DOE Proposes New Standards for Residential Appliances
New efficiency standards for washers and refrigerators have been proposed to lower household energy costs and significantly reduce pollution.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), previous DOE rule-makings have substantially increased the energy efficiency of refrigerators and clothes washers while allowing manufacturers the flexibility to continuously improve their products. Today, the typical new refrigerator uses 75% less energy than its 1973 counterpart—while offering roughly 20% more storage capacity and more useful features. In that 40-year span, DOE raised the efficiency standard for refrigerators three times. Similarly, today’s clothes washers use 70% less energy than in 1990 and offer 50% more tub capacity. The new proposed rules will continue this trajectory of innovation and savings.