Yes. The definition of rated power in the relevant IEC/EN standard is more precise that the one in the Regulation and does not contradict it in anyway, but only qualifies it. Therefore the explanation offered in the standard is adequate to consider if the power consumption needed for cooling is to be included in the rated power when the energy efficiency of the transformer is being determined.
Disclaimer: Please note that the European Commission cannot provide a legally binding interpretation of the EU legislation, as this is the sole competence of the European Court of Justice. Any remarks from the European Commission services are without prejudice to the position the Commission might take should related cases arise in a procedure before the Court of Justice.
No. Even if transformers used in solar farms may, during the night, reverse the flow and convert a certain level of AC current from the transmission and distribution grid into a DC current in solar photovoltaic installations, they are not specifically designed for this purpose, and therefore cannot be considered part of the said exception. The exception is meant to cover transformers designed for use with rectifiers to provide a DC supply in certain industrial applications.
Disclaimer: Please note that the European Commission cannot provide a legally binding interpretation of the EU legislation, as this is the sole competence of the European Court of Justice. Any remarks from the European Commission services are without prejudice to the position the Commission might take should related cases arise in a procedure before the Court of Justice.
The purchasing contract has to be signed before that date. If it contains an option for delivery of transformers in the future with parameters not meeting the requirements of the regulation, these transformers are only exempt if the contract specifies their number and a clearly limited period in which this option is valid. An agreement between manufacturer and customer just indicating the intention to buy non-compliant transformers for indefinite time cannot be considered to create 'purchased' transformers that would be exempted.
Disclaimer: Please note that the European Commission cannot provide a legally binding interpretation of the EU legislation, as this is the sole competence of the European Court of Justice. Any remarks from the European Commission services are without prejudice to the position the Commission might take should related cases arise in a procedure before the Court of Justice.
Manufacturers of large power transformers are still required to produce the technical documentation and to meet the product information requirements set out in Annex 1, points 3 and 4, even if they consider that such transformers are exempt from the energy efficiency requirements on the basis of the last two points in Article 1.2 of the regulation. In such cases, manufacturers should provide all the necessary technical and economic evidence to the national market surveillance authorities to prove their case.
Disclaimer: Please note that the European Commission cannot provide a legally binding interpretation of the EU legislation, as this is the sole competence of the European Court of Justice. Any remarks from the European Commission services are without prejudice to the position the Commission might take should related cases arise in a procedure before the Court of Justice.
From the information provided, it would seem that the transformer is question can be considered as an exemption from the regulation, on the basis of the provision in Article 1.2, as it is connected to a rectifier and provides a DC supply. A hydroelectric power plant is certainly an industrial application.
Disclaimer: Please note that the European Commission cannot provide a legally binding interpretation of the EU legislation, as this is the sole competence of the European Court of Justice. Any remarks from the European Commission services are without prejudice to the position the Commission might take should related cases arise in a procedure before the Court of Justice.
Regulation (EU)548/2014 does not explicitly exclude transformers with three or more windings. The definition of transformer refers to 'a static piece of apparatus with two or more windings which, by electromagnetic induction, transforms a system of alternating voltage and current into another system of alternating voltage and current usually of different values and at the same frequency for the purpose of transmitting electrical power'. It can therefore not be concluded that three-winding transformers are outside the scope of the regulation. Tables 1.1 and 1.2 in Annex 1 are therefore applicable to this type of transformers.
However, existing harmonised standards do not describe explicitly how to measure load and no-load losses in three-winding transformers. While these standards (adopted in 09/2015) incorporate specific testing provisions for three-winding transformers, testing methods should follow, as closely as possible, existing standards.
Disclaimer: Please note that the European Commission cannot provide a legally binding interpretation of the EU legislation, as this is the sole competence of the European Court of Justice. Any remarks from the European Commission services are without prejudice to the position the Commission might take should related cases arise in a procedure before the Court of Justice.
Article 1.2 of Regulation (EU)548/2014 foresees exemptions for transformers designed for specific purposes. This includes transformers specifically designed for emergency installations, which are exempted. It follows logically that a transformer that is replacing an identical unit designed specifically for an emergency installation is also exempted.
Disclaimer: Please note that the European Commission cannot provide a legally binding interpretation of the EU legislation, as this is the sole competence of the European Court of Justice. Any remarks from the European Commission services are without prejudice to the position the Commission might take should related cases arise in a procedure before the Court of Justice.
As long as the transformer in question has been designed specifically for use with rectifiers to provide a DC supply, it does not matter if the rectifier is part of a larger device, such as a variable speed drive and/or converter.
Disclaimer: Please note that the European Commission cannot provide a legally binding interpretation of the EU legislation, as this is the sole competence of the European Court of Justice. Any remarks from the European Commission services are without prejudice to the position the Commission might take should related cases arise in a procedure before the Court of Justice.