Monitoring the market based on sales data: Do 2015 white goods consume less energy than ten years ago?

Panel: 8. Monitoring and evaluation: building confidence and enhancing practices

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Anette Michel, Topten International
Sophie Attali, Topten International, France
Therese Kreitz, ADEME, France
Eric Bush, Topten International, Switzerland

Abstract

Knowing the market is key for deciding on energy label classes’ thresholds, minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) and revisions of these. Up to now, the European Commission has no systematic approach to monitor the market and evaluate policy measures. Our paper demonstrates the potential of systematic market monitoring based on sales data. The results support the revisions of the Ecodesig and Energy Labelling regulations.

In a report to be published in November 2016, we have analysed comprehensive sales data from GfK for refrigerators, washing machines and tumble driers. The data covers the years 2004–2015 and the national markets of France, Germany, Italy, and for the whole EU market. It includes information on sales per energy efficiency class, average energy consumption, size and price.

The results show that the efficiency of refrigerators has improved by 37% since 2004. The energy consumption, however, has decreased less than that. For washing machines, the results confirm a strong trend to larger drums. High efficiency is strongly linked to large drums. Considering the low efficiency of small partial loads, this trend lets us question the reported energy savings. Heat pump tumble driers have continued to extend their popularity among consumers: this energy-efficient technology made up nearly half of all drier sales in the EU in 2015. On national markets, their sales share can be even higher. Over their lifetime, heat pump driers are less costly than class B driers. In the revision of the Ecodesign regulation, due in 2017, a ban of driers less efficient than class A+ could save Europe around 5 TWh per year. The results further show large differences between national markets – even though the same regulatory framework applies in all EU Member States, and the same international manufacturers dominate most markets.