EEDAL 2022: the role of energy efficiency in achieving a circular economy

From 1-3 June, APPLiA both sponsored and participated at the 11th edition of the Energy Efficiency in Domestic Appliances and Lighting (EEDAL) Conference in Toulouse, France.

The home appliance industry has a long history of working towards improved energy efficiency standards and optimised resource use, in the ongoing efforts to achieve the green transition and pave the way for a future policy landscape that fosters circular appliances, from the manufacturing stage right through to the end of the product’s lifecycle. From time optimisation to reduced energy bills, advances in technology have brought great improvement in the overall efficiency of products which goes hand-in-hand with improved standards of living for all EU citizens. 

Yet, attempting to implement circularity is not an easy challenge. As time passes and the objectives of our sector evolve, we must be flexible when it comes to rethinking how we view the home appliance industry. Take last year for example, where Ecodesign requirements on products saved European consumers 120 billion euro in energy costs (EVP Timmermans). This is a clear indication of how legislation, in this instance, can play a key role in successfully delivering on environmental, energy efficiency, and decarbonisation objectives for energy-related products. 

As a sponsor of the event, APPLiA Director General, Paolo Falcioni, set the scene for the forthcoming days of the Conference by kicking off the opening ceremony. While legislation clearly plays a critical role in enabling Europe’s energy transition, we must ensure this comes with the establishment of sustainable lifestyles. In this sense, he highlighted the critical role of consumers toward achieving such a goal. It is key to “ask ourselves what we can do as citizens, to each make a concerted effort to put in place a more sustainable way of living,” declared Falcioni. This echoes APPLiA’s circular culture initiative, an ad-hoc platform displaying practices and innovative solutions across Europe, from food waste prevention to recycling and resource efficiency, among others. Supporting a wider range of citizen activities for the circular economy could help accelerate the transition process and encourage new kinds of cooperation between multiple actors, including businesses and municipalities. The exploration has just begun and every one of us has a role. 

In this regard, the Conference provided APPLiA with a perfect opportunity to develop the topic of energy efficiency through collaborations and synergies between the many industry stakeholders in attendance. A dedicated booth was also set up over the duration of the conference in order to provide information and increase visibility on the activities, projects, and initiatives of the Association.