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ECCJ / Text India

Legislation Pertaining to the Top Runner Program

Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy (1979, Law No. 49)

[Laws]
Article 77 Efforts to be made by Manufacturers, etc.
Article 78 Matters to Be Used as Standards for Judgment by Manufacturer, etc. (the basic concepts used in the Top Runner program)
Article 79 Recommendation and Order for Improvement of Performance (standards monitoring procedures)
Article 80 Product Labeling (labeling obligations)
Article 81 Recommendation and Order regarding Product Labeling (display obligation monitoring procedures)
Article 87, Clause 11 Reports and On-site Inspections
Article 95-2 Penal Regulations

[Government ordinances]
Article 21 Designated Devices (explicit notification of designated devices)
Article 22 Production and importation volumes for manufacturers of designated devices (margin standards)
Article 23 Council to hear opinions on orders issued to manufacturers of designated devices
Article 32 Reports and On-site Inspections (items reported, etc.)

[Ministerial Ordinances]
Article 48 Exclusions for designated devices
Article 49 (appendix 5) Energy consumption efficiency (standard evaluation index)
* For passenger and freight vehicles, this is the "Ministerial Ordinance Concerning the Calculation of Vehicle Energy Consumption Efficiency".

[Notifications]
Criteria for Judging Manufacturers with Regard to Improvements in Designated Device Performance, etc. (established for each product)


What is the Top Runner program?
  1. Target standard values (benchmark energy consumption efficiency):
    These are targets for device "energy consumption efficiency" that must be met by manufacturers. Under the approach used in the "Top Runner" program, the efficiency value for the product with the best energy consumption efficiency is generally set as the target standard value.
  2. Sector:
    The product sector (grouping) required to meet the same standard target value.
  3. Target fiscal year:
    The period (fiscal year) during which the standard target value is to be reached. The product development schedule and the prospects for future technological progress are taken into account when the target fiscal year is set.
  4. Achievement evaluation method:
    For the target fiscal year, criteria based on a weighted average (weighted harmonic average for vehicles and air conditioners) for each product sector for each manufacturer.
  5. Measurement method:
    In general, the measurement methods comply with JIS standards.
  6. Labeling:
    Manufacturers are obliged to show the energy consumption efficiency of a device in catalogs and on the device itself.

What is the Top Runner Program?
(for TV sets)
  1. Target standard values (benchmark energy consumption efficiency):
    The amount of energy consumed in 1 year is taken as the energy consumption efficiency. Thus, the target standard value is determined based on the value of the product with the best annual power consumption (kwh/yr) plus a factor allowing for technological advances.
  2. Sector:
    As well as being segregated by display system (CRT, LCD or plasma), televisions are also divided into different sectors according to combinations of features consisting up of their aspect ratios, number of pixels, screen sizes and whether they have DVD playback functions and other additional functions.
  3. Target fiscal year:
    For CRT TVs, from FY2003 onwards (standard established FY1999) For LCD and plasma TVs, from FY2008 onwards (standard established: FY2005)
  4. Achievement evaluation method:
    Determined for the target fiscal year based on a weighted average for each product sector for each manufacturer.
  5. Measurement method:
    The measurement method used takes into consideration factors such as the time for which the device is actually used.
  6. Labeling:
    Obliges the manufacturer to show the annual energy consumption efficiency of a device in catalogs and on the device itself.

How the Top Runner Standard is Set

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