Making the right energy-efficient choice

Grade inflation?

Energy labels have proved one of Europe's most popular exports. Countries as diverse as Brazil and China, Iran and Israel have all copied the EU's multi-coloured A-G label for freezers, washing machines and other household goods. The labels vary, but the principle is the same: the top products get a green ‘A' rating, while the least energy efficient get a red ‘G' grade. But while the energy label may be admired abroad, discussions over how to revise it are causing a row at home.

In a sense, the label is a victim of it own success. Since being introduced in the mid-1990s, products have made leaps and bounds in energy efficiency. For example, today nearly all fridges get an ‘A' grade, which has prompted manufacturers to create new A+ and A++ categories. A majority of EU governments would like to copy this approach, as they ponder the revision of the EU energy label framework directive.

Sweden, the current holder of the EU's rotating presidency, proposes to extend the top of the scale, adding pluses to the A grade, all the way up to A++++, to create four additional categories. But the European Parliament has flatly rejected this proposal. One Green MEP says it “would be as ridiculous as giving a gold medal to every athlete at the Olympics”. Instead MEPs want to revalue the old A-G scale. This would push existing high-performing goods back down the scale. The MEPs contend that this would give manufacturers a strong incentive to make further improvements. But the white-goods industry argues that the plan is unfair and would stop them from recouping the value of previous spending. ]

At the most recent session of negotiations, the two institutions were deadlocked. They meet again next week (17 November) for another go, still hoping that they can reach an agreement before the Copenhagen climate-change conference in December.

Jennifer Rankin