An EU's Horizon2020 project has developed a free web app that allows consumers to compare and choose the most energy-efficient home appliances and cut energy bills.
PocketWatt is a new web app that tells consumers how much an appliance costs to run, enabling them to compare both the running costs and the energy savings of similar models.
The tool covers refrigerators and freezers, washing machines and driers, dishwashers and air conditioners, and it is currently available in the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
Try PocketWatt here
Consumers can access the app via the PocketWatt website and use their smartphones' camera to scan the QR code on a selected product both online and in-store. The tool will then tell them how much it would cost to run that model, and they can search to see if more efficient models are available. This way they can make comparisons between models, identifying the best option for their household and lifestyle.
The aim of PocketWatt is to encourage consumers to buy more energy-efficient appliances, and make the energy label easier to understand and more readily available.
Energy-efficient appliances help cut carbon emissions by preventing wasteful energy use. These appliances also help consumers cut their energy bills, performing the same services such as cleaning clothes and dishes, but doing so with a lot less energy.
PocketWatt was developed by the Digi-Label project, a consortium of eleven organisations across Europe, and is funded by the European Commission. A number of retailers and manufacturers are working with the consortium to enhance and expand the impact of the project, including Whirlpool.
Karim Bruneo, a Corporate Responsibility and Government Relations manager at Whirlpool, had previously said of PocketWatt:
"In line with our commitment to developing high-performance appliances that conserve the earth's resources and help homeowners do the same, we're glad to support the Digi-Label consortium in driving the consumer awareness about energy efficiency and sustainability."
According to the European Commission, every home in Europe is projected to save nearly €500 per year by 2020 thanks to more efficient products. PocketWatt is here to help facilitate and accelerate this transition, and generate even more savings for consumers.
This project has received funding from European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 696081