New government rules will mean spare parts must be provided free-of-charge for damaged electrical appliances under warranty

Tougher rules will oblige manufacturers to make spare parts available and help consumers save £75 a year on their energy bills

American-style side-by-side fridge-freezers could cost you more than three times as much as a conventional standalone unit to run. That’s the findings from appliance advice website ToptenUK.org, which suggests this type of appliance is becoming increasingly common among the 19 million fridge-freezers in the UK. It says this could be leading to significant hidden costs. […]

Formula One engineers are developing a technology which can cut the energy usage of supermarket fridges. The engineers from Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) are developing an aerofoil which attaches to fridge shelves to keep more cool air inside. WAE has teamed up with start-up company Aerofoil Energy to develop the product – a “wing” that […]

Retailer Sainsbury’s is going to roll out ground-source heating to 100 stores to lower its energy bills. The supermarket will work with British Gas and a company called Geoscart on technology allowing stores to save heat produced by store fridges, then use it in the store’s heating system. Heat produced from fridges will be transported […]

MEPs on the European Parliament’s Environment Committee yesterday backed a “sweeping” ban on a type of gas used in fridges and air-conditioning. The draft legislation outlawing “climate-unfriendly” fluorinated gases in new appliances by 2020 was adopted by 48 votes to 19, with one abstention. Overall use of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) greenhouse gases should be slashed 84% […]

You finally get home after a long day’s slog, gratefully slump in the sofa with a cup of tea and put your feet up for a few blissful moments. The television crackles to life sinisterly: “This is Big Brother calling, are you watching?” You spill your hot tea in shock – oh no, you think, […]

Plans to control the energy use of appliances in British homes have been criticised for being ‘Big Brother’-esque. The National Grid wants to be able to switch off new appliances such as fridges and freezers remotely via sensors, to avoid power cuts if there is too much demand for the country’s electricity supplies. The technology […]

Ghana has banned imports of second hand fridges in an attempt to curb pollution. The West African nation reportedly wants to put a tighter leash on energy use and stop the release of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which were commonly used in old refrigerators. A majority of fridges made before an American and European ban on the […]

The EU is being called on to phase out a certain type of gases used in fridges, insulation and air conditioning to combat climate change. A coalition of environmental organisations wrote to the EU’s climate Commissioner, Connie Hedegaard to demand the phasing out of fluorinated gases known as F-gases. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Greenpeace, […]