A+, A++ Refrigerators, Freezers & Fridge-Freezers

Refrigerators, freezers and combined fridge-freezers are second only to central heating for domestic power consumption in the UK. They also impact the environment through their output of coolant gases (HFC).

White goods such as fridges and freezers are required by EU law to display a generic label designed to offer easy comparison of the energy efficiency between products.  The current system is based on a grading scheme with the most efficient machines gaining a rating of A++ and the least efficient getting a G.  However since 1999 all fridges and freezers sold in the European Union must have an energy rating of C or higher, the exemption to this rule is “chest” style freezers which only have to be a D rating or better.  With fridges the storage capacity and size of the fridge is not necessarily related to the energy consumption, as a 390 litre fridge from Liebherr only uses 148 kWh/y despite its large size.  However, large capacities do impact on the energy efficiency of freezers, and upright freezers are much less efficient than the “chest” style commonly used in supermarkets and restaurants.  The chest style of freezer is available from a large number of manufacturers for domestic use still.

The use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in refrigerators was first questioned in the 1980’s when proof that they caused Ozone depletion was first brought up.  Their use in the refrigeration foam was widely replaced by hydro fluorocarbons and hydro chlorofluorocarbons although these were also later discovered to be environmentally harmful. HFCs were a potent greenhouse gas and HCFC were also an ozone depletent.  In 1992 Greenpeace and the German manufacturer FORON worked in partnership on a technology called “GreenFreeze” (source: Greenpeace) which involves using only natural refrigerants.  The technology is now employed in over 150 million fridges worldwide and used by many top manufacturers.

The current EU labelling scheme is due to undergo a series of changes in late 2011 or early 2012, with the A+ and A++ ratings for refridgeration products being updated to include an A+++ rating, this is to ensure the ratings system is current and allows consumers to easily identify the most environmentally friendly products.  The ratings system is due to be re-calibrated in July 2014 and this will make it more difficult to achieve an A+ rating. 

Full details of the labelling scheme for refrigerators and freezers can be found at the DEFRA site by clicking here.

In the U.K. the Energy Savings Trust runs an ‘Energy Efficiency Recommended’ logo programme based on the A+ & A++ ratings of the EU scheme, and claim that if every U.K. household upgraded to a fridge-freezer carrying their recommended logo then electricity output equivalent to 2 power stations would be saved every year.