Energy and CO2 Impact of the Eco-Design Regulation for Fans on the European Market

Abstract

Fans are components in many different products and have been regulated since 2011 by the Eco-Design Regulation. A fan is typically not a final product but is used as a component in different applications, systems, and products. This study shows that it is helpful to target and regulate a component (possibly additionally) such a fan and that the Eco-Design Regulation of fans is an important driver of energy efficiency and has a significant impact. Regulating fans as a component stimulates the availability of efficient fans at reasonable prices and drives efficiency, also in cases where fans are implemented in other products where a fan’s efficiency does not dominate its performance. Since it was first implemented in 2013, the following savings in electrical energy were achieved: 12 GW electrical power, 150 TWh electrical energy, and 12 MT CO2. This is significant and a good example for regulation.