Interpretation | Improved energy efficiency level to help green, low-carbon and high-quality development

Products and equipment are widely used in many fields such as energy, industry, construction, transportation, and residents' lives, and are an important tool for energy conservation and carbon reduction. my country's main energy-using products and equipment owned by boilers, motors, power transformers, refrigeration, lighting, household appliances, etc. exceeds 5 billion units (sets), and the annual energy consumption accounts for 80% of the total energy consumption in the country, and the potential for energy conservation and carbon reduction is great. Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission, together with relevant departments, issued the "Registration"Key energy-using productsNotice on the Advanced Level of Equipment Energy Efficiency, Energy Saving Level and Access Level (2024 Edition)《 (Development and Reform Environmental Resources Regulations [2024] No. 127, hereinafter referred to as the "2024 Edition") makes arrangements for expanding the coverage of energy efficiency levels, improving the requirements for energy conservation and carbon reduction standards, vigorously promoting efficient products and equipment, and accelerating the cultivation of new momentum for green and low-carbon development, providing strong support for achieving the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality.

1. Improvement of energy efficiency is conducive to accelerating the update and upgrading of energy-saving standards

Energy-saving standards are the basis of the national energy-saving system and an important support for promoting energy conservation and carbon reduction in the whole society. As one of the most economical and effective energy-saving measures recognized worldwide, more than 100 countries and regions have formulated mandatory energy-saving standards, covering multiple fields such as industry, energy, construction, transportation, and agriculture. my country attaches great importance to the standardization of energy conservation of products and equipment, and has issued 67 mandatory performance and efficiency standards, covering the fields of household appliances, commercial equipment, industrial equipment, office equipment and lighting equipment, and implements energy efficiency labeling management for more than 3 million models of products in 44 categories based on energy efficiency standards. It is estimated that since 2012, by formulating and implementing product equipment energy efficiency standards and energy efficiency labeling management systems, an average annual electricity consumption can be saved by more than 170 billion kilowatt-hours, which is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 100 million tons each year.

The 2024 edition of "2024" systematically focuses on the following links to tap into the potential of energy-saving standards. First, scientifically divide energy efficiency levels based on standards. The 2024 edition refers to the current energy efficiency standards for relevant key energy-using products and equipment, and combines the formulation and revision of relevant standards and the technical status of similar products at home and abroad, reasonably sets the access level, energy-saving level and advanced level of key energy-using products, which are clear and clear and easy to promote, providing an important reference for various regions, relevant departments and industry enterprises to improve the energy efficiency level of product equipment. The second is to continuously improve the energy efficiency requirements of product equipment. The energy efficiency level of the 19 products in the "2024 edition" is further improved compared with the current mandatory performance efficiency standards. The advanced energy efficiency level of the four products, including heat pump water heater (appliance), unit air conditioner, air source heat pump (cooling) unit, and permanent magnet synchronous motor, will continue to be improved on the basis of the "Advanced Energy Efficiency Level, Energy Saving Level and Access Level of Key Energy Use Product Equipment (2022 Edition)" (hereinafter referred to as the "2022 Edition"), and further strengthen the energy efficiency management requirements of product equipment. The advanced energy efficiency level of the 43 products and equipment involved in the "2024 Edition" has generally reached the international advanced level, providing an important reference for the update and upgrading of relevant standards. The third is to highlight the leading role of energy efficiency indicators in energy conservation and carbon reduction in emerging fields. In recent years, the scale of industries such as information and communications, new energy vehicles, and photovoltaic power generation in my country has developed rapidly. Considering that my country has not yet issued mandatory performance and efficiency standards for five product equipment, including communication base stations, charging piles, liquid-cooled electric drive systems for electric vehicles, photovoltaic grid-connected inverters, and crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules, the "2024 Edition" proposes the energy efficiency level of product equipment based on in-depth research and demonstration, guides the improvement of industry energy efficiency, and vigorously promotes the formulation of mandatory performance and efficiency standards.

2. Improvement of energy efficiency is conducive to promoting the application and implementation of standard markings

Energy-saving standards and energy efficiency markings meet the basic requirements of energy-saving management. Actively promoting the application and implementation of energy-saving standards markings can strengthen the refined management of energy conservation and carbon reduction in key areas, and help energy-consuming entities to achieve clear goals and evidence in the process of carrying out energy-saving management. The 2024 edition further promotes the application and implementation of energy-saving standard markings by deploying key tasks such as coordinating renewal and transformation and recycling, advocating green and low-carbon consumption, strengthening application implementation and supervision and inspection, and strengthening comprehensive policy support.

First, vigorously promote the renovation and recycling of product equipment. The 2024 edition proposes that all regions should implement product equipment energy efficiency census, promote relevant enterprises to implement product equipment updates and transformations, encourage energy efficiency and energy saving levels after renovations, and strive to achieve advanced energy efficiency levels. Carry out in-depth enterprise recycling target responsibility system actions and strengthen the recycling and utilization of waste industrial equipment, home appliances, photovoltaic equipment, etc. Provide guidance for all regions, relevant departments and industry enterprises to carry out equipment renewal, transformation and recycling based on energy efficiency levels. The second is to promote the effective connection between energy efficiency levels and energy-saving standards. The 2024 edition requires that advanced energy efficiency and energy conservation levels be transformed into the energy conservation levels and access levels in the next stage in a timely manner. In accordance with the principle of "high or low", we should coordinate the forced performance efficiency standards to form a positive cycle for improving the energy efficiency standards of product equipment. The third is to increase supervision, inspection and support and guarantee efforts. The 2024 edition emphasizes increasing supervision and inspection efforts, guiding localities and relevant parties to pay attention to the pertinence and adaptability of policies, increasing investment and financial support, increasing advanced incentives for energy efficiency, promoting the effective implementation of energy efficiency indicators, and ensuring that they truly play a role.

3. Improvement of energy efficiency is conducive to creating new advantages in green development of the industry

my country is a major producer of energy-using products and equipment. Improving the energy efficiency of product equipment is an important tool to lead the green transformation and high-quality development of the industry, and it is also a key basis for Chinese enterprises to participate in global competition and shape new industrial advantages. After more than 30 years of development, my country's energy-saving standards have a wide range of products, and some product standards such as air conditioners and motors have ranked among the international leading level. With the proposal of the "dual carbon" goal, high-quality development of manufacturing requires more extensive, more advanced and more effective energy efficiency indicators.

The 2024 edition enhances the competitiveness of green development of the industry from three aspects. First, accelerate the leadership of energy efficiency in emerging industries. On the basis of the 20 types of product equipment clearly defined in the 2022 edition, 23 product equipment including servers, charging piles, data centers, communication base stations, industrial boilers, photovoltaic modules, etc. are added to basically achieve full coverage of key product equipment. Among them, the energy efficiency indicators of some product equipment are at the international leading level, which is conducive to strengthening my country's competitive advantages in green development of industries. The second is to explore the coordination between energy conservation and carbon reduction. The 2024 edition requires the use of energy efficiency as an important basis to accelerate the research and formulation of carbon emission indicators for product equipment, comprehensively evaluate the energy conservation and carbon reduction levels of product equipment, laying a solid foundation for promoting the gradual shift of dual energy consumption control to dual carbon emission control. The third is to implement precise classification measures. The 2024 edition implements classified measures for access level, energy saving level and advanced level. The access level provides a technical basis for carrying out project energy conservation review, energy efficiency management, market supervision, energy conservation supervision and other work. The energy-saving level and advanced level provide technical support for the implementation of government green procurement, promotion of energy-efficient product equipment, and promoting green consumption. All kinds of indicators should be used to their full play, and incentives should be given equal importance, which is conducive to the realization of energy conservation and carbon reduction goals.