The Energy Efficiency Improvements In European Refrigerators   by Russell Strider

in Home / Home Accessories    (submitted 2011-10-16)

Today's coolers and fridges might not be actively drilling a hole in the ozone layer but outdated units are currently emitting greenhouse gases which are warming our planet.

The Energy Efficiency of European Refrigerators

In the past twenty years, great progress has been made to build energy efficient refrigerator models that use up under half a kilowatt-hour per day. Europe was able to nip the problem in the bud by making it required for technology and home appliance companies to produce energy efficient European refrigerators which meet the A-class energy efficiency standard. By April 2012, only these designs will be offered for sale in the European market.

Typically, almost all refrigerators are currently classified as A, meaning an energy consumption of around 179 kWh/year. They are regarded to be the most energy efficient models available. B and C ranked products are equally good but they are less costly and a lot more affordable. They offer power usage values of 402 kWh/year. The European market place does not allow the sale of models which range from D to G.

Certification of European Refrigerators

Inside the US, the Energy Star commission addresses home appliances and accredits them for home usage upon approving usability, overall performance, ergonomics and energy efficiency. However, in Europe, power efficiency might be assessed by the TCO organization or through the European Commission for Energy. Directive number 92/75 originally stipulated that all models of refrigerators were required to carry labeling or stickers about the energy efficiency of the model.

This kind of sticker and labeling turned out to be so effective in lowering energy consumption that two more optional categories of energy saving refrigerators and freezers labeled A+ and A++ were set up. Market research performed during 2010 additionally showed that shoppers did notice the colorful labels and a big majority of individuals in Norway, Denmark, Poland and the United Kingdom recognized and referred to the labels prior to purchase. Consumers were so happy with the lower energy expenses that they were more than satisfied to pay a little more for the models.

Energy Savings on Refrigerators

Popular European brands like Bausch, Electrolux, Maytag, Prestige, and Gorenje today offer a number of wonderfully colored models which are listed for sale at very affordable prices but with the very best power savings on every one of them. Out of the numerous products that people can select from, the Electrolux two-door refrigerator-freezer and Whirlpool's one-door cabinet refrigerator earned Europe's Energy Plus honor. This particular award was exclusively set up by the European Commission to honor the best and most energy efficient products in the marketplace. Electrolux utilizes 203 KWh of energy yearly while Whirlpool utilizes 175 kWh of energy a year.

However, the actual design of the refrigerator can also have an impact on the energy usage. European designs employ a standard 60cm depth along with a narrow width but relatively high height which runs up to 2.5 meters. Bigger models with smaller doors do need more power but manufacturers have come up with cooling methods that can still make these particular models the best in the whole world.

About the Author

Are you shopping for a refrigerator? Be sure to visit the Narrow Refrigerators site for tips on buying tall refrigerators or thin refrigerators.