MUSCAT: Oman’s Directorate General for Standards and Metrology (DGSM) – part of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion – has unveiled an expanded list of international certification agencies designated as ‘Notified Bodies’ that have been accredited to evaluate electrical home appliance brands for their energy efficiency standards.
The updated list, published on the Ministry’s newly unveiled ‘Hazm’ platform, features around a dozen certification organisations accredited to perform this regulatory task mandated under the Omani Conformity Scheme.
Manufacturers of home appliances must get their products evaluated for their energy efficiency before they can be suitably classified under the Omani Energy Efficiency Labelling scheme, which is a prerequisite for their import and distribution in the Sultanate of Oman.
The Hong Kong subsidiary of TÜV Rheinland, an international independent third-party testing, inspection and certification organization, announced this week that it has been designated as a Notified Body for Energy Efficiency Labeling for refrigerators, washing machines, and water heaters. The accreditation enables the company to provide technical approval and registration services to manufacturers and importers.
“This expansion of our authorization builds upon our existing accreditation obtained in 2019 as a technical approval body for air conditioners exported to Oman, further extending TÜV Rheinland's portfolio of sustainability services certifying the energy efficiency of a wide range of home appliances for various markets worldwide,” the company said in a statement.
Other certification agencies also designated as Notified Bodies by the Directorate General for Standards and Metrology include: the Saudi Specialised Laboratories Co (Motabaqah), SGS Gulf Limited; China Quality Certification Centre (CQC), Intertek Shanghai, Korea Testing Certification Institute (KTC), Bureau Veritas Saudi Arabia Testing Services; UL Solutions, SGC-CSTS, CVS Certification & Testing, Turkish Standards Institution, TUV SUD PSB Singapore, and Korea Testing Lab.
The Omani Conformity Scheme seeks to inform consumers about the energy efficiency of various commonly used household appliances, thereby contributing to lowering their electricity bills while also supporting energy conservation efforts. Locally manufactured appliances, as well as those imported from abroad, must meet certain minimum performance standards before they can be certified as reasonably energy efficient.
Energy efficiency enhancement is also a key theme of Oman’s strategy to reduce its carbon emissions in line with its goal to become Net Zero by 2050.
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