FAQs
Please email labelpackaplus@solar-trade.org.uk if you have any questions.
| What is ErP? |
The Energy related Products (ErP) Directive is a European Union regulation designed to drive improvements in the performance and efficiency of heating and hot water products. The ErP was introduced to help the EU meet its 20-20-20 target to lower emissions by 20% and increase the share of renewable energies by 20% by 2020. With the aim of improving efficiency, products such as heat pumps, micro CHP and solar thermal collectors will be required to be labelled in the same way that white goods are such as fridges and freezers. The labels are designed to help consumers understand and compare the relative efficiencies of heating and hot water products. Consumers will also receive a fiche with additional information on the system installed. There are two directives within ErP: EcoDesign and Energy Labelling.The directives come into force from 26th September 2015. Any heating and hot water products placed on the market after this date will need to comply with ErP. Products which are placed on the market before this date will not be required to comply with the ErP requirements. |
| What is energy labelling? | The Energy Labelling Directive is part of ErP and introduces new efficiency labels a fiches – a product label/fiche and a package label/fiche. |
| How will ErP affect solar thermal installers? | An energy label must be supplied in the following cases:
-Solar water heaters (a water heater equipped with one or more solar collectors, solar hot water storage tanks, heat generators and possibly pumps in the collector loop and other parts; placed on the market as one unit). The supplier will be responsible for providing a package label. |
| How will ErP affect solar thermal manufacturers? | Manufacturers will need to ensure that their products are prepared for the new legislation changes and meet the minimum efficiencies required. This may require incorporating product updates to improve efficiency levels (eg. fitting high efficiency circulating pumps). The manufacturers are also responsible for applying product fiches and energy labels within their product packaging, labels which must detail a product’s energy efficiency rating. |
| What is the definition of ‘placed on market’ for ErP purposes? | For the purposes of ErP, ‘placed on the market’ means the date at which the manufacturer or importer of a product supplies it to a distributor or an end user. This applies to the date that each individual unit of a product is first supplied to a distributor or end user. |
| Where can I find additional information? | The templates for package fiches are included in Annex 3 of the Energy Labelling Directive and can be found here (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32013R0812); these templates should be completed using information from the ‘product fiches’ supplied with the components of the system and will form the basis for the package label.
The European Commission has produced an online Energy Label generator that can be found here. http://eepf-energylabelgenerator.eu/en/eepf-labels/label-type/space-heaters It is worth noting that some manufacturers are also providing ErP guidance and training to installers that use their products. If you are unsure what you will need to do when ErP comes into force, manufacturers may be able to provide additional guidance. |