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Energy Efficient Products
Professional refrigerated storage cabinet image
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Professional Refrigerated Storage Cabinets

Energy labelling and ecodesign requirements apply to this product.

Professional refrigeration (PF) includes refrigerators, chillers and freezers that are used and/or accessed by professionals in non-household environments. Their only purpose is to preserve goods or cool processes, as opposed to refrigeration products with direct sales function that also have a display and consumer access function.

The 2015 Ecodesign regulation applies to three PF appliance groups: storage cabinets, condensing units, and process chillers. Storage cabinets also have Energy Labelling.

Blast cabinets (used to quickly cool or freeze hot food) are subject to information requirements only, while Walk-in cold rooms are not regulated, so these two PF types do not appear in EIA.

Source: estimations from the Ecodesign Impact Accounting Overview Report 2024

Scope

 The following table shows some examples of products in scope and out of scope in the Ecodesign Regulation:

In ScopeOut of Scope
  • Professional refrigerated storage cabinets and blast cabinets
  • Electric mains-operated blast cabinets, and electric mains-operated professional refrigerated storage cabinets including those sold for the refrigeration of foodstuffs and animal feed
  • Professional refrigerated storage cabinets that are primarily powered by energy sources other than electricity
  • Serve-over counters and other similar forms of cabinets primarily intended for display and sale of foodstuffs in addition to refrigeration and storage

 

Check the complete list in the Ecodesign Regulation and the Energy Labelling Regulation

Ecodesign Requirements

Ecodesign requirements cover professional refrigerated storage cabinets, blast cabinets, condensing units and process chillers.

Energy Label

Energy Labelling requirements apply to electric mains-operated professional refrigerated storage cabinets sold from July 2016 onwards.

The European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL) offers more detailed information on models placed on the EU market. This can be accessed by scanning the QR code featured on the new energy labels. 

Understanding the Professional Refrigerated Storage Cabinet Energy Label
Professional Refrigerated Storage Cabinet Energy Label
  1. Scale of energy efficiency classes from A+++ to G.
  2. The energy efficiency class of this product.
  3. Annual energy consumption in kWh.
  4. Chilled compartment net volume in Litres.
  5. Frozen compartment net volume in Litres.
  6. Climate class 4 (30ºC - 55%)

Consumers

Highlights

In 2020, total EU27 electricity consumption by PFs was 118 TWh/a(of which 38 TWh/a for CUs already counted in other products). Without measures, this would have increased to 141 TWh/a in 2030 (45 TWh/a already counted) due to the increasing stock. Ecodesign and Energy Labelling measures are expected to lower this to 127 TWh/a in 2030 (41 TWh/a already counted). This is a saving of 10% or 14 TWh (of which 4 TWh for CUs already counted elsewhere).

Facts & Figures

This graphic shows the estimated sales, stock, energy consumption (primary, electric or fuel), greenhouse gas emissions, consumer expenses and business revenues for years 2010 and 2030. The estimated values inside the graph bars are those from the EIA ECO-scenario, they include the effects of Ecodesign and Energy Labelling measures.  

The difference with the business as usual (BAU) scenario without these estimated measures is shown next to the graph bar. These figures indicate the estimated savings obtained due to the measures.

Product: Professional Refrigeration

Measures: Regulation (EU) 2015/2095, Regulation (EU) 2015/1094

The striped lines in the charts show the 'Effect of the Regulations'

SALES (x1000 units)

Professional refrigeration sales chart

STOCK (x1000 units)

Professional refrigeration stock chart

Electricity (TWh/a)

Professional refrigeration electricity chart

GHG-EMISSION
(Mt CO2 eq/a)

Professional refrigeration GHG emissions chart

CONSUMER EXPENSES
(bn €)

Professional refrigeration consumer expenses chart

REVENUES
(bn €)

Professional refrigeration revenues chart

Source: estimations from the Ecodesign Impact Accounting Overview Report 2024

Professional Refrigeration in numbers

40%
storage cabinets, covering 1.6 million m3 cooled volume
59%
condensing units, removing 130 TWh of heat in 2020
1%
process chillers, removing 113 TWh of heat in 2020

In 2020, 8 million professional refrigerators and freezers were in use in the EU27. 

40% of these were storage cabinets (not accessible to the public), with a net cooled volume of 1.6 million m3, of which 29% frozen @-18°C and 71% chilled at +5°C. 

59% are condensing units, removing a total of 130 TWh of heat. However, 60% of these units is sold with other commercial or professional refrigeration appliances, so there is a double counting issue.

The remaining 1% (95 thousand units in 2020) are large medium- or low-temperature process chillers, that remove a total of 113 TWh of heat.

How efficient?

-40 %
electricity per storage cabinet
-8 %
electricity per condensing unit
-7 %
electricity per process chiller

The estimated effect of the 2015 regulations is a reduction of the average annual energy consumption of sold products (from 2020 onwards):

  • For storage cabinets 

    from 2.5 to 1.5 MWh/a (-40%)

  • For condensing units 

    from 13.2 to 12.1 MWh/a (-8.3%)

  • For process chillers 

    from 494 to 458 MWh/a (-7.3%)

Energy Savings

-14 TWh
electricity saved in 2030
-10 %
due to measures
-0.59 %
of EU electricity

The regulations saved 5.3 TWh of electricity in 2020, projected to increase to 14.1 TWh by 2030. This is a 10% saving due to Ecodesign and Energy Labelling measures.

The 2030 savings are 0.59% of the total EU27 electricity consumption in 2020, and close to the consumption of Estonia and Latvia together.

Cost Savings

-€ 2.6 billion
user expenses in 2030
-10 %
due to the measures

Due to the measures, EU27 users are forecasted to save € 2.6 billion on professional refrigeration in 2030 and in 2040. This is a saving of 10% compared to a scenario without measures.

Expected Savings

In 2020, the total EU27 electricity consumption for PFs was 118 TWh/a (of which 38 TWh/a for CUs already counted in other products). Without measures, this would have increased to 141 TWh/a in 2030 (45 TWh/a already counted) due to the increasing stock. Ecodesign and Energy Labelling measures are expected to lower this to 127 TWh/a in 2030 (41 TWh/a already counted). This is a saving of 10% or 14 TWh (of which 4 TWh for CUs already counted elsewhere).

The reduction in GHG emissions is 1.1 Mt CO2eq/a in 2030. PF-users will save  €1.8 billion in 2030, due to lower electricity costs.

Total EU27 Annual Electricity Savings

Professional Refrigeration Electricity Savings Chart

Source: estimations from the Ecodesign Impact Accounting Overview Report 2024

Useful Links

epeeglobal.org

Suppliers

Suppliers should ensure that:

a) each refrigerating appliance has a printed label in the format set out in Annex III

b) the parameters of the product information sheet, set out in Annex V, and the content of the technical documentation (Annex VI) are uploaded into the product database

c) visual advertisements for a particular model contain the energy efficiency class and range of classes available in line with Annexes VII and VIII

d) technical promotional material, including on the internet, for a particular model describing its specific parameters includes the appliance’s energy efficiency class and the range of available classes according to Annex VII

e) dealers receive for each refrigerating appliance an electronic label in Annex III format and an electronic product information sheet as set out in Annex V;

Dealers

Dealers should ensure that : 

a) each refrigerating appliance on sale, including at trade fairs, bears a clearly visible label provided by suppliers in line with Annex III

b) in the event of distance selling, the label and product information sheet comply with Annexes VII and VIII

c) visual advertisements, including on the internet, for a specific model contain the energy efficiency class and range of classes according to Annex VII

d) technical promotional material, including on the internet, for a particular model describing its specific parameters includes the appliance’s energy efficiency class and the range of available classes according to Annex VII;

Policy

Ongoing legislative work

Please check the ongoing initiatives on the Have your say portal. The review of these two Regulations is ongoing.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1095 of 5 May 2015 implementing Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to Ecodesign requirements for professional refrigerated storage cabinets, blast cabinets, condensing units and process chillers.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/1094 of 5 May 2015 supplementing Directive 2010/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the Energy Labelling of professional refrigerated storage cabinets.

Background

Directive 2009/125/EC establishes a framework to set Ecodesign requirements for energy-related products. It tasks the Commission to set these for products which are widely sold and traded in the EU and have a significant environmental impact. Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 establishes a framework to set Energy Labelling requirements for energy-related products to enable consumers to choose more efficient products to reduce their energy consumption.

For more information, see:

Disclaimer: please pay attention to possible updates/changes as indicated in the Official Journal (green dot)

Useful Links

Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2017 setting a framework for Energy Labelling and repealing Directive 2010/30/EU (OJ L 198, 28.7.2017, pp. 1-23)

Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 establishing a framework for the setting of Ecodesign requirements for energy-related products (OJ L 285, 31.10.2009, pp. 10-35)

Commission Communication: Transitional methods of measurement for professional refrigerated storage cabinets (2017/C 044/01)

Standard review M/495 am.1 on methods of measurement for compliance checking

Documents

  • 15 DECEMBER 2023
Guidelines : Ecodesign frequently asked questions (FAQ) on professional refrigerated storage cabinets and other equipment (April 2018)
  • 6 MARCH 2024
Impact Assessment
  • 6 MARCH 2024
Summary Impact Assessment