​SASO: Issuing More than 110,000 Licenses for Energy Efficiency Labels since Beginning of Saudi Energy Efficiency Program

          The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) announced that it has issued about (110,120) licenses for the use of the new energy efficiency label for electrical appliances, tires and light vehicles after the launch of the Saudi Energy Efficiency Program in 2012.

            SASO pointed out that since the beginning of the program, it has issued 36,107 licenses for air conditioners, 41,355 car tires, 11,882 refrigerators and freezers, 5,962 washing machines, 1,412 electric motors, 3,807 lighting products, 1,037 large capacity air conditioners, 26 clothes dryers, 154 water heaters, 1,890 new labels for light vehicles, as well as 997 licenses to use labels for water consumption rationalization.

            SASO issues energy efficiency labels based on standards approved in this field in cooperation with the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center within the Saudi Energy Efficiency Program, in which the Ministry of Commerce and Investment (MCI), Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, Saudi Customs, etc. Labels include an explanation of product performance and energy efficiency, and provide the consumer with some necessary information before purchasing, in a clear and easy way.

            SASO confirmed that the simplified model of the label has helped ease the consumer's knowledge of the product's energy efficiency and water consumption rationalization, therefore choosing the product that reduces the value of energy consumption bill. SASO has changed the form of energy efficiency labels from stars into levels. The new labels are seven levels that show the appliance's ability to conserve energy consumption, noting that this step comes in preparation for the unification of the form and identity of energy efficiency label for all appliances subject to energy efficiency standards such as "air conditioners, washing machines, clothes dryers, refrigerators and freezers, water heaters, and lighting products ", to facilitate consumer's access to energy efficiency rates of each product.

            SASO called on consumers to use "تأكد" application, which helps consumers verify the authenticity of the label data and check whether the product has actually received the energy efficiency label.