Seven new energy efficiency standards for products and appliances, that passed into regulation this week, are expected to create net savings of $360 million for the country by 2020, says Acting Minister of Energy and Resources Hekia Parata.
The new standards set minimum energy performance requirements, which encourage manufacturers to continually improve the energy efficiency of their products and prevent poorly performing products from being sold.
The products covered by new energy efficiency standards are commercial chillers, computer air conditioners, external power supplies (eg mobile phone chargers and notebook power adaptors), non-recording set-top boxes and gas water heaters.
Energy rating labels have also been revised for fridges, freezes and air conditioners. These labels appear on consumer products, like whiteware and heat pumps, to help people compare energy performance when choosing new products.
"Improving the energy efficiency of our new products and appliances, and helping people choose better performing products, has real consumer, economic and environmental benefits," says Ms Parata.
"Consumers benefit directly as they continue to get a good range of product choices, but they use less energy to deliver the same performance which saves on running costs over the entire life of the products.''
Ms Parata says that product energy efficiency improvements, as a result of the new standards, are expected to save around one tenth of New Zealand's total electricity generation.
"These energy efficiency standards also bring us into alignment with Australia, which reinforces development towards a single economic marketplace and keeps business compliance costs low as they don't have to meet differing requirements in the two countries," Ms Parata says.
