Energy efficiency standards and labelling in Algeria
From April 2019 to June 2021, the director of Energy-Strategies, Wolfgang F. Lutz, served as principal expert for conformity evaluation, energy labelling and minimum energy efficiency standards for energy consuming products of the technical assistance programme Taka Nadifa on energy efficiency and renewable energy of the European Commission with the Ministry of Energy of Algeria.
Building on an earlier cooperation of Mr Lutz on energy labelling with the Algerian National Agency for the Promotion and Rationalisation of Energy Use (APRUE) in 2001 and 2002, the assignment in the framework of Taka Nadifa started with a comprehensive diagnostic of the current status of the Algerian energy labelling programme, which comprised the following aspects:
- Assessment of the current legal and regulatory framework for energy labelling and conformity assessment system in Algeria;
- International reference framworks, in particular in the European Union and in other countries of the Maghreb region;
- The political, legal and regulatory framework of energy efficiency, standardisation, conformity evaluation and market surveillance;
- Mapping and analysis of public and private stakeholders;
- Existing energy labelling regulations and minimum energy performance requirements;
- Measurement and testing standards relevant to energy labelling regulations and minimum energy performance requirements;
- Conformity assessment procedures and infrastructure, including technical visits to testing and calibration laboratories;
- Market surveillance of regulated products;
- Knowledge of labels and consumer awareness.
Based on the results of the diagnostic, the consultant proposed a comprehensive strategy for the future programme for energy labelling and minimum energy performance requirements, which included the following main elements:
- Aligning the current energy labelling regulations to the actual labelling framework of the European Union;
- Introducing minimum energy performance standards in accordance with EU ecodesign regulations, with the objective of maximum energy savings and environmental benefits, alongside with minimum life cycle cost for the consumers;
- Defining the scope of products to be included in the new energy labelling and minimum energy performance standards programme, based on appropiate selection criteria;
- Modifications to the existing legal and regulatory frameworks for energy labelling and minium energy performance requirements;
- Short- and medium-term strategy to improve and further develop the existing infrastructure of testing and calibration laboratories, including their accreditation;
- Developing appropriate procedures for control and verification of products in the domestic market and at borders;
- Information and awareness of consumers and stakeholders;
- Developing systems for monitoring, reporting and verification and for the periodic evaluation of the programme.
Following the elebaration and proposal of the strategy, Mr Lutz prepared the Terms of Reference for the implementation of various key activities identified, which were concluded by the end of the programme in April 2023.
The technical assistance component of Taka Nadifa was implemented under a contract of the European Commission with IBF International Consulting. In addition to the Ministry of Energy, the Algerian National Agency for the Promotion and Rationalisation of Energy Use (APRUE) and many other stakeholders contributed to the success of the assignments. Special thanks to Daniel Straus for leading the technical visits to laboratories and to Prof. Menuer Boughedaoui of the University Saad Dahlab of Blida, who prepared a comprehensive market study of energy consuming products in Algeria.
For more information contact Wolfgang F. Lutz or visit Taka Nadifa.
November 2023