New energy efficiency classes in 2024: What is important now
In March 2021, the European Union introduced a new edition of the energy labels. The European Commission published the next changes to the energy efficiency classes in March 2024.
We explain which classes will be omitted and what will change for you.
Energy label shows the energy efficiency class
Energy labels, which are actually called energy consumption labels, provide information about the energy efficiency of electrical appliances and other energy consumers. The labels are intended to make it easier for consumers to choose an environmentally friendly model when buying new products. This means that not only price, design or brand play a role, but also how much energy the appliances consume. On the one hand, this is interesting because low energy consumption is associated with lower electricity costs for buyers. And on the other hand, every kilowatt hour saved helps to protect our environment.
However, consumers usually do not know which type of electrical appliance usually consumes how much energy, which makes comparability difficult. To remedy this, there are the so-called energy efficiency classes.
These classes are classified using the energy efficiency index. It is based on complex calculations that take into account various variables. In general, however, the smaller the index, the higher the efficiency class.
The energy efficiency classes show at first glance whether a product has a good or a less good classification. Seven different levels provide a quick overview here.
The new energy label shows the consumption and energy efficiency class of the appliance at first glance.
These changes in energy efficiency classes occurred in 2021
The efficiency classes, sorted by colour from green (very energy-efficient) to red (not energy-efficient), have different designations. Until 2021, A+++ was considered the best rating, while D stood for the lowest energy efficiency. However, since March 1, 2021, there has been an energy label that has brought one or two changes. The most prominent are the new energy efficiency classes.
While the color sorting has remained, the names of the individual classes have changed. Since then, A has once again stood for the highest energy efficiency and G for the lowest. The confusing labels A+++, A++ and A+ have therefore been omitted. In addition to the new names, a QR code is now displayed on each energy label. This allows you to obtain further information about the energy consumption of the respective product.
In addition, at the beginning there were initially no appliances with the energy label A. A refrigerator with A+++, for example, could at best be classified in category B, but also in C or D. The stricter criteria are intended to ensure that manufacturers constantly develop their products in terms of energy efficiency. There was also no fixed conversion from "old" to "new" – separate evaluation criteria were defined for each device category. In this respect, the new energy labels could be confusing at first glance. For a better classification of the energy efficiency of your preferred electrical appliance, it can be particularly useful to compare different appliances.
New look and new rating scale: The energy labels introduced in 2021 are intended to make the energy efficiency of electrical appliances easier to understand. In addition, manufacturers are to be encouraged to develop increasingly energy-efficient devices.
A new website on the energy label offers the opportunity to do so. The operating costs can also be calculated with regard to water and electricity consumption. This is possible on the one hand by scanning the QR code just mentioned or by entering the product name or manufacturer in the database.
Introduction for different product categories
The new energy label, including the new energy efficiency classes, was initially introduced only for certain product categories and was gradually expanded to include others. Initially, the new energy label only applied to the following electrical appliances:
- Dishwasher
- Washing machines
- Dryer
- Refrigerators and freezers
- TVs and monitors
- Air conditioners
- Wine Storage Cabinets
- Vacuum cleaner
Since 1 September 2021, this regulation has also applied to lamps and luminaires.
Energy efficiency class G was also banned in 2021 for many product groups and appliances: this applies to washing machines, washer-dryers, dishwashers and refrigerators and freezers. Although the EU Commission has theoretically set limit values for class G, many devices with such low efficiency are no longer allowed to be sold.
New regulations for energy efficiency classes from March 2024
Changes to the European energy label regulations have resulted in some energy efficiency classes being withdrawn from the market in the EU. The regulation came into force on 01.03.2024 and prohibits the introduction or sale of the following appliances with efficiency class F on the European market from this date:
- Washing machines with a nominal capacity of over 3 kilograms
- Washer-dryers with an energy efficiency index above 88
- Dishwasher with over 9 place settings (number of crockery and cutlery)
- Refrigerators and freezers with compressor technology
Exceptions apply to product units that have already been produced and are already offered on the market.
In July 2025, another new regulation will follow, according to which a new label will then also apply to household tumble dryers and condensation tumble dryers. The plus classes (A+, A++, A+++) will be omitted, as was the case for other devices in 2021. Providers must then also be prepared for obligations to provide spare parts.
The new energy efficiency classes affect televisions and monitors, various kitchen appliances and vacuum cleaners, among other things.
Energy efficiency class enables calculation of annual electricity consumption
With the energy label, you can see at a glance whether a product has good energy efficiency or not. They are therefore particularly suitable as a first indicator. But if you don't know any comparative values, you don't know how much electricity consumption and how many costs they actually are.
For this reason, the energy consumption label also contains the value kWh / annum, which indicates how many kilowatt hours the appliance consumes per year with average use. This can be easily multiplied by the average electricity price of 25.4 cents and thus you get your annual costs for the use of the device.
So if you are faced with a purchase decision, you can now take into account more factors than just the purchase price. If one device is cheaper than another but has a higher consumption, it can end up being significantly more expensive, depending on how many years it is to be used. Therefore, it is always advisable to look at which device is not only cheaper to buy, but also looks at its entire service life.
Sustainable consumption with the new efficiency classes
The newefficiency classes on the energy label allow you to quickly assess which products are not only more environmentally friendly and sustainable, but also easy on your wallet. If you want to go into more detail, you can use the QR code to get additional information to help you make your purchase decision. This makes sustainable consumption of electrical appliances easier than ever before. And with independent electricity production, for example in the form of solar energy, the costs for electricity consumption can be further reduced.