be achieved by available technologies in collaboration with manufacturers, research institutions and testing laboratories. 

5. Cost-Benefit Analysis: 

· Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of implementing MEPS. Assessing the potential benefits in terms of energy savings, affordability, environmental impact and economic gains against the costs incurred by manufacturers for compliance. 

6. Use of International Standards/Harmonisation: 

· Considering usage of existing international standards and best practices and aligning MEPS with global standards can facilitate trade and contribute to a 

harmonised approach to energy efficiency. Collaboration with international organisations to promote harmonisation of MEPS helps remove trade barriers. 

7. Legislative Framework: 

· Developing or amending legislation that establishes and enforces MEPS with defining the scope of regulations, compliance mechanisms and penalties for non-compliance. 

8. Gradual Implementation: 

· This allows manufacturers and consumers time to adapt to new requirements, starting with less stringent standards and gradually increasing them over time. 

9. Monitoring and Enforcement: 

· Establish a monitoring and enforcement framework to ensure compliance with MEPS. This involves regular testing of appliances in the market, market surveillance and penalties for non-compliance. 

10. Review and Revision: 

· Regularly review and, if required, revise MEPS based on technological advancements, market changes and newer energy efficiency goals. This ensures that standards remain effective and relevant over time. 

11. Public Awareness: 

· Implementing public awareness campaigns to educate consumers about the benefits of energy-efficient appliances and the significance of MEPS. Informed consumers can make more sustainable choices. 

As an example, here is what regional MEPS for room air conditioners look like in comparison with what the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and ASHRAE 90.1-2022 have arrived at; the higher the EER or SEER number, the more efficient is the unit:

Standardised or comparable metric for MEPS 

Having a standardised or comparable metric for MEPS across different regions/countries is important for several reasons: 

1. Global/Regional Consistency: Ensures consistency in measuring and comparing the energy efficiency of appliances. It is particularly important for manufacturers that operate on an international scale, as it allows them to design and produce products that comply with a common set of standards. 

2. Market Competition and Fairness: A consistent metric promotes fair competition among manufacturers. When there is a single or comparable metric for MEPS, companies are on a level playing field, and consumers can make more informed choices based on energy efficiency. 

3. Ease of Compliance: Manufacturers can more easily comply with MEPS regulations if there is a common metric. It streamlines the process of designing, testing and certifying products for multiple markets, reducing the complexity and cost associated with meeting diverse standards. 

4. Consumer Knowledge: A single or comparable metric for the same product category makes it easier for consumers to understand and compare the energy efficiency of different products. This transparency empowers consumers to make environmentally friendly and cost-effective choices when purchasing appliances. 

5. Interoperability: A standardised metric facilitates interoperability and the exchange of information among different regions. This can be beneficial for international collaborations, research and for the development of new technologies aimed at improving energy efficiency. 

While having a single or comparable metric for MEPS is ideal, it is important to recognise that regional variations may still exist due to differences in climatic conditions, energy sources, etc. 

The following table shows MEPS used by different countries/regions for air conditioners:

Within the GCC region, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is working with regional regulatory bodies like GSO, SASO, MoIAT, MEW and EOS to harmonise the tests and performance standards as well as the metrics of MEPS for air conditioning equipment. 

References: 

1. Domestic Air Conditioner Test Standards and Harmonization, The IEA Technology Collaboration Programme on Energy Efficient End-Use Equipment Paris, France, Cadeo Group, March 2020 

2. China’s MEPS Lead to Major AC Market Transformation: Clasp, June 2023