Ecolabel - Energy Labels

Energy Labels

Many consumer appliances have labels indicating whether or not they are energy efficient compared to similar products. Common labels include yellow EnergyGuide tags found in North America as part of the Energy Star program, European Union energy labels, and the Energy Saving Trust Recommended logo administrated by the Energy Saving Trust in the United Kingdom. These labels document how much energy an appliance consumes while being used; energy input labeling documents how much energy was used to manufacture the product, an additional consideration in the full life cycle energy use of product.

Carbon emission labels are an alternative methodology for certification, examining impact on greenhouse gas emissions rather than direct energy use.

Some labels are applied to the direct purchase of energy or to the power stations producing electricity. These labels include Green-e in the USA and EKOenergy, an NGO ecolabel originating in Finland, which is to become the European ecolabel for energy.