DOE Issues New Energy Conservation Standards for Cooking Appliances
This week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) implemented a final regulation establishing updated energy conservation standards for conventional consumer cooking appliances, including electric and gas variants. Set to take effect on January 31, 2028, the final rule mandates minor enhancements in select models, with estimated savings of about $1.6 billion for American households in utility costs over 30 years.
According to the NAHB, DOE projects approximately 97% of gas stove models and 77% of smooth electric stove models on the market already meet these standards — a significant change from the initial rule proposed last year, which would have impacted half of the models on the market. Changes include allowing stoves that use 1.77 million British Thermal Units (BTUs) of energy per year, up from 1.204 million BTUs in the initial proposal.
The final rule addresses concerns expressed to DOE by NAHB and reflects joint recommendations from a wide range of stakeholders — including the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, Consumer Federation of America and energy efficiency advocates — to reduce costs for families and cut greenhouse gas emissions while allowing home appliance manufacturers to continue to deliver highly efficient products with the features that consumers want and expect. Similar standards have been released or are expected for refrigerators and freezers, wine chillers and similar products, clothes washers, clothes dryers and dishwashers.
