‌NDRC Announces Ban on Tier 3 Energy-Efficient Air Compressors Within 3-5 Years

Recently, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued a critical notice, clarifying that Tier 3 energy-efficient air compressors will be banned from the market within 3 to 5 years. This move aims to accelerate energy efficiency upgrades for key energy-consuming equipment, promote energy conservation, emission reduction, and green, low-carbon development across industries, with profound implications for the air compressor sector and related fields.

‌Energy Efficiency Standards and Market Shifts‌
According to regulations, energy efficiency levels for key energy-consuming equipment are categorized into three tiers: ‌advanced‌, ‌energy-saving‌, and ‌market-entry‌.

• ‌Market-entry level‌ corresponds to the current Tier 3 energy efficiency standard.

• ‌Energy-saving level‌ meets or exceeds Tier 2 efficiency and will become the new market-entry benchmark within 3–5 years.

• ‌Advanced level‌ meets or exceeds Tier 1 efficiency, representing the cutting-edge energy performance of current products.

This policy signals that Tier 2 or higher efficiency air compressors will dominate the market, while Tier 3 units will phase out.

‌Impact on Industrial Energy Consumption‌
Air compressors, critical for generating compressed air in industries like steel, chemicals, and construction, consume vast amounts of electricity. Data shows that Tier 3 compressors, with their low energy utilization rates, contribute significantly to energy waste. The new policy compels enterprises to replace outdated equipment with high-efficiency models, reducing energy consumption and supporting national carbon neutrality goals.