NEWS RELEASE
Date: 16 January 2008
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UK manufacturers join consumer electronics efficiency initiative
Intellect’s Consumer Electronics Council has joined the British Retail Consortium, retailers and the Government to work on the details of an initiative to phase out energy-intensive consumer electronics products that cost consumers and the environment dearly, Minister for Climate Change Joan Ruddock said today.
The manufacturers’ organisation, Intellect, has joined the initiative announced in the autumn to develop proposals to promote energy efficient consumer electronics products.
Joan Ruddock said:
“In 2006, consumer electronics used 15 per cent of the UK’s total domestic electricity consumption. If we do nothing, that could double by 2020. But switching to more efficient products, and taking the least efficient products off our shelves, will cut CO2 emissions and save people money.
“We need to start the switch off for inefficient electronics. We want to work with everyone involved in producing and selling these products to make them more efficient, and I’m pleased that the major manufacturers have joined the ambitious work programme to look at what can be done – which is starting by looking at set top boxes and standby levels.”
Meeting with key names from the UK’s consumer electronics manufacturers, Joan Ruddock emphasised the importance of working with the industry to take forward government plans to improve performance standards and promote energy efficient choices to consumers in a drive to slash CO2 emissions by up to 1MtCO2 a year – the equivalent of taking a million cars off the road.
This initiative will aim to set clear targets in the next few months and participants will be looking at ways to analyse the energy efficiency of consumer electronic products, starting with set-top boxes and to consider how a significant reduction could be made in stand-by energy use.
The British Retail Consortium is leading the work, in partnership with the Government, the Energy Saving Trust, retailers and manufacturers to develop proposals for an initiative to promote more energy efficient consumer electronics products with the aim of cementing commitments in early 2008.
Notes to editors
- The Government is keen to aim for a firm agenda to phase out the least efficient consumer electronics products from UK markets, including those which use excessive power in standby, with the aim of significantly reducing carbon emissions from these products over the next four years. If retailers were to adopt the Government's published range of indicative performance standards for consumer electronics a reduction in emissions of up to 1MtCO2 a year would be achieved.
- Yesterday (Tuesday) Joan Ruddock met with Intellect, the trade association for the UK technology industry and manufacturers: Alba, Humax, JVC, Sony and Pace. The British Retail Consortium and leading retailers attended a meeting in November: Amazon, ASDA, Comet Group, The Co-Operative group, DSG International (Dixons.co.uk/Currys/PC World/Pixmania), Home Retail Group (Argos/Homebase), John Lewis, Marks &Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Woolworths. All the major consumer electronics retailers have been approached and others have indicated that they would consider joining such an initiative. This is an open process reaching out to all retailers, small or big.
- The initiative to phase out inefficient consumer electronic products follows the success of the voluntary initiative to phase out inefficient lightbulbs, announced by Hilary Benn on 27th September 2007 and being led by major retailers and energy suppliers. Both projects reflect energy saving measures for general product policy laid out in the Energy White Paper.
- In the Budget 2006, Gordon Brown, then Chancellor, announced ‘a new initiative, in partnership with major retailers and the Energy Saving Trust, to introduce voluntary schemes in the retail sector, which encourage the purchase of more energy efficient alternatives in consumer electronics.’ Discussions held yesterday are part of this process.
- Progress in the consumer electronics sector will be monitored and reviewed, with a view to annually updating and refining the initiative. This will include providing illustrative performance targets and products standards to support the delivery of the Government’s objectives for energy and for Sustainable Consumption and Production.
- The "One Watt" Initiative was launched by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 1997 with the aim of reducing standby power consumption for new appliances to one watt or less by 2010. At Gleneagles, the G8 - led by the UK - agreed to promote the application of the One Watt initiative and the UK, as well as pressing for regulatory action to achieve this at an EU level, is working with retailers and manufacturers to design out the use of wasteful standby functions and moving to adopt the one watt standard as part of our own procurement policy.
- Defra launched its Act On CO2 carbon calculator www.direct.gov.uk/actonco2 as a public trial version on 20 June. There have been over 300,000 visits so far. The calculator helps people make the link between their own actions and climate change. Individuals or households can calculate the carbon footprint resulting from their home, appliances and personal travel using Government approved data and methodologies. Users can also receive a personalised action plan with tips for reducing their carbon emissions. The calculator takes account of leaving products on standby in its home section.
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Defra published in December a summary of responses to a public consultation on the Government’s ambitious efficiency standards for consumer electronics products sold and brought into use in the UK. In addition to this, the Government recently published for consultation ten similar papers for a number of other energy-using products, which will set a benchmark for retailers and manufacturers to make firm commitments to improve the performance of products they provide
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The EU is expected to bring forward its proposals for consumer electronics under the Framework Directive for the Eco-design of Energy Using Products (the EUP Directive). Implementing measures will set specific and potentially compulsory standards for several of the least efficient products destined for the European market in order that they meet energy efficiency, as well as other, requirements. Proposals are due to be agreed by the end of 2009.
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Page published: 16 January 2008