Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1095Show full title

Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1095

of 5 May 2015

implementing Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to ecodesign requirements for professional refrigerated storage cabinets, blast cabinets, condensing units and process chillers

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard 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(1) and in particular Article 15(1) thereof,

After consulting the Consultation Forum referred to in Article 18 of Directive 2009/125/EC,

Whereas:

(1) Under Directive 2009/125/EC, ecodesign requirements should be set by the Commission for energy-related products representing significant volumes of sales and trade, having a significant environmental impact and presenting significant potential for improvement through design in terms of their environmental impact without entailing excessive costs.

(2) The Commission established the first Working Plan in accordance with Directive 2009/125/EC on 21 October 2008(2), covering the years 2009 to 2011, identifying refrigerating and freezing equipment, including professional refrigerated storage cabinets, blast cabinets, condensing units and process chillers, as a priority for the adoption of implementing measures.

(3) The Commission has carried out a preparatory study on the technical, environmental and economic aspects of refrigerating and freezing equipment typically used in the Union, including professional refrigerated storage cabinets, blast cabinets, condensing units and process chillers. The study was devised together with stakeholders and interested parties from the Union and third countries, and the results have been made publicly available.

(4) The fifth product of the refrigerating and freezing equipment lot — walk-in cold rooms — has been kept separate because of its unique characteristics within the group, and walk-in cold rooms should not be addressed by this Regulation at this time.

(5) As regards professional refrigerated storage cabinets, it is not necessary to set ecodesign requirements for direct greenhouse gas emissions related to the use of refrigerants, as the increasing use of low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in the household and commercial refrigerator market sets a precedent that the professional refrigerated storage cabinets sector could follow.

(6) As regards process chillers, it is appropriate to set ecodesign requirements for direct greenhouse gas emissions related to the use of refrigerants, as this will further direct the market towards low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants, which are at the same time often more energy efficient.

(7) As regards condensing units, non-proprietary technologies exist that reduce the direct greenhouse gas emissions related to the use of refrigerants through the use of refrigerants with reduced harmful impact on the environment. However, the cost-effectiveness and impact on energy efficiency of these technologies when applied to condensing units is still not fully established, as their diffusion is either negligible or represents only a small share of the market for condensing units today.

(8) As refrigerants are addressed under Regulation (EC) No 842/2006(3), and as a review of this Regulation was proposed by the Commission on 7 November 2012, no specific restrictions on the use of refrigerants should be set in this Regulation. However, a bonus should be proposed under the ecodesign requirements for condensing units and process chillers to steer the market towards the development of technologies based on the use of refrigerants with reduced harmful impact on the environment, as a bonus would lead to lower minimum energy efficiency requirements for condensing units and process chillers intended to be used with low GWP refrigerants. The future review will look at the treatment of products using high GWP refrigerants in line with the existing relevant legislation.

(9) For the purposes of this Regulation, energy consumption in the use phase has been identified as the significant environmental aspect of professional refrigerated storage cabinets, blast cabinets, condensing units and process chillers.

(10) The preparatory study has shown that requirements regarding the other ecodesign parameters referred to in Part 1 of Annex I to Directive 2009/125/EC are not necessary in the case of professional refrigerated storage cabinets, blast cabinets, condensing units and process chillers.

(11) Annual electricity consumption in the Union related to condensing units, process chillers and professional refrigerated storage cabinets was estimated to have been 116,5 TWh (terawatt hour) in 2012, corresponding to 47 Mt CO₂ emissions. Unless specific measures are taken, annual energy consumption is expected to be 134,5 TWh in 2020 and 154,5 TWh in 2030, corresponding to 54,5 and 62,5 Mt CO₂ respectively. The combined effect of this Regulation and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/1094(4) is expected to result in annual electricity savings of 6,3 TWh by 2020 and 15,6 TWh by 2030, as compared with what would happen if no measures were taken.

(12) The preparatory study shows that the use-phase energy consumption can be significantly reduced by applying cost-effective non-proprietary technologies that reduce the combined costs of purchasing and operating these products.

(13) Ecodesign requirements should harmonise energy consumption requirements for professional refrigerated storage cabinets, blast cabinets, condensing units and process chillers throughout the Union, thus helping to make the single market more efficient and to improve the environmental performance of those products.

(14) The ecodesign requirements should not affect the functionality or affordability of professional refrigerated storage cabinets, blast cabinets, condensing units and process chillers from the end-user's perspective and should not negatively affect health, safety or the environment.

(15) The ecodesign requirements should be introduced gradually to give manufacturers sufficient time to redesign their products subject to this Regulation. The timing should be such that cost impacts for manufacturers are taken into account, while ensuring timely achievement of the objectives of this Regulation.

(16) Product parameters should be measured and calculated using reliable, accurate and reproducible methods that take into account recognised state-of-the-art measurement and calculation methods. These include, where available, harmonised standards adopted by European standardisation bodies following a request from the Commission, in accordance with the procedures laid down in Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council(5).

(17) The definition of frozen operating temperature shall be used for establishing the values of the annual energy consumption for professional refrigerated storage cabinets; while taking into account food safety, it is not related to food safety legislation.

(18) In accordance with Article 8(2) of Directive 2009/125/EC, this Regulation specifies which conformity assessment procedures apply.

(19) To facilitate compliance checks, manufacturers should provide information in the technical documentation referred to in Annexes IV and V to Directive 2009/125/EC insofar as that information relates to the requirements laid down in this Regulation.

(20) To further limit the environmental impact of professional refrigerated storage cabinets, blast cabinets, condensing units and process chillers, manufacturers should provide information on disassembly, recycling or disposal.

(21) In addition to the legally binding requirements laid down in this Regulation, indicative benchmarks for best available technologies should be identified to ensure that information on the life-cycle environmental performance of professional refrigerated storage cabinets, condensing units and process chillers is widely available and easily accessible.

(22) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 19(1) of Directive 2009/125/EC,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

(1)

OJ L 285, 31.10.2009, p. 10.

(2)

COM(2008) 660 final.

(3)

Regulation (EC) No 842/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2006 on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases (OJ L 161, 14.6.2006, p. 1).

(4)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/1094 of 5 May 2015 supplementing Directive 2010/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the energy labelling of professional refrigerated storage cabinets (see page 2 of this Official Journal).

(5)

Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations and of rules on Information Society services (OJ L 204, 21.7.1998, p. 37).