Thursday, June 10, 2004
At a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) public hearing today, a broad-based
coalition announced a petition to DOE to strengthen energy efficiency standards
for home refrigerators. The petition, filed last week, requests that the agency
begin the minimum-efficiency standard upgrade process for residential
refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers.
"A new refrigerator standard ranks among the most significant actions DOE
could do to save energy," said Steven Nadel, Executive Director, American
Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
According to the petition, consumers would save as much as $10.1 billion over 25
years if DOE strengthened the current standard by 30%. According to DOE data,
the electricity saved over 25 years by such a stronger standard would be enough
to meet the total electricity needs of every U.S. home for 18 months.
"Refrigerators are much more efficient than they were 30 years ago,"
said David B. Goldstein, Senior Scientist, Natural Resources Defense Council.
"But they still account for about 14% percent of electricity use in our
homes. Fortunately, manufacturers' innovations make further improvements in the
efficiency standards possible."
Preceded by several states establishing their own refrigerator efficiency
requirements, Congress set initial national standards for refrigerators in 1987,
which were updated by DOE in 1989 and 1997. Under the appliance standards law,
DOE must grant a petition for a new rulemaking if petitioners show evidence that
a new standard is technically feasible, would save a significant amount of
energy, and would be cost-effective. If the petition is granted, a full
rulemaking will follow during which DOE must consider these and other factors,
such as impacts on manufacturers, before setting a new standard.
According to DOE data cited by the petition, more than 687 refrigerators on the
market today exceed the current standard by 15% or more. Some refrigerators
exceed the standard by as much as 30%. A recent survey of the Sears Web site
shows that the average refrigerator that is 15% more efficient than today's
minimum standard costs an average of $36 more. When new standards go into
effect, the cost of the more efficient units usually declines due to economies
of scale in manufacturing. According to the petition, based on analysis of DOE
and U.S. Census Bureau data, the incremental cost of a 15% improved refrigerator
could be as low as $7 and the incremental cost of a 30% improved refrigerator
could be as low as $28, once new standards become effective. The electricity
savings from these improvements would pay back these costs to consumers in one
to two years.
In addition to Nadel's and Goldstein's organizations, the petitioners include:
the California Energy Commission; National Grid, USA; Consumer Federation of
America; Pacific Gas and Electric Company; National Consumer Law Center;
Northwest Power and Conservation Council; Northeast Energy Efficiency
Partnerships; Vermont Energy Investment Corporation; and the Appliance Standards
Awareness Project.
For more information, contact:
Steven Nadel
Executive Director
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 801
Washington, DC 20036
SNadel@aceee.org
Web site:
aceee.org