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Star Labelling Programmes, formulated by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), has been expanded to air-conditioners and washing machines. Initially, it will be implemented on a voluntary basis and will be valid up to December 31, 2020.

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• This initiative will promote advancement of technology and energy efficiency in microwave ovens which is becoming a popular household gadget.
• For washing machines, BEE has also expanded the criteria for inclusion of water efficiency, in addition to energy performance for grant of Star Rating.

What is BEE Star Rating?

• Energy ‘labelling’ is one of the most cost effective policy tools for improving energy efficiency and lowering energy cost of appliances/equipment for the consumers.
• Star ratings are provided to all the major kind of appliances in the form of labels.
• These star ratings are given between 1- 5 and they provide a basic sense of how energy efficient each product is, just in a single glance.
• The manufacturers are officially required to put these labels as per the Standards and Labelling Program introduced in 2006.

Need for Ratings

• To educate and inform consumers about how energy efficient each product is.
• This also makes the manufacturer responsible for creating products which are highly energy efficient as consumers may eventually prefer better rated products.

How do they decide the BEE Star Ratings?

• One of the most common myths about the BEE Star Rating is that it is solely based on the appliance’s power consumption. A lot of factors contribute into formulating the final star rating on the product.
• Although the manufacturers rate and label the product, BEE sets all the standards and norms which need to be followed while rating an appliance. While some category of appliances necessarily have to be given a star rating, for others it’s optional.
• Appliances which need to have an energy rating label mandatorily: Frost-free refrigerator, Tubular Fluorescent Lamps, Room Air-Conditioners, Distribution Transformer, Colour TV, CST AC, Direct Cool Refrigerator and Electric Geyser.

What are the two variants of the labelling?

Big energy rating label

• It is aimed at appliances which have a constant usage and consume more electricity.
• These labels show additional information such as the yearly energy consumption of the product, brand name, product category and much more.
• For consumers, this big label is helpful as it allows one to calculate the actual money you would spend in electricity bills for that particular product.
• Products with a big label: Refrigerators, air-conditioners, geysers and washing machines.

Small energy rating label

• Small labels can be found in appliances which usually don’t consume more energy. These labels just give you a visual representation of the energy consumption levels by showing star ratings.
• Products with a small label: Ceiling fans, tube lights, computers/laptops and televisions.
  
  

  Bureau of Energy Efficiency It was set up on 1st March 2002 under the provision of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. Its mission is to assist developing policies and strategies with a thrust on self-regulation and market principles with the primary objective of reducing energy intensity of the Indian economy within the overall framework aforementioned act. This will be achieved with active participation of all stakeholders, resulting into accelerated and sustained adoption of energy efficiency in all sectors.