New regulations on energy efficiency of air conditioners from March 2025

Initially, the term “Regulated Machines” refers only to air conditioners, including portable, split, dual duct and single duct models, with a cooling capacity of 12 kW or less.

These regulations will come into force on March 1, 2025, with a six-month moratorium granted to distributors to allow them to adapt to these new requirements.

Authorities want to reduce the impact of energy-consuming air conditioners for efficient energy use

Importers have a moratorium on adopting new standards.

6 months. This is the deadline prescribed by the Ministry of Energy and the authorities to force distributors to comply with the new regulations concerning air conditioners. In 2024 alone, more than 100,000 new devices were sold.

In a new energy efficiency policy, the government wants to make consumers, importers and distributors of energy-consuming devices more responsible.  

Importers have doubled their stock of air conditioners in one year, according to figures from the Ministry of Energy: more than 100,000 air conditioners in 2024 compared to 58,000 in 2023. These figures highlight the urgency of regulating this market.

To achieve this, the ministry will apply new standards from March 1. Thus, these cooling devices must not exceed 12 kilowatts.

According to a source close to the matter, this measure will drastically reduce the sale of these products which are energy-intensive. Distributors will have six months to liquidate their stock. Then, they will have to comply with the new standards of the Mauritius Standards Bureau.

Note that the Department of Energy plans to apply new indices to household appliances, including washing machines, dryers, refrigerators and air fryers, among others.

The main objective will be to control electricity consumption and not reach new consumption peaks.