National appliance energy efficiency savings goal within reach
A final push would allow the Biden administration to reach its pollution reduction goals
When the Biden administration’s Department of Energy (DOE) rolled out updated energy efficiency standards for refrigerators in December 2023, the agency projected that this administration would save consumers and businesses nearly $1 trillion in energy costs over 30 years and cut the pollution fueling global warming by 2.5 billion metric tons over that same period, simply by making appliances more energy efficient.
New analysis by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project found that standards finalized to date will reach roughly 85% of the administration’s pollution reduction target. The group also determined that the administration can not only meet, but exceed the pollution reduction targets it set for itself, by finalizing a suite of pending efficiency standards. It’s time to finish the job.
What appliance efficiency standards are pending?
Appliance efficiency standards for ten different products are currently awaiting final review at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). Many of these proposed standards were sent to OIRA by the Department of Energy (DOE) months ago.
Among the products with pending standards are fans and blowers, expanded scope electric motors, commercial refrigeration equipment, boilers, battery chargers, gas-fired instantaneous water heaters, walk-in coolers and freezers, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, and external power supplies.
Altogether, updating efficiency standards for all of these products is expected to save enough energy to reduce global warming pollution by 859 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent over 30 years of product sales. That’s the global warming pollution reduction equivalent of taking 227 coal-fired power plants offline for a year.
Which of the proposed standards will make the biggest impact?
The standards for motors and fans are the two biggest-impact rules awaiting publication—and finalizing them is critical for reaching the Biden administration’s pollution reduction targets.
The good news is that industry doesn’t oppose these rules. Motor manufacturers support the proposed standards and fan manufacturers have been working collaboratively with DOE for years to develop standards that will shift the market to better, more efficient fans.
These rules have been under review at OIRA since August and September, respectively. Completing these two standards would save energy day in and day out, reducing monthly energy bills for businesses such as restaurants, farms, and commercial building owners.
Other big-impact pending standards include those for battery chargers, commercial refrigerators, residential boilers, and walk-in coolers.
“The administration is in the home stretch and so close to reaching its energy saving goals,” said Johanna Neumann, Senior Director of the Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy at Environment America.
Finalizing the remaining efficiency standards could delivering real and lasting benefits for our environment.Johanna Neumann
Senior Director, Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy
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Authors
Johanna Neumann
Senior Director, Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy, Environment America Research & Policy Center
Johanna directs strategy and staff for Environment America's energy campaigns at the local, state and national level. In her prior positions, she led the campaign to ban smoking in all Maryland workplaces, helped stop the construction of a new nuclear reactor on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and helped build the support necessary to pass the EmPOWER Maryland Act, which set a goal of reducing the state’s per capita electricity use by 15 percent. She also currently serves on the board of Community Action Works. Johanna lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family, where she enjoys growing dahlias, biking and the occasional game of goaltimate.
Abe Scarr
Energy and Utilities Program Director, U.S. PIRG Education Fund
Abe Scarr is the director of Illinois PIRG and is the PIRG Energy and Utilities Program Director. He is a lead advocate in the Illinois Capitol and in the media for stronger consumer protections, utility accountability, and good government. In 2017, Abe led a coalition to pass legislation to implement automatic voter registration in Illinois, winning unanimous support in the Illinois General Assembly for the bill. He has co-authored multiple in-depth reports on Illinois utility policy and leads coalition campaigns to reform the Peoples Gas pipe replacement program. As PIRG's Energy and Utilities Program Director, Abe supports PIRG energy and utility campaigns across the country and leads the national Gas Stoves coalition. He also serves as a board member for the Consumer Federation of America. Abe lives in Chicago, where he enjoys biking, cooking and tending his garden.
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