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Defra Welcomes Energy Performance Certification

October 9, 2020

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Defra welcomes new stove and fireplace emissions and energy performance certification mark.

A new objective and independent emissions and energy performance certification mark for solid fuel stoves and fireplaces that clearly demonstrates appliance manufacturers’ commitment to improving air quality has been welcomed by government. Commenting on the new clearSkies scheme a spokesperson for Defra said:

“We welcome this launch of the clearSkies scheme, initiated by the Stove Industry Alliance. It is right that consumers are able to make informed choices about how to reduce emissions. We also support industry as it works to bring cleaner and more efficient technologies into our homes.”

clearSkies enables consumers to easily identify which wood burning stoves and fireplaces meet or exceed the efficiency and emissions requirements for the forthcoming Ecodesign 2022 regulations and those appliances that are also Defra Exempt for use in smoke control zones. The clearSkies Scheme has been initiated by the stove and fireplace industry through the Stove Industry Alliance, and is designed to drive the development and installation of cleaner and more efficient appliances.

Independent tests show that a clearSkies labelled wood burning stove will produce up to 90% less PM2.5 than an open fire and up to 80% less than a stove that is ten or more years old. Chair of clearSkies, Morley Sage, commented:

“clearSkies is the only single comprehensive label covering everything the consumer needs to know about a stove or fireplace in terms of Ecodesign compliance and the ability to be able to use the appliance in smoke control zones. The clearSkies label also makes it easier for consumers to distinguish lower emission, higher efficiency appliances by having differing levels of certification from level 2 to level 5. The higher the level, the better the appliance performs in terms of lower emissions and higher efficiency.”

The first objective and independent emissions and energy performance certification scheme of its kind, clearSkies is clear evidence of the commitment of the stove and fireplace industry to ensure that its appliances are as clean and efficient as possible. This will mean lower emissions and improved air quality, whilst providing low carbon and heart-warming heating solutions that families can be proud of.

Alongside the significant reduction in emissions that can be achieved through the use of the clearSkies certified appliance, users can also look forward to lower running costs thanks to improved efficiency. clearSkies stoves and fireplaces have precision engineered fireboxes that are designed to use quality dry wood fuel and need significantly less logs than older stoves and open fires.

A total of 222 appliances from 16 different brands can currently be found on the clearSkies product listing, a number that is set to rise to well over 300 in the coming weeks. A full product listing of clearSkies’ certified appliances and further details on the scheme can be found at www.clearskiesmark.org

To read the full press release use the link below.

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