What sounds like pure luxury – boiling water always available – is also a very energy-efficient idea. The Quooker boiler is one of the most sustainable investments for the kitchen and has now been awarded Energy label A!
Energy label for kitchen boilers
From September 2015 onwards, a European regulation will apply to kitchen boilers. In the category for smaller electronic water heaters with a storage tank for kitchens, the Quooker COMBI and the Quooker COMBI+ are the highest-scoring kitchen boilers with a boiling water function and have been awarded Energy label A.
Energy label A for Quooker boilers
The Quooker COMBI tanks are stored in the kitchen cupboard and supply boiling water at a temperature of 100°C as well as hot water at temperatures of 50°C to 60°C. These are the first ‘boilers’ in the world with high-vacuum insulation and are therefore the most energy-efficient way of supplying hot water supply to your kitchen!
The COMBI is only connected to the cold water pipe. By mixing the cold water with boiling water, you have an immediate 15-litre supply of hot water at 60°C.
The COMBI+ is connected to the cold and hot water pipes. Like with the ‘ordinary’ COMBI, it means that you no longer have to wait for hot water and waste drinking water. As soon as the hot water pipe starts supplying hot water, the flow of boiling water stops and the ordinary hot water pipe again takes over the flow of hot water. In this way, the COMBI+ supplies unlimited hot water in addition to boiling water.
PRO-VAQ reservoirs only supply boiling water. The EU has not yet formulated an energy label directive for boiling water reservoirs. However, these reservoirs are just as energy-efficient.
Why have energy labels been introduced?
For its energy supplies, the European Union is dependent to a large extent on the import of fossil fuels. In 2015, 53% of the energy the EU consumes was imported from other parts of the world. The Union would prefer to be self-sufficient. Besides this economic reason, there are also environmental and social reasons to address energy policy EU-wide.
For this reason, the EU countries are making a common effort towards a future-oriented climate policy, with as aim the supply of safe, sustainable, competitive and affordable energy. The policy’s five key points are:
- Energy security, solidarity and reliability
- A fully-integrated European energy market
- Energy-efficient contribution to moderating the demand
- Making the economy carbon dioxide-free
- Research, innovation and competition capacity.
To comply with point 3, on 27 October 2005, the European Council approved the introduction of a mandatory and comprehensive European energy policy. The Commission hopes in this way to impose a downwards pressure on energy prices, to reduce the necessity to build new nuclear power stations and also the risk of blackouts, and to improve the reliability of renewable energy supplies and stimulate their market integration.
How do the energy labels work?
The European energy label was developed to provide consumers with easily comparable and recognisable information about domestic appliances with respect to energy consumption, performance and other essential characteristics. The label is uniform for all products in a particular category (e.g. microwaves, freezers or TVs). In this way, consumers can easily compare the characteristics of the appliances in a given category. Also, the increasingly strict label requirements stimulate manufacturers to produce more energy-efficient products.
The energy efficiency is expressed in classes that are indicated by a capital letter. Class A is the highest efficiency class here. All the information supplied by the manufacturer on the label is based on the test standards prescribed in European legislation.
What are the associated regulations?
- Ecodesign requirements on water heaters and storage tanks
COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No. 814/2013 of 2 August 2013
- Energy label for water heaters
COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) No. 812/2013 of 18 February 2013
- Energy labels on internet
COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) No. 518/2014 of 5 March 2014
How does the label rating of the equipment come into being?
The EU has prepared directives that describe what products come into what category. Then, a practical test is conducted on a piece of equipment and calculations are done based on the details specific to the appliance. The results of these calculations and tests must be consistent, and in combination with the category classification yield the label rating.
What Quooker products carry a label?
The COMBI tanks are products that deliver hot water as well as boiling water. To this end, they are connected to the water supply and also to a heat generator. Because the COMBI tanks comply with these requirements, they come into the category ‘boilers’ and it is mandatory to label them.
PRO-VAQ tanks only supply boiling water. The EU has not drafted an energy label directive for boiling water tanks and so we cannot provide the PRO-VAQ tanks with a label.
Why do the Quooker COMBI and COMBI+ carry an A label?
The energy label an appliance carries depends on its energy efficiency. Due to the energy loss in the generation of energy in power stations in 2015, an electrical appliance can achieve a maximum energy efficient of 40%. The energy loss (non-beneficial use of the energy) that an appliance suffers, in Quooker’s case the standby power consumption, reduces this efficiency still further. Because a Quooker is fitted with high-vacuum insulation cladding, the energy loss is only 10 watts. Due to this, the total energy efficiency for the Quooker tanks is 36% and this results in an A label for the Quooker COMBI(+) tanks in the XXS category.
What does ‘XXS category’ mean?
This category of water heaters is intended for smaller water heaters with a storage tank (boilers) for in the kitchen. The larger the category, the higher the efficiency must be in order to carry the same label.
How many dB does a Quooker emit?
A Quooker clicks when it turns on and off, otherwise it is silent. The heating element heats the water to 110°C and the tank stores it. The water supply pressure ensures that the water does not ‘bubble’ and therefore the appliance is silent.
What is the annual energy consumption of a Quooker COMBI(+)?
A Quooker COMBI(+) consumes 511 kWh per year if warm water is used in accordance with the usage pattern defined in the regulations.
How is the label information obtained?
In order to verify the calculations conducted, a practical test is conducted on the energy efficiency of the Quooker COMBI tanks. The report with the detailed results from this test, conducted in accordance with the standard ‘NEN-EN 50440 Efficiency of domestic electrical storage water heaters and testing methods’ can be requested from Quooker.
Has anything in the COMBI tanks been changed to gain the A label?
At Quooker, sustainability has been high on our requirements list right from the first product concept. Our tanks are manufactured with vacuum insulation that ensures that the energy loss is minimal. This was the case, is now, and will remain so in the future. The introduction of the label qualification by the EU now confirms that Quooker boilers are sustainable.
Will the label always remain the same?
European legislation in the field of energy efficiency of domestic water heaters will be in force from September 2015. The labels will then be introduced with classes from A to G. On 26 September 2017, a new version will be introduced indicating classes from A+ to F. Label A will then no longer be the highest in the category.
If Quooker wanted to gain an A+ label, what would need to happen?
Then the Quooker would have to perform even better with the energy it uses, it might need to be possible to power the Quooker from a different energy source, or a ‘smart’ switching function might have to be added.
Why are we also introducing the energy label in Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates?
We are proud of our A label classification and want to inform consumers in other countries about the energy efficiency of our products.
How will the labels be supplied?
The energy labels will be supplied along with the equipment as a sticker by Quooker.
If the energy label gets lost, a new one can be requested from Quooker.
You can download the label here:
COMBI
COMBI E
