On Thursday, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd through a tweet asked people to use appliances with 5 star ratings as they save energy.
The Tweet said, “The higher the star, the higher the "energy saving potential" of that power product. So always buy electrical products with a 5-star rating.”
You may be wondering what these stars mean or how they are calculated. So let's clear those questions.
What are the BEE Star labels?
Whenever you are shopping for an appliance like air conditioners, refrigerators or geysers then you might have seen a star rating sticker on the appliance. These labels generally specify how much electricity the appliance consumes and how much more you can save.
These stars that you see on the appliances are called BEE star labels that are issued by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) an Indian government agency that falls under the Minister of Power. These labels are a voluntary way for manufacturers to label the energy efficiency of their appliances. The stars are used to indicate a product's efficiency which means the more the stars the more efficient is the appliance.
For you, as a user it means that the more stars the appliance have the more money and energy you can save. These labels are most important for appliances like AC and refrigerators as they consume the maximum power.
Read more: 70 percent of all fires reported in city in last four years caused by defective electric circuits
How is BEE calculated?
The process of star ratings differs between various categories for example, the BEE uses the Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER) to calculate star ratings for air conditioners. This ensures that the AC is efficient throughout the year despite the fluctuating climates.
For the companies to get the labels they need to get their appliance checked in an accredited lab and submit the results to the BEE. These labels are voluntary, but many retailers display their BEE star labels on the product.
Benefits of BEE
1. Energy-efficient appliances help prevent Greenhouse Emissions
2. You can save money using appliances with 5-stars
3. Save energy by using a minimum amount of energy. You can save upto 75% energy by using the 5-star appliances.
Read more: Adani Group to install 10.80 lakh smart meters for the electricity consumers of BEST
How will BEE help you?
Like mentioned earlier the more stars the more you can save. If you purchase a 1-star then you can save upto Rs 1,200 per year, but if you purchase a 5-star AC then you can save upto Rs 3,000 per year. Talking about refrigerators you can save up to Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,300 per year.
There are several other ways in which you can save more. If you keep the AC temperature to 24 then the chances of saving increases. But if you keep fluctuating the temperature then the AC will need to consume more energy, naturally increasing the cost.
