The European Union (EU) Ecodesign Directive is focused on making sure we get the maximum possible performance out of any energy that is consumed. The directive provides consistent EU-wide rules for improving the environmental performance of products, from household appliances to engineering products.
The EU has set targets for energy efficiency and CO2 emission to help limit the average global temperature increase to 1.5°C. To support this objective, the latest Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2019/1781 came into effect in October 2019 and now includes variable frequency drives (VFDs) along with a wider range of motors. A second phase, which expands the scope of the regulation and increases the requirements for motors, will commence on 1st July 2023.