Air conditioners of six different models imported by State Trading Organisation (STO) have been approved to receive the Hakathari label.
The Hakathari programme is an initiative of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology to ensure that electrical appliances that enter the Maldivian market meet the necessary efficiency standards. STO is the first company to receive the permit to label electrical appliances under this programme.
The Hakathari label, which displays information about an appliances’ energy efficiency, has five efficiency levels. More stars indicate a higher efficiency and the most efficient product is given five stars, with the least efficient product given one star. The air conditioner models brought by STO that were approved for Hakathari labels will receive energy efficiency ratings between 4-5 stars.
The Hakathari programme is currently implemented on a voluntary basis. In order to receive the Hakathari label, importers are required to register under the programme and thereafter get approval for energy efficiency labelling. The appliances covered under the first phase of the Hakathari programme are air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines.
The environment ministry stated it aims to ensure all air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines imported to the Maldives from 2024 onwards are Hakathari appliances.