Energy consumption is a significant cost factor for most material handling equipment throughout its lifetime, especially during the use phase. Therefore, energy efficiency has become one of the top priorities for our industry as well as our customers.
Being a major competitive element amongst material handling manufacturers, energy efficiency is now a key R&D objective. Material handling manufacturers minimise the environmental impact of their equipment throughout its full life cycle when designing new products and systems, striving for minimal use of energy.
Key messages
>>> Energy reduction in materials handling equipment must remain a market-driven issue: competition is a better incentive than regulation
>>> Manufacturers must remain free to develop targeted innovative solutions rather than being limited by too prescriptive legislation
Ecodesign Directive
The Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC establishes a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements of Energy-related Products (ErP) addressing all environmental aspects from a life cycle perspective. It aims to remove the least performing products from the market.
Revised in 2009, this piece of legislation is a key instrument of EU energy and resource efficiency policy. Within FEM it mainly impacts intralogistic systems.
The Ecodesign Directive and subsequent measures on specific product groups regulate household appliances and also a broad range of products included in industrial goods, such as electric motors, fans and pumps. Implementing measures set general and specific product requirements, notably minimum energy efficiency standards.
FEM is closely monitoring the European Commission working plans listing priority products to be further assessed under the Ecodesign Directive as well as the specific regulation on electric motors.
Reference documentation
- List of Ecodesign regulations for products
- FAQ on the Ecodesign Directive and its implementing measures
- Commission Regulation 640/2009/EC (amended by Commission Regulation 4/2014/EU) on electric motors – under review
- FEM IS PG comments on the Commission Working Document on Ecodesign requirements for electric motors and variable speed drives (Lot 30)