Want to keep food cold while saving money and energy? What about saving more money, energy, and water when washing clothes?
The new energy efficiency standards for refrigerators and clothes washers proposed by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Biden administration aim to help you do just that.
The standards, which could be in place by 2027, would save individual consumers an estimated $425 on their utility bills over the average life of newly purchased appliances. The standards would have no effect on appliances you already own. Nationwide, DOE expects the new rules to save consumers more than $60 billion over a 30-year period. Further, the rules could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 233 million metric tons, an amount roughly equivalent to the combined annual emissions of 29 million homes, says DOE. It’s a win-win for consumers and the planet.
“Today’s proposals … build on a decades-long effort with industry to ensure tomorrow’s appliances work more efficiently and save Americans money,” said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
These proposals also build on other incentives the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act has already put in place to help consumers switch to more efficient electric appliances, including stoves.
More efficient use of resources like energy and water is essential to fighting climate change and protecting dwindling water supplies. A 2017 analysis done by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory showed that “a whopping 68% of all energy” produced gets wasted through various inefficiencies. We are producing a lot more energy than we’re using.
Energy-efficiency standards address this waste by asking manufacturers to design and make appliances and other products that use energy as efficiently as possible. While existing standards have not been updated for over a decade, they’ve still helped consumers use energy and water more wisely and economically. Today’s typical new refrigerator uses 75% less energy than its 1973 counterpart, DOE reports, while offering about 20% more storage capacity and useful features that keep food fresher. Similarly, today’s clothes washers consume 70% less energy than washers did in 1990 while offering 50% more tub capacity. That increased tub capacity saves time too; more clothes can be washed in every load while using more than two-thirds less fuel.
More ambitious efficiency standards currently in effect have also led to the widespread adoption of energy-efficient LED light bulbs, SMART thermostats, and energy-saving HVAC systems. These standards helped consumers in the US save $63 billion on their utility bills in 2015 alone. “By 2030, cumulative operating cost savings from all standards in effect since 1987 will reach nearly $2 trillion,” the energy agency reports.
Though the new standards won’t affect appliances for a few years, there’s no need to wait to make a purchase if you’re in the market. Current standards help consumers tell whether one appliance will require more energy and cost more to operate than another, the DOE points out. They also ensure a minimum level of energy performance, which means reduced consumption along with significant energy bill savings over the operational life of the appliances.
- This guide from Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) outlines the rebates and tax credits you can tap into right now to save energy and money around your home.
- Here’s a list of ENERGY STAR certified products to refer to if you’re shopping for new goods to light, heat, and cool your home.
- EPA’s WaterSense program will help you find toilets, shower heads, sprinklers, faucets, and other items that will save you water.
TELL THE CPSC: PROTECT OUR FAMILIES FROM GAS STOVE POLLUTION