Review of Vietnamese Rice Cooker Standards a Report for the VEESL Program

8/18/2019 Review of Vietnamese Rice Cooker Standards a Report for the VEESL Program

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Review of Vietnamese Rice CookerStandards

A report for the Vietnam Energy Efficiency Standards and

Labelling (VEESL) Program

August 2014

Prepared for the Department of Industry (Australia)

Produced by

Kevin Lane, Mark Ellis


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Executive SummaryThis report provides an analysis of the current rice cooker energy efficiency regulations In Vietnam

and examines the options for the potential revision of the relevant test standard and performance

requirements.

The main conclusions that can be drawn from the analysis presented in this report are:

• There is no agreed international testing procedure for rice cookers, though many aspects of

the test procedure are similar across countries in the region.

• The currently required time of four minutes of cooking in TCVN 8252: 2009 is too short to

provide a sufficiently accurate or reliable estimate of cooking efficiency.

• There is a currently a reasonable spread of efficiency of rice cookers on the Vietnamese

market, so no change in the label performance requirements is necessary at this stage,

although this should continue to be monitored.

• The performance requirements do not currently make distinction for the size (or power) of

the rice cooker, whereas most other countries have stricter requirements for large rice

cookers. Addressing this issue in Vietnam could mean a slight increase in the MEPSrequirements for the larger products.

• Some neighbouring countries include non-cooking modes in their requirements, specifically

the ‘keep-warm’ and the ‘standby’ modes.

Recommendations for testing standard

The main suggested change to the test method (TCVN 8252: 2009) is to increase the temperature

rise during the energy performance test. It is recommended that the test duration of four minutes

cooking time is replaced by the requirement to conduct the test until the water reaches a

temperature of 90oC.

To align it with other countries in the region, it is also recommended to alter the start testtemperature to 23oC ± 2oC. This is a minor change, and should not result in any significant change in

the measured energy performance of the products under test.

In addition, it is suggested that the test procedure specifies that, in order to calculate the cooking

efficiency, the average of all four tests should be used (Clause 5.2.3). This will provide a more robust

average for the efficiency calculation.

Recommendations for performance requirements

Since the current market shows a good spread of efficiency of products on the market, no major

change in performance requirements is recommended. However, we do recommend that

performance requirements are more closely linked to the size of rice cookers, as indicated by their

power rating. Recommended new MEPS levels are shown in the following table.

Proposed new MEPS requirements

Rated Power, P (Watt) Minimum heat efficiency (%)

P< 400 80

400


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Contents

Executive Summary ............................................................................................................. i

1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1

2 Current requirements in Vietnam ................................................................................. 2

3 Examining the testing methods ..................................................................................... 3

3.1 International test methods ............................................................................................................ 3

3.2 Test methods used in the region ................................................................................................... 3

3.3 Potential for harmonisation and amending the testing standard ................................................. 6

4 Examining MEPS and label performance levels ............................................................. 7

4.1 Performance levels used in the region .......................................................................................... 7

4.2

Current market performance ....................................................................................................... 11

4.3 Potential for harmonisation and amending performance standards .......................................... 15

5 Transitional arrangements .......................................................................................... 17

5.1 Key Procedures ............................................................................................................................ 17

6 Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................. 19

6.1 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................. 19

6.2 Recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 19

7 Potential improvements to the regulations ................................................................. 22

8 References .................................................................................................................. 22

VEESL REVIEW OF VIETNAMESE ELECTRIC RICE COOKER STANDARDS, AUGUST 2014 ii


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Figures

Figure 1: Proportion of registrations by efficiency grade (from registration database and label survey)

...................................................................................................................................................... 12

Figure 2: Reported efficiency index (K) of all registered rice cookers, ordered by efficiency .............. 13

Figure 3: Efficiency (K) registered rice cookers versus capacity (litres) ................................................ 13

Figure 4: Efficiency (K) registered rice cookers versus rated power (W) .............................................. 14

Figure 5: Reported average cooking efficiency (%) of the 20 models of rice cookers .......................... 15

Figure 6: Grandfathering and transitional arrangements for the introduction of revised labelling

requirements ................................................................................................................................ 18

Figure 7: Impact of revised MEPS on registered products (March 2014 database) ............................. 20

Tables

Table 1: Energy efficiency grade given in TCVN 8252: 2009 and the implied efficiency ........................ 2

Table 2: Detailed comparison of regional testing standards .................................................................. 5

Table 3: China MEPS and label requirements ......................................................................................... 7

Table 4: Hong Kong MEPS requirements ................................................................................................ 8

Table 5: Thailand MEPS requirements .................................................................................................... 8

Table 6: South Korea label levels for rice cookers................................................................................... 9

Table 7: Japan Top Runner standard targets ........................................................................................ 10

Table 8: Distribution of efficiency rice cookers (Market survey, March 2014) ..................................... 11

Table 9: Distribution of efficiency rice cookers (registration database, March 2014) .......................... 12

Table 10: Proposed new MEPS requirements ....................................................................................... 20

Table 11: Proposed efficiency thresholds for MEPS and label requirements ....................................... 20

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank staff at the Australian Department of Industry for their assistance

with this report.

Project Manager: Mark Ellis, Mark Ellis & Associates, Australia

DisclaimerThe authors have made their best endeavours to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data used

herein, however make no warranties as to the accuracy of data herein nor accept any liability for any

action taken, or decision, made based on the contents of this report.

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1 IntroductionThe Government of Vietnam has introduced legislation to implement Minimum Energy

Performance Standards (MEPS) for appliances and equipment alongside a program of Energy

Labelling. The Australian Government Department of Industry (DoI) is providing assistance to

Vietnam through the Vietnam Energy Efficiency Standards and Labelling (VEESL) Program, funded

by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

The aim of the VEESL Program is to improve prosperity in Vietnam, while increasing energy security

and reducing carbon emissions. This will be achieved through a range of activities designed to build

sustainable capacity within Vietnam to set and enforce appliance and equipment energy standards,

and monitor and evaluate the MEPS and Labelling Program.

The legislation to implement MEPS and energy labelling for appliances and equipment came into

effect during 2013. This has required new products to meet minimum energy efficiency

performance levels and, in many cases, be required to display an energy label at the point of sale.

However, these standards have now been in place for some time, and Vietnam Standards and

Quality Institute (VSQI) and Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) are seeking to update theregulations for rice cookers.

This report provides an analysis of the current rice cooker regulations and examines the options for

the potential revision of the relevant test standard and performance requirements.

The report will cover the following aspects:

1. Current regulations for rice cookers.

2. Opportunities for improving the test method.

3. Opportunities for improving MEPS and label performance levels.

4. Transitional issues for updated regulations.5. Conclusions and recommendations.

This report has been compiled by consultants with extensive experience of product-related policy

who are providing direct assistance and advice to the VESSL Program. The conclusions and

recommendations contained in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect

the opinions and positions of either the Australian or Vietnamese governments.

VEESL REVIEW OF VIETNAMESE ELECTRIC RICE COOKER STANDARDS, AUGUST 2014 1


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2 Current requirements in VietnamThe current testing and performance requirements for rice cookers are given in TCVN 8252: 2009

and are summarised below:

• Scope: electric rice cooker for family use, up to a capacity of 3 litres.

• Shall meet performance and safety requirements in TCVN 5699-2-15: 2007 (IEC 60335-2-

15: 2005), Household electric appliances and similar electric appliances - Safety- Part 2-15:

Specific requirements for liquid boiling appliances.

• Testing of cooking efficiency is done using the following steps:

o Add water to 80% of maximum capacity,

o Heat the water for 240 seconds, measure the energy,

o Stir the water for 20 second and measure the temperature rise,

o Repeat four times and take the average values of the last three readings,

o Calculate the energy efficiency ratio, Rd(%), which is based on the ratio of energy

‘out’ (additional thermal energy of the liquid and the inner pot at a higher

temperature) over the energy ‘in’ (electricity),

• Minimum energy efficiency performance standard (MEPS) is (Rd(%)=) 80%.

• The Energy label grades are based on and energy efficiency index (K) - which is the ratio of

the measured efficiency over the minimum efficiency requirement. Note that this index can

be multiplied by 0.8 to give the implied energy efficiency. The efficiency Grade thresholds

are presented in Table 1 in terms of the energy efficiency index and the implied efficiency.

Table 1: Energy efficiency grade given in TCVN 8252: 2009 and the implied efficiency

Grade Energy Efficiency Index (K) Implied efficiency (%)

1 ≥ 1.00 80%

2 ≥ 1.05 84%

3 ≥ 1.10 88%

4 ≥ 1.15 92%

5 ≥ 1.20 96%

The effective date of the regulation is July 2013.



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3 Examining the testing methodsBefore examining the performance requirements in Vietnam, and examining options for amending

the requirements, it is important to understand the underlying testing requirements. This section

will examine regional testing standards and compare them to international testing standards.

3.1 International test methods

There is no international standard specifically for the testing the efficiency of rice cookers; different

countries develop their own, sometimes borrowing testing practice from neighbouring countries.

There is, however, an internationally recognised standby power testing method. Standby or equivalent

low power loads can be measured by IEC 62301:2011 Ed2 ‘Household Electrical Appliances:

Measurement of Standby Power ’.

3.2 Test methods used in the region

3.2.1 Test methods for cooking efficiency

In this section a UNDP report by Liu et al (2012) provides a useful insight into the different testingprocedures, along with the Vietnamese standard. In summary, there are major similarities across

the countries, which are:

• Instruments used to perform the tests,

• Parameters that are measured,

• Ambient testing conditions, such as ambient temperatures.

The main differences are:

• Ways of heating:

o

In the Chinese testing procedure, the pot is heated from the initial temperature to90oC,

o In the Indonesian testing procedure, the pot is heated from initial temperature to

95oC,

o In the Korean and Vietnamese testing procedure, the pot is heated for a fixed

duration of four minutes. After four minutes of heating, the temperature rise is

significantly less than 90oC. A four minute temperature rise means the test can be

done quickly. However, it also has implications for providing sufficiently accurate

results. With a lower temperature rise, the accuracy of the testing equipment

becomes a greater factor. Indeed this was apparent and highlighted in the

independent witness testing of rice cookers at three QUATEST laboratories (Sub-

section 4.2.5).

• Warm-keeping and standby power consumption:

o Vietnam does not include these operating modes in the requirements, unlike Japan

and China.

• Heat or cooking efficiency calculation formula:

o In both Vietnam and Indonesia, the heat efficiency calculating formulas include the

heat absorbed by the inner pan in the heat efficiency calculation formulas In China

only the heat absorbed by the water is included. These different calculation

methods make the results of the heat efficiency incomparable. If both the heat

absorbed by water and the inner pan are taken into account, the efficiency will be

higher than the case where only the heat absorbed by the water is considered).



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Based on the Liu et al (2012) report and a CLASP database on product polices, a more detailed

comparison of the test methods used in the region is presented in Table 2. The calculation formula

to convert the test measurements into efficiency metrics is also included for some countries.



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Table 2: Detailed comparison of regional testing standards

Vietnam Indonesia China Hong Kong Japan South Korea

Test conditions:

Relative humidity

45-75% 45-75% 45-75% 45-75% 45-75%

Test conditions:

Environmental

temperature

20oC ± 2oC 20oC ± 2oC 20oC ± 2oC 23oC ± 2oC 20oC ± 2oC

Test conditions:

Water temperature

20oC ± 2oC 23oC ± 2oC 23oC ± 2oC 23oC ± 2oC

Test conditions:

Power voltage

220V ± 10% 220V+/-10% 100 ± 1 volts 220V+/-10%

Test conditions:

Power frequency

50Hz ± 0.5Hz Rated power

voltage ± 1%

50 ± 0.5 Hz 50 ± 0.1 Hz, or

60 ± 0.1 Hz

60 ± 0.6 Hz

Test conditions:

Air pressure

86k-106kPa 86k-106kPa 86k-106kPa

Test of thermal

efficiency

Energy

consumption

under 4 tests

Water volume 80% of rated capacity (litres) 80% of rated

capacity (litres)

80% of rated capacity

(litres)

Manufacturer

specification

80% of rated capacity

(litres)

Test duration 240 seconds n/a 240 seconds

Temperature rise n/a temperature of water

is raised up to 95oC

n/a

Calculation formulae of

energy efficiency level

(%)

Test of standby power

consumption (W)

n/a n/a n/a

Test of keep warm

power consumption (W)

n/a n/a n/a

Source: Based mainly on Liu et al (2012) and CLASP online database

VEESL REVIEW OF VIETNAMESEELECTRIC RICE COOKER STANDARDS, AUGUST 2014 5


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3.3 Potential for harmonisation and amending the testing standard

Even though there is no internationally recognised testing procedure for rice cookers, the approach

taken is very similar within the region. In the case of Vietnam, there are a few aspects which could

be altered to bring it in line with neighbouring countries.

For Vietnam, a small change to the test conditions would be to have the starting test temperature

at: 23℃ ± 2℃, rather than 20oC ± 2oC. This is a minor change and would have little impact on the

final efficiency results, but would mean it is harmonised with other countries in the region.

The main change that is needed for the Vietnam cooking test is to have a larger temperature rise

(beyond the amount that could be reached in four minutes) to reduce the variation in testing

results. There are two potential solutions:

• Choose a longer cooking time. Since there is no other country in the region with a longer

fixed cooking time, the Vietnamese regulators could unilaterally choose a value, say 20

minutes.

•

Alternatively, the regulators could use a fixed temperature rise. The regional harmonisationoptions would be either 90oC or 95oC.

This would have little significant difference on the calculated efficiency value, but would

significantly improve the accuracy of the efficiency measured in the laboratory.

In addition, there may be merit in considering the following:

• Include keep warm and standby measurements (though these would only be needed if

there was regulatory requirement to include these). These are used in some neighbouring

countries.

Ideally, any changes to the regulations would not be done in isolation or unilaterally; it would be

done in discussion with neighbouring countries to ensure the most appropriate aspects are

included.



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4 Examining MEPS and label performance levels

4.1 Performance levels used in the region

Since the underlying test procedures are not entirely consistent across the region it is not possible

to undertake a direct comparison of the performance levels. It would be possible to make

assumptions on how to translate results from one test standard to another (with a reasonable

degree of accuracy) if sufficient test data to the different standards were available

Although these are not entirely comparable (especially the heating/cooking efficiency), the

performance requirements from neighbouring countries are listed in the following sub-sections.

Most of the following are based on information from the Liu et al (2012) report.

4.1.1 China

The Chinese standard (GB 12021.6: 2008) provides the testing and performance requirements. The

requirements make a distinction on size (rated power, W), such that the more powerful the rice

cooker, the stricter the requirements.

Table 3: China MEPS and label requirements

Rated Power (W)

Heat Efficiency (%)

Energy Efficiency Grades

1 2 3 4 5

P≤400 85 81 76 72 60

400


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4.1.2 Hong Kong MEPS requirements

Where the Hong Kong testing tends to follow the Chinese standards, the MEPS requirements are

based on slightly different efficiency calculations, so the requirements are not directly comparable.

However, the same product power (rated power, W) classifications are used to set the

requirements.

Table 4: Hong Kong MEPS requirements

Rated Power P, (watt) Minimum Allowable Heat Efficiency, %

P ≤ 400 84

400 < P ≤ 600 85

600 < P ≤ 800 86

800 < P ≤ 1000 87

1000 < P ≤ 2000 88

4.1.3 Thailand MEPS requirements

Thailand also uses product rated power (W) as a criteria to impose more stringent performance

levels on larger rice cookers, and its MEPS efficiency requirements seem slightly stricter (by 1%)

than the Hong Kong requirements. The rated power classifications are the same as China and Hong

Kong.

Table 5: Thailand MEPS requirements

Rated Power P, (watt) Minimum Heat Efficiency, %

P ≤ 400 85

400 < P ≤ 600 86

600 < P ≤ 800 87

800 < P ≤ 1000 88

1000 < P ≤ 2000 89

4.1.4 South Korea MEPS requirementsSouth Korea has different requirements depending if plate or induction heating and whether the

appliance is a pressure or non-pressure rice cooker. There are also standby requirements for the

highest efficiency (level) products.

South Korea’s MEPS and label energy efficiency grades are determined for each rice cooker

classification, as seen in the following four sub-tables (Table 6) where R is the rated cooking

efficiency (%). The MEPS requirement thresholds are at Level 5.



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Table 6: South Korea label levels for rice cookers

Plate heating in non-pressure rice cookers

Level Rated Energy Efficiency (R)

1 94%


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Table 7: Japan Top Runner standard targets

Category Calculation equation forstandard energy

consumptionHeating method Maximum rice cookingcapacity

Categoryname

Electromagneticinduction heatingproducts

0.54 =>Capacity Capacity Capacity Capacity D EK=0.252M + 132

Non-electromagneticinduction heatingproducts

0.54 =>Capacity Capacity Capacity Capacity H EK=0.252M + 122

Notes:

The maximum rice cooking capacity shall be determined by multiplying the volume of the measuring cup

specified by the manufacturer (liter) by the maximum number of cups that the product is designed for.

E K and M represent the following numerical values:

EK: Standard energy consumption efficiency (kWh per year)

M: Mass of evaporated water (this is the mass of the water expelled from the rice cooker when electric power

consumption is measured for each rice cooking operation, and is the mean value of the mass of evaporated

water obtained at every measurement of electric power consumption during cooking rice. The mass of the

water expelled from the rice cooker is calculated by subtracting the measured weight of the rice cooker within

1 minute after completion cooking prior to opening the lid from the weight of the rice cooker containing water

and rice prior to the start of cooking. It is expressed in grams and rounded off to 1 decimal place).

Source: Liu et al (2012) quoting: http://www.eccj.or.jp/top_runner/index_contents_e.htlm

4.1.6 Summary

In summary, the major similarities and differences include:

• Several countries set increasingly stringent MEPS and labelling requirements for rice

cookers which are larger (or rather more powerful). They do this by setting different

performance requirements for products within set power ranges or ‘bins’. Usefully, many

countries in the region use the same ‘bin’ sizes.

• Japan uses a top runner approach, and a more complex calculation methodology.

Furthermore, Japan uniquely uses the capacity (litres) to set up four size bins for different

requirements.

• China and Japan includes standby and keep warm function in their efficiency requirements.

• The cooking/heating requirements are different in each country; though without a detailed

analysis not immediately possible to tell how different they are in practice (since the

threshold values are based on different testing standards, so they are not entirely

comparable). For example the Chinese efficiency calculation does not include the

additional heat in the inner pot, whereas Vietnam does: thus, the efficiency figures are not

comparable.

Based on the above analysis there is scope to consider some alignment, depending on the

performance of products in Vietnam, and this is discussed in the following section.


http://www.eccj.or.jp/top_runner/index_contents_e.htlmhttp://www.eccj.or.jp/top_runner/index_contents_e.htlmhttp://www.eccj.or.jp/top_runner/index_contents_e.htlmhttp://www.eccj.or.jp/top_runner/index_contents_e.htlm


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4.2 Current market performance

The evidence for the efficiency of products on the market comes from three main sources:

• Analysis of a store labelling survey.

• Analysis of the registration database.

•

Testing of 20 models of rice cookers, each one tested in three QUATEST laboratories.

4.2.1 Store labelling survey

The VEESL project undertook a labelling survey in March 2014. The survey of 5,375 individual

appliances in 263 stores located in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Quảng Trị and Can Tho provides

a useful snapshot of progress with implementation of energy performance labelling in Vietnam.

Around 16% (846 out of the 5.375) of the products surveyed were rice cookers. This survey involved

the visual inspection of products in stores to ascertain whether models within the scope of

regulations are displaying the label correctly (DoI, 2014). The distribution of efficiency of rice cookers

on the market is given in Table 8.

Table 8: Distribution of efficiency rice cookers (Market survey, March 2014)

Efficiency

levelNumber Proportion (%)

Grade 1 46 7%

Grade 2 115 18%

Grade 3 176 27%

Grade 4 186 28%

Grade 5 132 20%

TOTAL 655 100%

From the 2014 labelling survey it is evident that there is a reasonable spread of efficiency of products

on the market, though higher grades are being used more than the lower grades, so there is a need

to continue monitoring the market to see when a re-grading of the efficiency thresholds is needed.

4.2.2 Product registration database

As part of the VEESL project, the team had access to the MOIT product registration database, (up to

25 March 2014), which records the declared performance of products currently covered by

regulations in Vietnam. The registrations were done by an Officer at MOIT entering the supplier-

submission data into an Excel spreadsheet. This database has been cleaned up and analysed.

Although, there is scope for error (from input and interpretation), and the database may not be fully

populated, it provides a useful resource for understanding what is being placed on the Vietnamesemarket (or at least registered with MOIT). The distribution of efficiency of rice cookers registered

with MOIT is given in Table 9



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Table 9: Distribution of efficiency rice cookers (registration database, March 2014)

Efficiency

levelNumber Proportion (%)

1 112 9.7%

2 299 26.0%

3 365 31.7%

4 151 13.1%

5 223 19.4%

TOTAL 1,150 100.0%

The efficiency distribution of products in the registration database is very similar to that found in the

labelling survey (which should be a better representation of the products actually found on the

market).

The two sets of data are compared graphically in Figure 1, which shows a good match, as expected.

The label survey shows slightly more high efficient products being placed on the market than in the

registration database.

Figure 1: Proportion of registrations by efficiency grade (from registration database and label

survey)

The registration data provides a more detailed insight into the efficiency of products being

registered; specifically the efficiency index (K) values which are used to determine the grade levels

(Figure 2 shows the efficiency index of almost 1500 rice cookers, ordered by their efficiency values).

All, except two, of the products in the registration database have been declared as meeting the

MEPS requirements, though a significant number are above the grade 5 threshold (K=1.2), and some

are reported to be much higher. This suggests that the MEPS could be made more stringent and also

that the label could be revised to better highlight those products significantly over the K=1.2

threshold.



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Figure 2: Reported efficiency index (K) of all registered rice cookers, ordered by efficiency

4.2.3 Efficiency by size

As part of the registration process, the capacity (in litres) and the power (W) have to be declared.

This allows analysis to see if any correlation between size and efficiency can be found.

Figure 3 shows the plot of efficiency (K values) against capacity (litres) of each products registered. It

can be seen that there is a clear (and statistically significant) correlation between efficiency and

capacity.

Figure 3: Efficiency (K) registered rice cookers versus capacity (litres)

A similar, though much less pronounced, pattern is observed when a plot of efficiency (K) and rated

power (W) is undertaken (Figure 4). This similarity is not unexpected as there is a strong correlation

between capacity and rated power.



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Figure 4: Efficiency (K) registered rice cookers versus rated power (W)

The efficiency versus capacity plots suggests that size should be taken into account when (re)

defining performance thresholds, since size is statistically correlated with efficiency: the larger the

appliance the higher efficiency, on average.

There are two main approaches to setting higher efficiency requirements for different sized

products:

• Using size ‘bins’,

• Using continuous curve functions.

The main advantage of using discrete bins is that they are usually easy to describe and understand.However, if there are too few bins or the boundaries between them are not set in an appropriate

point, suppliers may (quite legally) adjust the declaration of their products attributes, or alter their

products so their products fit into the lower requirements bin. To avoid this situation, a larger

number of bins are required, or a continuous curve may be described.

For rice cookers, there appears to be a consistent set (number and size range) of bins already used in

the region, and it is recommended that these are followed, if this approach is adopted.

4.2.4 Summary

In summary, the analysis of the March 2014 registration database suggests the following for any

revision to rice cooker standards:

• The efficiency distribution of products is slightly towards the top end of the efficiency scale;

therefore it is suggested to keep monitoring the market efficiency distribution to help

determine when a re-grading should be considered.

• It appears that larger (capacity) rice cookers are more efficient than smaller ones. This

suggests that the performance requirements should be stricter for the larger products, as is

the case in several countries which use power bins to set requirements based on the input

power.

A noticeable number of products have efficiency index (K) values above 1.25, the value of which

would imply a cooking efficiency of over 100%. This suggests there may be some measurement

inaccuracy issues in the test or other declaration issues.



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4.2.5 Laboratory testing

Inter-laboratory comparisons were undertaken by the three QUATEST laboratories in Vietnam (Evans

and Lane, 2014). Each tested the same samples of 20 different models of rice cookers.

The main purposes of these trials were to provide:

• A measure of the extent of the variation and uncertainty of results.

• An understanding of the cause of these variations, in order to be able to advise MOIT and the

laboratories on steps that could be taken to minimise these variations.

The trials found a large variation in the star rating (up to 3 grades), which was due to the large

variation in the measured cooking efficiency. Figure 5 shows this variation by plotting a line between

the highest and lowest efficiency measurement from the three laboratories for each product. The

variation between the three laboratories is in part due to slightly different practices, though a large

reported difference was due to the test itself not providing sufficiently accurate and repeatable tests.

Figure 5: Reported average cooking efficiency (%) of the 20 models of rice cookers

NOTE: the efficiency reported by QUATEST2 as exceeding 100% was assumed to be an error (whethermeasurement, or within testing tolerances)

The report from the testing and training program concluded that the variations in measuring the

cooking efficiency were largely due to the tolerances of the test being relatively large compared to

the temperature rise during the test. The Vietnamese test currently specifies a fixed four-minute

cooking time. This elapse time does not provide a large increase in temperature, relative to the

accuracy of the equipment and testing procedures. One of the main recommendations of the

laboratory testing was to increase the time of the test to get a larger temperature rise. This could be

done by having a longer test or by specifying a temperature rise for the test (as is done in some

countries).

4.3 Potential for harmonisation and amending performance standardsSince the efficiency of the cooking (heating) mode is the main performance metric used by most

countries, this would be the obvious metric to try to examine for potential harmonisation. However,



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5 Transitional arrangementsA report provided by the Australian Government to MOIT in September 2013, entitled “Proposal for

grandfathering in VNEEP”, identified the need to implement transitional arrangements when moving

from one set of product performance requirements to another.

These transitional arrangements enable industry to make the necessary adjustment to the products

that are placed on the market by the time that new requirements come into force; enable productsto be tested and registered in an orderly fashion to avoid excessive pressure on laboratories or

registration systems; and minimise the potential confusion to consumers of having different labels in

the market at the same time.

Most national regulatory Standards and Labelling programs around the world have agreed similar

transitional arrangements with industry. They:

• Allow industry time to adjust to new requirements.

• Provide time for laboratories to test products.

• Provide time for products to be registered to new requirements.

• Avoid confusion by retailers and consumers.

• Minimise the time when two versions of the energy label appear in the market at any one

time.

• Facilitate compliance monitoring.

• Minimise market disruption & costs.

5.1 Key Procedures

To put in place effective transitional arrangements, the following important procedures should be

implemented and communicated to stakeholders:

• Finalise the test method.

• Finalise the new performance requirements.

• Publish the date new requirement come into force (known as the “effective date”):

o We suggest that at least 12 months is allowed from announcement to the effective

date to enable suppliers to start testing and registering to new standard.

• Set a ‘grandfathering start date’:

o Products manufactured or imported before this date do not have to meet new

requirements.

o Products manufactured or imported after this date must meet new requirements.

We suggest that the ‘grandfathering start date’ should be 12 months before

the ‘effective date’ in order to avoid ‘stockpiling’ of old products to

circumvent new regulations.

• Set the relevant dates for registrations, including:

o The date when the regulator will commence accepting registrations to the new

standard (known as the commencement of voluntary registrations to the new

standard).

It is suggested that this is the ‘grandfathering start date’.

o The date when the regulator will cease to accept registrations to the old standard

(known as the commencement of mandatory registrations to the new standard).



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It is suggested that this is the ‘effective date’.

o The date when registrations to the old standard will be superseded, effectively this is

a cancellation of the old registrations (made after the grandfather start date).

It is suggested that this is the ‘effective date’.

In order to claim grandfathering provisions for individual models, suppliers must provide evidence ofthe date of manufacture or date of importation. All suppliers should be able to lodge a claim for

grandfathering status through the registration system and disclose that they will either:

Date stamp the product, or

Provide information on how the model serial numbers can be used to demonstrate the date of

manufacture.

5.1.1 Additional requirements for transition to new labelling requirements

Where there are existing labels for a product and these are being upgraded, it is extremely important

that the incoming label is distinguishable from the previous version. This can be achieved through

the use of different colours or the inclusion of a date on the label, while taking care that the overall

brand recognition of the label is not lost.

• From 12 months before the effective date, suppliers may voluntarily register products

according to the new TCVN requirements and display the new label.

Figure 6 illustrates these arrangements for a labelling transition.

Figure 6: Grandfathering and transitional arrangements for the introduction of revised labelling

requirements

For example, if the new MEPS and labelling requirements for rice cookers were published in

September 2014, the corresponding dates could be as follows:

Grandfathering Start Date: 1 January 2015

Commencement of voluntary registrations to the new standard: 1 January 2015

Commencement of voluntarily display of new label: 1 January 2015

Effective Date: 1 January 2016

Commencement of mandatory registrations to the new standard: 1 January 2016

Cancellation of the registrations to the old standard: 1 January 2016



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6 Conclusions and recommendationsBased on the analysis above, some conclusions and recommendations can be made for amending the

Vietnamese regulations for rice cookers.

6.1 Conclusions

The main conclusions that can be drawn from the analysis presented in this report are:

• There is no agreed international testing procedure for rice cookers, though many aspects of

the test procedure are similar across countries in the region.

• The currently required time of four minutes of cooking is too short to provide a sufficiently

accurate and reliable estimate of cooking efficiency.

• There is a spread of efficiency of rice cookers on the Vietnam market, so no major change in

the label performance requirements is necessary at this stage, although this should continue

to be monitored.

• The performance requirements currently do not make distinction on the size (or power) of

the rice cooker, whereas most other countries have stricture requirements for large ricecookers. Including a similar requirement would mean a slight increase in the MEPS

requirements for the larger products.

• Some neighbouring countries include non-cooking modes in their requirements, specifically

the keep-warm and the standby mode.

These findings suggest that there is an opportunity to:

• Amend the test procedure, specifically to revise the start test temperatures (to 23oC ± 2oC),

and to include a longer test time or larger temperature rise.

• Include size (power) in the performance requirements, which could mean slightly higher

MEPS values for larger products.

• Consider including standby and keep warm mode in the performance requirements.

6.2 Recommendations

In making the following recommendations an important step is that any proposed changes to the

regulations is done in discussion and consultation with various stakeholders, including neighbouring

countries which may also be considering changing their regulations. Aligning performance

requirements will make it simpler, and also cheaper, for the supplier to meet any new requirements.

6.2.1 Testing requirements

The main proposed change to the test is to increase the temperature rise in the test. The

recommendation is to ensure a temperature rise to 90oC, rather than a four minute cooking time.This should mean a more accurate and repeatable estimate of cooking efficiency is made.

To align it with other countries in the region, it is also recommended to alter the start test

temperature is to 23oC ± 2oC. This is a minor change, and should not result in any significant change

in the measured energy performance of the products under test.

6.2.2 Performance requirements

The current market shows a good spread of efficiency of products on the market, so no significant

change in performance requirements is recommended. However, we do recommend that size is

included in the performance requirements and that the bins are aligned with neighbouring countries,

as shown in Table 10.



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Table 10: Proposed new MEPS requirements

Rated Power, P (Watt) Minimum heat efficiency (%)

P< 400 80

400


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It should be noted that if the testing method is changed (as recommended), this should not alter the

measured efficiency of models but it will make the results more accurate. This could mean that some

of the existing declared values may need to be adjusted.

6.2.3 Standby and keep warm modes

Without further evidence it is not clear if the keep warm function and standby is an issue for rice

cookers in Vietnam, such that it needs to be addressed through product-specific regulation.These operating modes will only be an issue if the products on the market have relatively high power

requirements (say >1-2 Watts for standby mode) and if they are used in these operating mode for

significant lengths of time in Vietnam. If no information can be found, and there is a strong desire to

include standby and/or keep warm functions, we would suggest an interim step. Before

recommending any additional regulation, we would recommend a short research project to:

• Find out the likely standby (low) power demand of these products. Ideally desk-based but, if

necessary, to measure the standby and keep warm power demand of some rice cookers on

the market.

• Find out the approximate use of these products in these two operating mode. If there is no

existing research, this could be done through simple householder interviews on theirtypical/average use of rice cookers. The alternative, which would be more accurate though

more expensive, would be to undertake in-situ trials.

• If these are important aspects, we would recommend that the performance requirements

match the Chinese standards initially.

6.2.4 Next steps

The proposed next steps should be to:

• Review if the keep warm and standby mode is an issue for rice cookers in Vietnam.

• Propose and agree changes to the test methodology for rice cookers.

• Review any proposed performance requirements with relevant stakeholders, and amend as

necessary.

• Once these steps are complete, make a signal to the market of the intended change to the

regulations in advance, and then change the regulations. (Section 5 has further details on

how to handle this).



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7 Potential improvements to the regulationsIn addition to the changes in the performance requirements there is one minor suggested change for

the current test procedure:

• To calculate the cooking efficiency use the average of all four tests, not just the final three

currently listed. This will provide a more robust average for the efficiency calculation. Note

this this may be an error in the English translation. (Clause 5.2.3)

8 ReferencesDoI (2014) Survey of Energy Efficiency Labelling of Appliances in Vietnam. A report by VEESL. March

2014.

Evans, C and Lane, K (2014) Laboratory capacity and verification testing report. Prepared for the

Vietnam Energy Efficiency Standards and Labelling (VEESL) Program, funded by the Department of

Industry (Australia).

Liu, W; van Phan, L, and Arjadi, H (2012) TWG Feasibility Study Report on Enhancing Regional

Harmonization for the BRESL Products: Rice Cookers. A UNDP/GEF funded-report under the BarrierRemoval to the cost-effective development and implementation of energy efficiency standards and

labelling project. October 2012.

VEESL (2013) A Guide to Re-grading Energy Performance Labels. Produced by VEESL in 2013.

Review of Vietnamese Rice Cooker Standards a Report for the VEESL Program

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