Energy Consumption of Major Household Appliances Shipped in Canada – Trends for 1990-2003

2  Freezers

Freezers are available in various sizes and styles, all of which affect energy consumption. That’s why EnerGuide groups freezers according to type, enabling you to compare the energy consumption of similar models.

Upright freezers

Type 8  Upright freezers with manual defrost

Type 9  Upright freezers with automatic defrost

Chest freezers

Type 10  Chest freezers and all other freezers not defined as Type 8 or Type 9

Compact freezers

Type 16  Compact upright freezers with manual defrost

Type 17  Compact upright freezers with automatic defrost

Type 18  Compact chest freezers and all other freezers

2.1   2003 Market Snapshot

Type 10 freezers were the most popular in 2003, accounting for 47.4 percent of all freezers shipped in Canada. Their shipment-weighted average annual unit energy consumption was 318 kilowatt hours (kWh). Types 16, 17 and 18 were recently added as categories. However, since we have no data on Type 17, we did not include it in this report. Most of the freezers available on the market in 2003 met the minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) (Figures 2.1, 2.2, 2.3).

FIGURE 2.1
Energy Consumption of Type 10 Freezer Models Available in 2003

FIGURE 2.2
Energy Consumption of Type 8 Freezer Models Available in 2003

FIGURE 2.3
Energy Consumption of Type 18 Freezer Models Available in 2003

2.2  Distribution of Shipments

2.2.1  Distribution by Type

Type 10 freezers have dominated the freezer market in Canada throughout the study period. However, the market share of chest freezers (Types 10 and 18) declined from 83.2 to 63.0 percent during those years. Readers may notice significant differences between the distribution of the freezers in Table 2.1 and that shown in previous reports.⁶ Type 18 (compact chest freezers) was added as a category in 2001 and data originally entered as Type 10 (chest freezers) were transferred to this new type, as needed.

Conversely, upright freezers (Types 8 and 9) gained a 20.2 percent increase in market share between 1990 and 2003. They accounted for 37.0 percent of the market in 2003.

TABLE 2.1
Distribution of Freezers by Type

Model Year	Type 8	Type 9	Type 10	Type 16	Type 18
	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)
1990	16.8	0.0	64.9	0.0	18.3
1991	11.8	0.4	81.2	0.0	6.7
1992	12.9	0.3	79.2	0.0	7.6
1993	14.4	0.6	70.3	0.0	14.8
1994	12.9	0.6	71.3	0.0	15.1
1995	16.0	0.7	66.5	0.0	16.7
1996	17.1	1.1	64.0	0.1	17.7
1997	19.1	1.0	60.2	0.3	19.4
1998	21.2	1.8	57.5	0.0	19.5
1999	21.6	2.5	60.3	0.1	15.5
2000	23.9	3.1	56.2	1.2	15.5
2001	19.5	6.7	58.3	1.8	13.8
2002	24.9	9.8	48.9	0.0	16.4
2003	27.8	9.2	47.4	0.0	15.6
Average Annual Change	+0.8%	+0.7%	-1.3%	0.0%	-0.2%

FIGURE 2.4
Distribution of Freezers by Type for 1990

FIGURE 2.4
Distribution of Freezers by Type for 2003

2.2.2  Distribution by Average Annual Unit Energy Consumption per Cubic Foot

The energy efficiency of freezers improved steadily between 1990 and 2003. In 1990, almost all freezers required more than 50 kWh per year to freeze each cubic foot (cu. ft.) of space. With steady improvements in energy efficiency, by 2003 nearly all freezers (99.2 percent) required less than 50 kWh per year to freeze each cubic foot of space.

At the beginning of the study period, freezers with an average level of energy consumption between 70 and 79.9 kWh/cu. ft. per year dominated the market, accounting for 38.3 percent of the market. By comparison, freezers in 2003 most commonly consumed between 30 and 39.9 kWh/cu. ft. annually. These freezers accounted for 47.4 percent of the market, up from 28.3 percent in 1991.

TABLE 2.2
Distribution of Freezers by Average Annual Unit Energy Consumption per Cubic Foot

Model Year	kWh/cu. ft./yr.
	20-29.9	30-39.9	40-49.9	50-59.9	60-69.9	70-79.9	80-89.9	90-99.9	>100
	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)
1990	0.0	0.0	0.9	32.1	19.3	38.3	2.2	3.4	3.8
1991	0.0	28.3	20.3	31.2	4.1	15.9	0.0	0.0	0.3
1992	3.1	18.9	58.3	15.0	4.5	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0
1993	16.5	57.0	16.5	8.4	1.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
1994	15.4	39.0	34.9	9.0	1.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
1995	12.7	39.6	41.2	5.4	1.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
1996	12.4	40.4	37.0	10.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
1997	11.7	36.7	39.0	12.0	0.0	0.6	0.0	0.0	0.0
1998	11.0	34.6	43.1	11.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
1999	10.8	42.3	37.0	9.6	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0
2000	10.0	37.6	41.3	8.8	0.0	2.3	0.0	0.0	0.0
2001	17.5	36.3	38.2	3.9	0.0	4.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
2002	26.7	47.5	24.9	0.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
2003	28.6	47.4	23.2	0.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Average Annual Change	+2.2%	+3.6%	+1.7%	-2.4%	-1.5%	-2.9%	-0.2%	-0.3%	-0.3%

FIGURE 2.5
Distribution of Freezers by Average Annual Unit Energy Consumption Per Cubic Foot for 1990

FIGURE 2.5
Distribution of Freezers by Average Annual Unit Energy Consumption Per Cubic Foot for 2003

2.3  Energy Consumption

2.3.1  Average Annual Unit Energy Consumption by Model Year

Freezers became significantly more energy efficient between 1990 and 2003. As Figure 2.6 shows, the average annual unit energy consumption decreased significantly in 1991 and then decreased gradually until 1997. After 1997, the average annual unit energy consumption held steady. Overall, the average annual unit energy consumption decreased by 51.6 percent, or 345 kWh, during the study period.

FIGURE 2.6
Average Annual Unit Energy Consumption of Freezers by Model Year*

* For greater detail, see Table C.5.

2.4   Energy Savings

It is estimated that annual freezer energy consumption was slightly lower between 1993 and 2003 than it would have been without the MEPS, the amendment to the MEPS in 2001⁷ and a general improvement in energy efficiency.

As with refrigerators, the difference between the two lines in Figure 2.7 represents the incremental annual energy savings that resulted when manufacturers complied with the MEPS and with the amendment, and made related technological improvements.

FIGURE 2.7
Annual Energy Savings for Freezers, 1992-2003*

* For greater detail, see Table C.6.

The average annual energy savings for freezers were estimated to be 0.05 petajoules (PJ) from 1993 to 2003. (No savings were expected for 1992.)

The largest annual energy savings occurred in 2002 and 2003 when freezers consumed about 0.07 PJ less than they otherwise might have.

Cumulative energy savings grew steadily between 1992 and 2003 to reach 0.60 PJ in 2003. These energy savings are shown in Figure 2.8.

FIGURE 2.8
Cumulative Energy Savings for Freezers, 1992-2003*

* For greater detail, see Table C.6.

To summarize, Type 10 freezers (chest freezers and all other freezers not defined as upright freezers with manual or automatic defrost) continue to be the most popular type in 2003 (47.4 percent of the market), although Types 8 and 9 (upright freezers with manual and automatic defrost) grew in popularity, accounting for 37 percent of the market.

The energy efficiency of freezers improved steadily between 1990 and 2003 – by 2003, 99.2 percent of all freezers required less than 50 kWh per year to freeze each cubic foot of space; whereas in 1990, almost all freezers required more than 50 kWh per year. The average annual energy savings for freezers were estimated to be 0.05 PJ between 1993 and 2003, with total energy savings for that period reaching 0.60 PJ.

⁶ Energy Consumption of Major Household Appliances Shipped in Canada - Trends for 1990-2001 (Ottawa: Natural Resources Canada, 2003), Table 2.1, p. 9.

⁷ The effective date for freezers was July 1, 2001.