Manufacturers and Advocates Call for More Stringent Appliance Efficiency Standards

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A seemingly unlikely partnership of appliance manufacturers and energy efficiency advocates has agreed to higher minimum energy efficiency standards for most home appliances and are calling for legislation to make it happen. The standards package advanced by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and the American Council  for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) includes, in addition to tighter efficiency standards, production tax credits for super-efficient appliances and a Smart Grid readiness feature for appliances qualified by Energy Star, the joint EPA and DOE energy efficiency program. The standards would cover refrigerators, freezers, washers and dryers, dishwashers and air conditioners, appliances which typically chew up about two thirds of the electricity used in a home. The new standards could save enough energy to meet the total energy needs of 40% of U.S. homes for one year and cut CO₂ emissions by 550 million metric tons over 25 years, proponents said. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is on board and said he would work toward legislation. "Increased energy efficiency through-cost-effective energy standards for appliances and consumer products remains the single most cost-effective strategy for strengthening our nation's economic and energy security," the senator said.

Quick Take: We're thinking back to a March Zpryme report that forecast the global household smart appliance market would grow from a little over $3 billion to $15 billion between 2011 and 2015. In that context, the impact of improved energy efficiency standards could be immense.

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