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What's the ERP Directive for Fans 2013?
09/12/12 / General News
The first phase of the Energy Related Products Directive is almost upon us in the fan industry. 1st January 2013 is the date on all fan manufacturers’ minds. The impact of this legislation is exceptional, bringing about changes to products by requiring manufacturers to demonstrate compliance with the Directive’s product-category-specific requirements.
Inefficient fans are no longer here to stay; for a lot of fans, the introduction of the ErP Directive means they can no longer be marketable in the European Union after the above date. If the fans you buy do not meet the legislation, which will be followed by more stringent legislation in 2015, those fans will literally be going to the wall. This article will provide you with the information you need to know about the Directive and how it will affect you.
What does it mean?
The Directive 2009/125/EC for the Eco design requirements of Energy Related Products (ErP) provides a framework for establishing minimum eco design requirements for energy using and energy related products.
The Directive requires manufacturers like Elta Fans to demonstrate compliance with the Directive’s product-category-specific requirements outlined in so called Implementing Measures (IMs).
What is the scope of the directive?
The Directive covers all energy using products, except transport and will now start to include energy related products.
What’s its purpose?
In essence, regulations are being introduced under the Energy Related Products (ErP) Directive to safeguard the environment in which we live, by increasing the total share of renewable energy in the EU to 20% by 2020, whilst increasing energy efficiency by 20%.
What is the relevance of the ErP Directive to Fans?
With fan equipment manufacturers providing increasingly energy efficient products, the environmental benefits are representative of the industry’s contribution. Needless to say, some fan manufacturers will be left behind if they do not address the changes required in complying with new, stringent regulatory standards. Beware of fan manufacturers who make statements about their products being ErP ready when they’re not; as legislation for many fan types, such as box and roof fans, remains in draft form.
How are fan manufacturers affected?
The Directive has set out minimum efficiency levels for fans, which includes all the principal fan types between 125W and 500kW input power. Where fans do not comply with the efficiency guidelines under the ErP Directive in 2013 and 2015, they will not be permitted to be marketed throughout Europe after these dates.
Those manufacturers producing fans operating independently, or used as a component within a system or other equipment, which is less efficient than that specified by the ErP Directive will have to cease production of that product or offer an alternate product to meet efficiency criteria.
Which fans are affected?
The ErP Directive encompasses a significant range of fan types, most notably, Axial flow fans, Centrifugal fans, which comprise Forward and Backward curved variants, as well as Mixed flow and Cross flow fans, where there is a power input of between 125W and 500kW.
Does your fan do exactly what it says on the label?
With the advent of new and stringent legislation for fans under the ErP Directive, specific information is now required, whether Overall Efficiency %, Fan Motor Efficiency Grade (FMEG), Specific Fan Power (SFP), Weight, kW Input, FLC, SC, Installation Type and more.
Is that everything?
Not quite. Both the motor and the fan are affected by this legislation. Where a motor is used on its own, it should comply with the efficiency standards under the Directive, with the first legislation implemented June 16th 2011, where motors cannot be less efficient than the IE2 level efficiency. With fans, under the ErP Directive set out for 2013, this is pertinent to the complete fan impeller and motor arrangement, whether this be an external rotor motor assembly, where the motor is an integral part of the fan, or a separate impeller and motor arrangement, whereby the fan is driven either by a shaft or drive belt mechanism.
Want to know more?
If you’d like to know more about the Energy Related Products Directive and how if affects you, Elta Fans have created a website specifically dedicated to providing all the answers to the questions you may have. Not content with just answering your questions, the website acts as a portal to an abundance of information including — The latest legislative developments, a glossary of terminology and a downloads section. Elta Fans have also produced an ErP booklet which is available by request: Just fill out the online form in the contact section of the site.
