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The Government will introduce the Energy Efficiency (Labelling of Products) Bill to the Legislative Council with a view to encouraging people to use energy efficient products that help reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.
A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department said today (March 30) that under the Bill, the Government proposed to include three products - refrigerating appliances, room air conditioners and compact fluorescent lamps - in the initial phase of the mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling scheme (EELS).
"With the implementation of the mandatory scheme for these three products, an electricity saving of 150 Gigawatt hours (GWh) per year can be achieved. This amount is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 105,000 units of room air conditioners, or a monetary saving of $135 million in electricity bill per year. An annual reduction of carbon dioxide emission of 105,000 tonnes will be achieved," he said.
Under the scheme, a self-testing system will be put in place under which manufacturers or importers of the specified products are required to conduct tests and attach energy labels in the prescribed format before supplying these products in the territory.
At present, the total electricity consumption of the three products in the territory is about 6,700 GWh per year, which account for more than 70% of the annual electricity consumption in the residential sector. They have been covered by the voluntary EELS since the early stages and have the highest market penetration rates.
"We will continue to expand the scope of the mandatory scheme to cover other electrical appliances, taking into account the results of the initial phase of the scheme and the corresponding energy consumption reduction achievement," he said.
"We will also duly consult the community and the relevant trade on our future expansion proposals," he added.
The Bill to be published in the Gazette on April 4 will be introduced to the Legislative Council on April 18.
Ends/Friday, March 30, 2007
Issued at HKT 13:31
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