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Type: Technical Reports

Progressing Energy Efficiency Policies for Systems

Systems are described as the next frontier for energy efficiency policy, offering the potential to unlock huge energy savings in equipment-based energy-using systems.
In this summary we highlight some of the key findings from 4E’s investigations over several years.

Classification of digitalisation technologies for electric motor driven systems

This report by EMSA provides a classification of different digitalisation technologies applied for motor systems. The following technologies are analysed: sensors, Internet of Things, intelligent control, data analytics, real-time monitoring, artificial intelligence, digital twins, cloud based services, augmented reality, additive manufacturing, robotics, drones.

LED Product Lifetime Testing Report

A new report by the IEA 4E Solid State Lighting Annex provides a look across the body of literature on lifetime definitions for LEDs and LED products. The reports looks at failure mechanisms, accelerated life tests and test methods for estimating lifetime, and provides some recommendations. There is currently no agreement as to which test […]

A “life cycle thinking” approach to assess differences in the energy use of SiC vs. Si power semiconductors

Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors have the potential to provide significant improvements in energy efficiency over conventional Silicon (Si) semiconductors. While the potential for energy efficiency gains is widely researched, the relation to the energy use during manufacturing processes remains insufficiently studied. This question is especially relevant for Silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors, as there are some […]

Interlaboratory Comparison for Goniophotometers (IC 2017)

The final report from the IEA 4E Solid State Lighting Annex’s 2017 Interlaboratory comparison (IC 2017). This comparison had 36 participating laboratories from 19 countries with a total of 42 goniophotometric instruments, the largest interlaboratory comparison of such equipment ever undertaken. This comparison investigated the level of agreement in measurements of SSL products by various […]

Controls Validation Method for Variable Speed Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps

This controls validation method aims to provide a uniform method of test which will validate native control operation and performance criteria for residential air conditioners and heat pumps with variable speed compressors. This method is intended to be used as a confirmation against regulatory tests in which modulating component(s) are overridden.

AC/HP Test Methods 2.0: Phase 2 Findings Summary

This research aims to develop an internationally applicable load-based test method for variable capacity ACs and HPs and has 4 Phases. This report discusses the findings of Phase 2 (Investigative Testing of Key Issues), as well as the research team’s recommendations for Phase 3 work.

Literature Summary of Lifetime Testing of Light Emitting Diodes and LED Products

A summary of the literature on lifetime definitions for LEDs and LED products, including a look at failure mechanisms, accelerated life tests and test methods for estimating lifetime, and provides some recommendations. There is currently no agreement as to which test method can best estimate the lifetime of LED lighting products and the report thus addresses a key issue for regulators and industry interested in deployment of LED technologies

Retrofitting Connectivity for Energy Benefits

This report examines the retrofit solutions on the market today to identify those that could be leveraged to achieve energy benefits in otherwise unconnected residential products.

Harnessing IoT for Energy Benefits

This report examines the landscape of residential IoT products and the functions within those products that can be leveraged to yield energy benefits.

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Copyright © 4E Energy Efficient End-use Equipment - IEA Technology Collaboration Programme

Context

Since 2008, the Energy Efficient End-Use Equipment TCP (4E) has tracked the efficiency trends of major globally traded products and corresponding energy efficiency regulations. 

This enables 4E Members to identify whether their current policies are being effective, how these policies and the performance of products compares across different regions and opportunities for closer alignment.

This process forms a multi-lateral exchange between regulators within 4E Member countries that accelerates the development of product policies and increases the level of energy savings, while also reducing regulatory and cost burdens on industry and consumers.

Joint analysis by the IEA and 4E into the global impacts of energy efficiency regulations¹ has shown that:

-15%

The longest running energy efficiency (EES&L) programmes are estimated to deliver annual reductions of around 15% of total current electricity consumption.

1580

In the nine countries/regions for which data were available, these programmes reduced annual electricity consumption by a total of around 1,580 terawatt-hours in 2018 – similar to the total electricity generation of wind and solar energy in those countries.

2-3x

On average, the energy efficiency of new major appliances in countries with EES&L programmes has increased two to three times the underlying rate of technology improvement.

-2& 2

The average purchase price of appliances covered by EES&L programmes declined at a rate of 2-3% per year.

Within 4E economies, energy efficiency regulations, taken to include minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), mandatory and voluntary energy labelling in this report, are a key driver for product efficiency.

Core elements of these regulations include:

  • The methods used to test and measure product performance
  • The metrics used to define energy performance or efficiency
  • The performance thresholds required by regulations

Since 2020, the 4E Product Energy Efficiency Trends (PEET) project has been monitoring the status of these elements across regulations for major appliance and equipment types across 4E Member countries.

1 IEA 4E TCP (2021), Achievements of Energy Efficiency Appliance and Equipment Standards and Labelling Programmes, IEA, Paris (2021). https://www.iea.org/reports/achievements-of-energy-efficiency-appliance-and-equipment-standards-and-labelling-programmes