Revised regulations and minimum energy standards commence 1 May 2021.

For the first time since 2012, minimum energy performance standards for commercial refrigeration in Australia are set to change. The new rules take official effect from 1 May 2021 and it’s vital for Australian hospitality operators to understand them.

What’s Changing?

From 1 May 2021, the Australian Government will introduce revised regulations to improve the average energy efficiency of new commercial refrigerator and freezer cabinets, while also extending the range of products covered by existing regulations.

The revisions will see the original Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (Refrigerated Display Cabinets) Determination 2012 replaced by an updated 2020 Determination. In one of the key changes, all new refrigerated cabinets, refrigerated storage cabinets and freezers, small ice cream freezer cabinets and scooping cabinets must be formally registered under a new nationally-administered Energy Rating system in order to be sold in Australia.

New Assessment Criteria

Under the 2020 Determination, a new approach will be taken to assess the performance of commercial refrigeration cabinets and freezers. The previous Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) system will be replaced by the more stringent Energy Efficiency Index (EEI), based on best-practice European “EN” testing standards that have been in use since 2016.

From 1 May 2021, the energy usage of all locally-available commercial refrigeration systems will be assessed against a maximum allowable level on the EEI scale. If any product exceeds this level, it will no longer be able to be legally supplied or sold.

What Are the Benefits?

As long-time innovator of energy efficient technologies, True Refrigeration believes the 2020 Determination is very good news for Australian hospitality businesses and their customers. Beyond aligning Australia’s commercial refrigeration landscape with the latest international standards and European efficiency levels, the changes will ensure the high performance and quality of all new commercial refrigeration and freezer units. Simultaneously, it will remove from the market any products that use excessive energy – helping local businesses enjoy greater energy efficiencies and operational savings for years and decades to come.

The energy ratings for all registered and verified commercial refrigeration equipment sold in Australia will also be publicly available online, 24/7, allowing businesses to directly compare the running costs of similar products before committing to significant new capital investment.

Always Check Before You Buy

With the new changes taking effect from 1 May 2021, it’s absolutely essential to double check that any new commercial refrigeration equipment your business purchases – or is considering purchasing – is on the Australian Government’s approved register. If it isn’t, or is still in the process of becoming formally registered, that product cannot be legally sold in Australia and has not been verified to meet energy or quality standards.

For further information about the upcoming changes, please visit the Australian Government’s Energy Rating website.

Rest assured, all commercial refrigeration equipment sold in Australia by True Refrigeration fully meets the new requirements under the 2020 Determination. You can view our full list of registered products here.