Announcement date
15 May 2023
Link to announcement
Improving the energy efficiency of commercial ice makers | Energy Rating
Problem being addressed
Commercial ice makers consume significant quantities of electricity – about 380 GWh per annum in Australia, more than the entire residential clothes dryer stock, for example (340 GWh). Product energy-efficiency varies widely and purchasers could make substantial lifetime savings if they compared the energy efficiency of alternative models and selected the more efficient models on offer. Information about energy performance is difficult to access; where information is provided, it is in a form that makes comparisons across models very difficult; and as a group, purchasers are relatively uninterested in operating costs, even though these make up at least two thirds of time-discounted lifetime ownership costs.
There is evidence of several categories of market failure. As a consequence, the users of ice makers are significantly worse off financially than if they had been aware and responded to information about energy efficiency. At a whole of economy level, this also results in an inefficient allocation of resources and higher negative externalities, in particular the emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants related to the production of electricity.
Proposal
Several policy options have been identified in this Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (C-RIS) to address these problems and improve the energy efficiency of commercial ice makers. Options considered included no intervention, non-regulatory measures, mandatory disclosure of information, and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS). The C-RIS explores MEPS, supported by information measures to drive efficiency beyond the MEPS level, to addressing excessive energy use in commercial ice makers. The C-RIS considers four feasible MEPS levels (in order of increasing stringency):
- the MEPS levels in AS/NZS 4865.3:2008
- the HE levels in AS/NZS 4865.3:2008
- the United States of America’s MEPS levels
- the United States of America’s Energy Star levels.
Each MEPS scheme assigns a maximum allowable energy consumption value (in kWh/100kg ice) to models depending on their production capacity (in kg/24hrs) as determined on a standard test. The MEPS rules classify ice makers in different ways according to their production capacity range, configuration (self-contained, modular, or split), cooling medium (air or water) and the method of ice production (batch or continuous).
Consultation ran from 15 May 2023 to 12 June 2023.
Assessed Impact Analysis outcome
Compliant consultation RIS