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Welcome to the website of the special review study on Water Heaters. This review is ‘special’ because, planned earlier than a full review study, the Water Heater Ecodesign Regulation requires review of a few specifically mentioned technical aspects. This study was completed in December 2016.

Background

Regulation 814/2013 indicates in Article 7 (2) that the Commission shall assess the appropriateness of setting separate ecodesign requirements for different types of water heaters and present the results of such review to the Ecodesign Consultation Forum not later than the 26 September 2016.

In addition, in September 2018 requirements will come into force for water heaters with tapping profiles XXL, 3XL and 4XL at such a level that will ban electric water heaters using the Joule effect to heat the water. In the case of combination heaters, the requirements coming into force in September 2017 regarding the water heating energy efficiency will have the same effect for the same tapping profiles.

Study

In order to achieve the objectives stated above the following activities have been performed:

Task 1
Assess the appropriateness of setting the improvement potentials that could be gathered if separate requirements were set for the water heating energy efficiency of products using different fuels.

Sub-tasks

  • Selection of separate categories of water heaters that would apply if the approach was technology-specific, i.e. no longer technology-neutral, in consultation with the Commission services.
  • Definition of base cases/sub-categories per separate category, distinguished by efficiency class and/or by other technical characteristics (e.g. combination versus solo water heater), in consultation with the Commission services.
  • Retrieval/analysis of input data: energy efficiency, greenhouse gas and possibly NOx emissions as appropriate, acquisition costs (purchase price and installation), running costs;
  • Assessment of minimum energy efficiency at least life cycle costs for the defined separate categories;
  • Evaluation of the improvement/saving potential of adopting specific minimum requirements for water heaters and combination heaters using gaseous and liquid fuels or electricity (differentiating for the different types of water heaters using electricity) with different tapping profiles.

 

Task 2
Assessment of impact of the requirements for the water heating energy efficiency for water heaters and combination heaters coming into force in September 2018 and September 2017 respectively.

  • Selection of relevant categories of (combi) water heaters, in consultation with the Commission services.
  • Retrieval/analysis of input data: energy efficiency, greenhouse gas and possibly NOx emissions as appropriate, acquisition costs (purchase price and installation), running costs, etc. The assessment shall take into consideration different electricity prices, including regional differences.
  • Evaluation of technological alternatives for water heaters and combination heaters with tapping profiles XXL, 3XL and 4XL, as well as their purchasing an installation costs for new and retrofit installations.
  • Assessment of the life time cost of the different alternatives and of the water heaters and combination heaters with tapping profiles XXL, 3XL and 4XL, taking into consideration different electricity prices, including regional differences. The assessment shall include a differentiation of the impact per EEA Member country to the extent possible.

Planning

Date

Activity

January / February 2016 Interim report
25 April 2016 Stakeholder meeting
30 May 2016 Draft Final report
6 December 2016 Final report published

 

 

European Commission