STAR LABELLING : Needs and its benefits
- The purchase of any electrical equipment is largely driven by cost of owing the appliance (paid at the time of purchase) and we tend to overlook cost of using the appliance (paid in installments in the electricity bill).
- This may at times land us in purchasing something that might not be the best option for us.
- However, once purchased, they are going to stay in our house almost till the life of the appliance, say 8-10 years for expensive appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners or washing machines
- Hence, it makes a lot of sense to understand the services that we want to derive from the appliance and our expectations from its performance.
- An important factor that must be understood is how much electricity that the appliance will consume once it is purchased.
- An understanding of how much extra money we may need to pay for an appliance that consumes less energy will prove useful in the long run.
- Research has also shown that once we are informed about the future benefits, we take more rational decision In order to provide us with this information.
- Government of India (Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power) introduced the Standards and Labelling Program in May 2006. Under this program the manufacturers are required to place a label showing how much electricity the appliance will consume under certain conditions.
- The objectives of Standards and Labelling Program is to provide the consumer an informed choice about the energy saving and thereby the cost saving potential of the marketed household and other equipment.
- This is expected to impact the energy savings in the medium and long run while at the same time it will position domestic industry to compete in such markets where norms for energy efficiency are mandatory.
- The grade of energy efficiency displayed on the label of the product based on the energy consumption standard notified to denote the energy efficiency of the product.
- The Star Rating is a measure of energy efficiency of an appliance, it is a five points scale where higher the rating lower is the energy consumption and hence better savings.
- Usually, you can find a BEE Star Label on heavy electrical home appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines etc. with a number of stars it has got and an estimated power consumption of the appliance in a year that it is expected to consume (Power consumption = 1 electrical unit).
- The labels have been designed after a great deal of research. The labels contain a number of items.
- The highlight thought is the "STARS. More is the stars more efficient is the appliance There are two kinds of labels-big label and smaller label. For ceiling fans, tube lights, computers/ laptops and televisions the smaller labels are used while for refrigerators, air conditioners, geysers and washing machine the big label is used.
- Unsustainable energy demand puts a nation under threat of energy sources depletion. This may go deeper into using national resources to purchase energy from foreign sources.
- At the same time, it limits national economic independence with energy being the center of the economy.
- Use of energy efficient appliances protects energy sources from depletion. It also saves the national resources from being spent on energy purchase. This increases the level of national security and independence.
(C) STAR LABELLING : Needs and its benefits