Voluntary energy efficiency rating for laptops, STBs on anvil

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is understood to be planning to bring in more electronic items, including laptops and set top boxes (STBs), under a voluntary star labelling scheme by this financial year. 

Under the scheme, manufacturers voluntarily disclose energy consumption of their products or how energy efficient their products are by giving different star ratings. 

"We are planning to launch voluntary schemes for laptops, computers, inverters and set top boxes by 2010-11," an BEE official, who asked not to be identified, said. 

Besides, the bureau is also mulling making energy consumption rating mandatory for colour TVs, as is being done at present for other items like refrigerators and room air conditioners. 

Several consumer durables majors, including Samsung and LG, are participating in the scheme and have already started selling star labelled products. 

BEE had launched voluntary star labelling schemes in 2008 and later on made it mandatory for air conditioners, refrigerators and tubular CFL lamp. It had last week launched the scheme for washing machines as well. 

The official said the regulatory body monitors the market to check the acceptability of star-labelled products. 

"If star-labelled products could capture around 60 per cent of the market, process of making star-labelling mandatory can start. We are getting good response to colour TVs. It can go for a mandatory rating soon," the official said but did not give a time frame.