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Energy, Climate change, Environment
Energy

Ecodesign and energy labelling preparatory study on electric kettles

Introduction

In accordance with its Ecodesign Working Plan 2016-2019 (COM(2016)773), the European Commission is undertaking an ecodesign preparatory study on electric kettles.

Electric kettles are kitchen appliances that produce hot water for drinks and food, using electrical heating. The preparatory study for the 2016-2019 ecodesign working plan has identified a significant energy saving potential, between 4.8 and 8.7 TWh per year (final electricity).

This study follows the Methodology for Ecodesign of Energy-related Products (MEErP), a support tool for experts, used to prepare draft implementing measures.

  • MEErP, as established in 2011, was developed to allow evaluating whether and to what extent various energy-related products fulfil certain criteria according to Article 15 and Annex I and/or II of the Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC that make them eligible for implementing measures. This methodology requires the contractor to carry out 7 tasks, ranging from product definition to policy scenario analysis:
    1. Scope (definitions, standards and legislation)
    2. Markets (volumes and prices)
    3. Users (product demand side)
    4. Technologies (product supply side, includes both BAT and BNAT)
    5. Environment & Economics (base case LCA & LCC)
    6. Design options
    7. Scenarios (Policy, scenario, impact and sensitivity analysis)
  • Energy-related products are defined in Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC, Article 2, item 1: "Energy-related product means any good that has an impact on energy consumption during use, which is placed on the market and/or put into service ...(including parts) ... of which the environmental performance can be assessed independently."

Registration and contact

Stakeholders can register through EU Survey to be informed on the study's progress and be invited to potential stakeholders meetings.

If you have a question or comment related to the study, you can send an email to eco-kettlesatisi [dot] fraunhofer [dot] de (eco-kettles[at]isi[dot]fraunhofer[dot]de)

Project planning

Date Event/plan
End of June 2020 (tentative) Draft report for tasks 1-4
15th July 1 PM – 5 PM (online) Stakeholder meeting on tasks 1-4 (probably online event)
Mid-November Working document
December 2020 Consultation forum

Study teams

This study is carried out by the following institutions:

Fraunhofer ISI: The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI (Germany) analyzes the origins and impacts of innovations. Fraunhofer ISI researches the short- and long-term developments of innovation processes and the impacts of new technologies and services on society. On this basis, Fraunhofer ISI is able to provide its clients from industry, politics and science with recommendations for action and perspectives for key decisions. Its expertise is founded on its scientific competence as well as an interdisciplinary and systemic research approach.

Role in the study: Technical lead for the whole study.

VITO: The Flemish Institute for Technological research (Belgium) is a leading European independent research and technology organisation in the areas of cleantech and sustainable development, elaborating solutions for the large societal challenges of today. VITO’s research agenda tackles the major societal challenges we are facing today. VITO focuses on five different research programmes: sustainable chemistry, energy, health, materials management and land use.

Role in the study: Management of the framework contract.

Documents

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