EFFECTIVE POLICIES AND MEASURES IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN END-USE EQUIPMENT AND INDUSTRIALPROCESSES

The paper gives an overview of: the energy saving policies for end-use equipment and industrial processes adopted by the European Union during the past ten years; the results achieved compared to the expected savings identified in the technical-economic analysis; the planned new policies, as described in the Commission Action Plan for Energy Efficiency and in the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP); and the expected results. Since the launch of the PACE (1989) and SAVE (1992) programmes a great effort has been made to transform the end-use equipment market and improve energy efficiency in industrial processes. For end-use equipment a framework Directive for the labelling of domestic appliances was introduced in 1992, the majority of domestic appliances have been labelled. Moreover in 1996 the first minimum efficiency standard for refrigerator was adopted, this entered into force in 1999. In addition starting in 1996 a number of voluntary agreements have been concluded with manufacturers for TVs and VCRs, washing machines, dishwashers, electric storage, water heaters, and audio equipment. The paper will present the first comprehensive analysis of the market transformation resulting from the implementation of EU policies in this area, in particular labelling and mandatory or voluntary standards. For industrial processes, the main policy area explored was the used of Long Term Agreements (LTAs), these agreement so far have been concluded also at national level. The paper gives an overview of: the energy saving policies for end-use equipment and industrial processes adopted by the European Union during the past ten years; the results achieved compared to the expected savings identified in the technical-economic analysis; the planned new policies, as described in the Commission Action Plan for Energy Efficiency and in the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP); and the expected results. 1. END-USE EQUIPMENT The European Commission under the SAVE and PACE programmes has pursued several actions to improve energy efficiency of equipment in the domestic, commercial and industrial sectors. These actions include labelling and classification schemes, minimum efficiency standards and negotiated agreements, and technology procurement. It is widely accepted that to enhance the average efficiency of equipment present on the market today, a range of different actions is needed in order to exploit the full energy efficiency potentials of the available technology. Market transformation in terms of energy performance is the goal of any energy efficiency action for appliances. The various instruments (minimum efficiency standards, labelling, incentives, procurement etc.) are intended to interact and influence the market, which in the case of energy efficiency does not function well enough on its own, because of the well known barriers to energy efficiency. Consumer/user information is effective in shifting the whole