China Energy Outlook 2020 - Flipbook - Page 90
Top-Runner Program for End-Use Energy Consuming Appliances and Products
The voluntary Energy Efficiency Top-Runner program selects the most energy-efficient
appliances and publicizes them in an annual catalogue that is promoted by the Chinese
government.
The voluntary Energy Efficiency Top-Runner program was created in December 2014 to
recognize qualifying products as super-efficient on the China Energy Label, based on a scored
ranking. The pilot phase of the Energy Efficiency Top-Runner program for appliances from 2015
to 2016 included flat panel televisions, household refrigerators, and variable-speed room air
conditioners. The nominated products are evaluated, scored and ranked, and the top 10 to 20
products with overall outstanding performance are awarded the Top-Runner designation. In
early 2016, the first catalogue of selected Energy Efficiency Top-Runner products was published
jointly by NDRC, MIIT and AQSIQ and included 150 models nominated by 18 manufacturers. The
program was expanded to include clothes washers and lighting products in late 2017 (NDRC,
2017e; Yu, 2019), and a second catalogue of selected products was published in late 2018.
Unifying Standards, Certification, and Labeling for Green Products
Green products are emerging as a new area for greater policy coordination across existing
environmental product standards, certification and labeling programs.
The State Council issued guidance to establish a scientific, integrated, authoritative, and unified
green product standards, certification, and labeling system (State Council, 2016b) in November
2016, followed by implementation of standards for green product assessment in May 2017. In
February 2019, NDRC also issued a notice to combine the previously separate government
procurement lists of products with environmental labels and energy-saving products into
integrated catalogues of green products for government priority and mandatory procurement
(MOF, 2019b).
Green Cooling Action Plan
China just released the Green Cooling Action Plan to support efforts to meet its commitment
to the Montreal Protocol Kigali Amendment HFC phase-down schedule.
On October 15, 2016, China joined more than 140 countries in signing the Kigali Amendment to
the Montreal Protocol (UN, 2016), which focuses on phasing down climate-warming pollutants
known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) with high global warming potential (GWP). Under the
amendment, China committed to freeze its HFC production and consumption by 2024, and
reduce in subsequent time steps ending in 85% reduction from baseline levels by 2045.
In June 2019, China released the Green Cooling Action Plan (NDRC, 2019e) in support of its
commitment under the Montreal Protocol Kigali Amendment HFC phase-down schedule. This
plan provides a guide for improved space cooling in buildings, cooling for industrial production,
cold-chain logistics (temperature-controlled supply chain), and the cooling servicing sector. The
new Action Plan set targets for 2020 and 2030 as shown in Table 2-14 (EFC, 2019).
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