What is the Ecodesign Directive and why is it important?

The Ecodesign Directive (formally known as Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council) is a framework legislation that aims to set minimum energy performance requirements for specific products. This “eco-design requirement” ensures that the energy demand of products used is minimised throughout their life cycle, thus minimising their environmental impact.

The importance of the Directive lies in its contribution to sustainable development, lower energy consumption and security of supply. The realistic way to reduce consumption is not to curb demand but to make energy use more efficient. The transposition of the Directive into Hungarian law is a matter of 65/2011. (IV. 15.) Government Decree has taken the form of.

 

Which products are covered by Ecodesign requirements?

The Ecodesign Directive applies to many product groups, from household appliances to industrial equipment. A list of products covered by the current Ecodesign requirements is given below:

Household and commercial lighting products

• Directional and non-directional (including ultraviolet) lamps
• Fluorescent tubes (without integrated ballast)
• High intensity discharge lamps
• Ballasts and luminaires suitable for the operation of such lamps
• Light sources and separate control gear (enters into force from 1 September 2021: (EU) 2019/2020)

 

Electrical equipment

• Computers and servers
• Game consoles
• Simple/complex set-top boxes
• Equipment consuming electricity in standby and off-mode
• Network-enabled equipment with standby mode
• External power supplies
• Televisions
• Imaging equipment
• Power transformers
• Electronic displays (monitors, televisions, advertising displays)
• Set-top boxes
• Computers and small servers
• Servers and data storage products
• Electric motors and inverters
• Stand-by and off-mode electricity consumption of electrical and electronic household and office equipment
• Welding equipment

 

Household appliances

• Cookers and ovens
• Dishwashers
• Freezers
• Refrigerators
• Dryers
• Washing machines
• Vacuum cleaners
• Household washer-driers (including battery-powered)
• Household tumble dryers
• Domestic ovens, cookers and cooker hoods
• Household dishwashers

 

Heating and cooling equipment

• Air conditioners
• Heaters
• Individual space heating equipment
• Solid fuel fired appliances for individual space heating
• Professional refrigerators
• Solid fuel boilers
• Ventilation equipment
• Water heaters
• Individual space heating installations (up to 50 kW domestic, up to 120 kW commercial)
• Space heating appliances and combined heaters of a rated thermal input not exceeding 400 kW
• Water heaters of a rated thermal input not exceeding 400 kW and hot water storage tanks of a storage capacity not exceeding 2000 litres
• Solid fuel boilers of an effective rated thermal input not exceeding 500 kW
• Air heating appliances of a rated thermal input not exceeding 1 MW, cooling appliances of a rated thermal input not exceeding 2 MW and high-temperature process chillers, fan coil units
• mains-operated refrigerating appliances with a total capacity exceeding 10 litres but not exceeding 1 500 litres
• Professional chillers, blast chillers, condensing units and process chillers
• Commercial refrigerators
• Air conditioning equipment with a rated cooling capacity not exceeding 12 kW or, if the product does not have a cooling function, with a rated heating capacity not exceeding 12 kW
• Air heating and air cooling equipment: air heating equipment with a rated thermal input not exceeding 1 MW, cooling equipment with a rated thermal input not exceeding 2 MW, high-temperature process chillers, fan coil units

 

Other products

• Circulation pumps
• Electric motors
• Household fans
• Industrial fans
• Water pumps
• Centrifugal pumps without casing
• Tyres (Regulation (EU) 2020/740 applies from 1 May 2021)

 

The role of the Ecodesign Directive in accounting for energy savings

The minimum energy efficiency requirements set by the Ecodesign Directives should not only be taken into account in the design process, but should also be used in many cases as a reference for determining the energy savings that can be achieved through energy efficiency investments, rather than as a baseline. This is particularly important in the context of financial incentives such as corporate tax credits and the Energy Efficiency Obligation (EEO) scheme.

 

TAO audit and calculation of energy savings

A TAO audit (corporate tax relief) in connection with the 176/2017. (VII. 4.) Government Decree states that energy audits should compare energy savings with:

• a) to the default state,
• b) where a general directly applicable legal act of the European Union or legislation sets a minimum energy performance requirement, to this requirement,
• (c) if the useful life of the baseline capital good has expired and there is no requirement under point (b), it shall be compared to the energy savings achievable with the least energy-efficient capital good on the market that serves the need.

This means that if the useful life of an item of equipment to be replaced has expired or a new asset is being purchased, these requirement values should be used as the pre-investment or alternative condition.

 

ERA and Ecodesign minimum requirements

A 17/2020. (XII. 21.) MEKH Decree the energy audit, based on the end-use energy savings data provided, to determine the energy savings, includes an indication of the applicable EU or Hungarian energy efficiency requirement for the new equipment installed or a clear indication of the absence of such a requirement. Including the minimum requirements laid down in the implementing measures adopted pursuant to Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-related products.

In addition, for many of the catalogue measures set out in Annex I of the Regulation, it is also necessary to determine the level of savings that can be achieved by the investment in accordance with the ecodesign directives currently in force. It is important to note that the ecodesign directives for lighting, transformers and tyres have been amended in 2021, so the definition and therefore the level of energy savings has recently changed in these cases.

 

The Ecodesign Directive and related Hungarian legislation, such as Government Decree 65/2011 (15.4.2011), are key to increasing energy efficiency and promoting environmentally conscious product design. Taking into account the minimum requirements is essential not only when developing products, but also when calculating the return on energy efficiency investments and subsidies. The TAO audit and the ERA scheme also underline the importance of Ecodesign standards in credibly accounting for energy savings.

We can help you through the maze of energy efficiency investments and regulatory compliance. Ask us for expert advice or contact us for your energy saving projects.