ASEAN Member States, the ASEAN Centre for Energy and international partners agreed on key steps for regional appliance efficiency cooperation at the 3rd Meeting of the ASEAN EE&C-SSN Working Group on Appliances in Jakarta on 9 March 2026.
The meeting reviewed progress on air conditioners, lighting, refrigerators and the regional Product Registration System. Outcomes included agreement in principle on a new Task Force on cooling, a regional roadmap for refrigerator standards and a strengthened framework for Mutual Recognition Arrangements.
UNEP’s United for Efficiency presented the proposed ASEAN COOL Strategy, planned for implementation in 2026–2027 with the ASEAN Centre for Energy. The strategy covers room air conditioners, residential refrigerators and the transition to low-global-warming-potential refrigerants.
Its objectives include strengthening regional governance on room air conditioner Minimum Energy Performance Standards, providing technical support to harmonise refrigerator MEPS, developing a Regional Savings Assessment for refrigerators and benchmarking High Energy Performance Standards for room air conditioners.
The meeting also reviewed a regional room air conditioner market assessment showing growing penetration of inverter models, a shift toward R-32 refrigerant and a narrowing price gap between inverter and fixed-speed units. A regional study found inverter models achieved approximately 22% energy savings over fixed-speed equivalents.
ACE is developing a Regional Policy Roadmap for Energy Efficient Household Refrigerators, with a draft expected by June–July 2026. Delegates recommended prioritising the 140–300-litre segment and agreed in principle that the Working Group on Appliances will lead the energy-efficiency components of the ASEAN Electrical & Electronic Equipment MRA, with ACE as technical secretariat.
