MUSCAT, JULY 6 - The Ministry of Commerce and Industry will roll out a mandatory standard specification card system for air-conditioners — both split unit and window — in the Sultanate from July 25. The Omani Energy Efficiency Card System is an electronic platform through which cards for air-conditioners are distributed in accordance with the Omani-Gulf standard for energy efficiency. The cards will have to be placed clearly on all air-conditioners’ interfaces specified in the standard to inform consumers and provide them with the information that helps to choose a product with the least energy-consuming performance.
Khamis bin Abdurrahman al Farsi, Director General of Standardization and Metrology said that the ministry has already started issuing the cards to a number of companies. “Developing efficiency standards for air-conditioners and other electrical appliances will rationalise power consumption and improve their performance”, he said. Manufacturers, importers and distributors can get more information on the system from the authorities and also obtain energy efficiency card electronically, he said.
In May last year, the Minister of Commerce and Industry had issued Decision No 107/2018 considering the GCC Standard GSO 2530/2016 (E) on energy efficiency requirements and the minimum energy efficiency limits of air-conditioners, an obligatory Omani standard. Energy efficiency is expressed in the number of stars on the card. more the stars the air-conditioner has, the lesser energy it consumes. The higher the number of stars, the more efficient the air-conditioner is, in terms of electricity consumption.
Al Farsi said that the new system will contribute to accelerate the time of customs clearance of the corresponding products and avoiding the rejection of shipments and cost saving. “The specification seeks to achieve a number of economic objectives, such as reducing the increasing demand for energy, which will be reflected on the government investment plan in the field of construction of power plants, speeding up customs clearing time for matching products, avoiding cargo rejection and cost saving”, he said.
The ministerial decision was issued in coordination with Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources, Authority for Electricity Regulation, Public Authority for Consumer Protection, Implementation and Follow-up Support Unit ‘Tanfeedh’ and other related entities. According to Al Farsi, companies and establishments that do not implement the system will face in accordance with fine stipulated in the ministerial decision.
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