The China Energy Label (CEL; Chinese: 中国能效标识) is an energy consumption label for products in China, similar to the European Union energy label. Manufacturers of specified electronic devices are obligated to attach a CEL label to their goods to inform China-based consumers of the product's energy efficiency. The label includes the product's energy efficiency class (1–5) as well as information regarding its energy consumption.[1]
The CEL shows the level of energy consumption and, thus, the energy efficiency of a product. The CEL aims to encourage customers to buy energy efficient products.[2] The target to increase energy efficiency and the acceptance of Chinese consumers towards energy efficient products is highly important, since China is the world's largest energy consumer.[3]
Applications are to be filed at the China Energy Label Center (CELC), which is the main authority for CEL-classification.[4]
Since the introduction of China Energy Label in 2005, more than 25 product groups have become CEL-mandatory, while additional classes continually being added to the product catalogue. For every product that requires CEL, a GB-Standard has been implemented.[5] Among the CEL mandatory products are: