| Secretary Chu announcement |
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| Appliance Standards in the news:
NY Times |
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| Fun Fact |
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You've heard of a rebound in basketball - but what does REBOUND mean in a DOE rulemaking?
Scroll down for the answer |
| Did you know... |
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Televisions and peripherals account for as much as 10% of annual US household electricity consumption.
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| Model State Standards Bill
on the Way |
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ASAP will soon release its 2010 model state standards legislation and supporting analysis, including state-by-state impact data. TV standards modeled on the CEC standards will be the centerpiece. In addition, the model bill includes another half-dozen standards which have been adopted in at least a handful of other states already. If you are interested in receiving a copy of the 2010 model state standards bill and impact estimates for your state,
contact Marianne DiMascio
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California Makes TV Efficiency a Reality - Passes First Ever Standards
The California Energy Commission yesterday voted unanimously to adopt efficiency standards for televisions, the first state in the nation to do so. After ten years, the Commission estimates the regulations will save $8.1 billion in energy costs and save enough energy to power 864,000 single-family homes.
The new standards create the first ever active mode power limits for TVs. Given that the average new set operates nearly five hours a day and is considerably larger than the one it replaced, putting a lid on active mode energy use is essential. The CEC also revised the state's existing 3 watts standby-passive mode power usage standard to 1 watt. The active mode power usage limit increases with screen size and will be implemented in two phases. Tier 1 will be effective on January 1, 2011; Tier 2, similar to ENERGY STAR 4.0, will be effective on January 1, 2013. Currently, over a thousand television models meet the modest Tier 1 levels (i.e. most TVs sold today) and about 300 models meet Tier 2. The standards do not apply to TVs larger than 58 inches.
Massachusetts may be next. A legislative hearing last month paved the way for the Bay State to adopt TV standards. If passed, the bill in the Massachusetts legislature, sponsored by Senator Robert O'Leary and Representative Frank Smizik, HB 3124, would set similar standards to those in California. In addition, TV standards will be the centerpiece of ASAP's 2010 edition of our model state standards bill. See sidebar for more details.
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| Cooling and heating agreement |
AHRI/Advocates reach agreement on air conditioners and furnaces
 Some like it hot. Some don't. Either way, there is good news for those heating up and cooling down. An historic agreement on efficiency standards was reached between efficiency advocates and HVAC (heating, venting, air conditioning) manufacturers. In addition to supporting new federal standards for heat pumps, the groups agreed to 3 regional standards for ACs. For example, standards for air conditioners in the dry southwest region will differ from those in the humid southeast. Similarly, furnaces for northern half of the country will have higher efficiencies than those for the warmer southern climates. AHRI (Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute) and efficiency proponents ( ACEEE, ASAP, ASE, CEC, NEEP, NRDC,and NWPCC) also agreed to support legislative changes which will allow states more flexibility in encouraging higher efficiency levels for products installed in new homes. Energy savings through 2030 are estimated at 3.7 quads or enough energy to power 18 million households for one year. The new standards are projected to save consumers $13 billion dollars between 2013 and 2030.
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DOE repeals obsolete TV test method - Paves way for state and federal TV standards
On October 20th, DOE rescinded the decades old test method for TVs - one that worked only for analog TVs - and indicated it will initiate proceedings to adopt new federal test methods 'soon'. DOE also announced they would begin a proceeding on federal energy conservation standards for TVs but didn't indicate when. Typically, the federal rulemaking process takes three years and allows another three years from a new standard's publication to implementation. If DOE sticks with that practice, the soonest we can expect a national standard is 2016. The repeal of the old test method clears away a federal preemption problem that could have hindered states' efforts to adopt their own TV efficiency standards.
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Busy Times at DOE
By our reckoning, DOE is slated to hold 30 hearings on various appliance standards and test methods under development during the next twelve months. Given this unprecedented schedule and the change in administrations, it is not surprising that DOE has fallen behind schedule. To date, DOE has not missed any final rule deadlines for new standards, but has slipped on meeting interim deadlines. DOE has missed some legal deadlines related to updating test methods to account for standby energy use. To keep track of the various rules and their status at DOE, refer to ASAP's tracking form or refer to the DOE website. DOE's proposed standard for commercial clothes washers, published on November 9th, was a disappointment for energy and water efficiency advocates. Departing from the framework originally laid out by Congress in 2005, DOE now proposes to establish two separate product classes for commercial washers -- top and front loading. Top loaders are accommodated with a standard of 1.6 Modified Energy Factor and 8.5 Water Factor while front loaders must meet a standard of 2.0 Modified Energy Factor and 5.5 Water Factor. ASAP and allies argued that all technologies should compete equally under a single standard. Plus, all but 3% of current front loaders meet the proposed separate front load standard - what's the point of a creating a separate product class that results in virtually no additional energy savings? DOE's rationale for such an ineffectual standard is twofold..... Click here to read more.
Refrigerators/Freezers
On November 16th, DOE published the Preliminary Technical Support Document for the refrigerator/freezer rulemaking. Since the first national efficiency standards for refrigerators were set in 1989, the annual average energy usage has declined by two-thirds. According to the brand new DOE analysis, new standards which improve efficiency by 30% to 35% would minimize lifecycle costs for consumers and improvements as high as 40% to 45% are also cost effective. At these improved efficiency levels, consumers would net between $76 and $81 billion over thirty years while energy savings would range between 10 and 12.5 quads (roughly enough to power half the homes in the U.S. for a year). These enormous potential savings levels prove that the well of efficiency potential is very, very deep, even for products that have already been improved dramatically compared to those of ten or twenty years ago. A hearing will be held at DOE on December 10th. Read more at DOE refrigerator/freezer.
Small Electric Motors
The proposed rule for small motors was released in a special filing yesterday and will be published in the Federal Register on November 24. A quick review of the document reveals DOE savings estimates at about 2.5 quads over 30 years and net present value benefits of between $1.5 and $14 billion. A hearing is scheduled for December 17th. Proposed rule
Waiting on Water Heaters.....We expect the proposed rule shortly and a final rule by March 31st. ASAP estimates potential savings over 17 years of at least 2.6 quads of energy and $14.4 billion in savings. For details on the rulemaking, click to view the ASAP Water Heater Q&A or DOE water heater. Ka-ching! Vending Machine Rule is Final
 The new standards released by DOE would cut the average energy use of the most common new cold beverage vending machines by about 42%. Per unit energy use will be no more than about 1400 to 1800 kilowatt hours per year (as opposed to 3000 to 5000 in the mid-90's). At the proposed level, each typical new machine would save well over $100 per year compared to an older machine. The new beverage machine standards could save about 16 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity over 30 years or enough electricity to meet the needs of about 1.4 million typical U.S. homes for one year. They could also save vending machine property owners nearly $500 million over thirty years. DOE chose not to pursue energy-saving smart controls which would have saved even more money and energy. The new standards will take effect in three years. See the press release for more details.
Non-class A External Power Supplies
Notice of proposed determination
DOE needs to determine whether or not standards are warranted for various types of external power supplies left out of standards set by Congress in 2007. These include multi-voltage power supplies, power supplies for medical devices and high-output power supplies. DOE recently proposed that standards are warranted and could save about .14 quads over 30 years. A final determination is due by December 19th and, if positive, would result in inclusion of these products in the ongoing rulemaking for power supplies. New and revised standards for all sorts of power supplies and the related category of battery chargers are due in mid-2011. Read more at DOE page |
| What's up at the state level? |
Massachusetts Heats Up The Action
Massachusetts, a state with cold winters and high natural gas prices, believes it has an "unusual and compelling" interest in stricter furnace efficiency standards. In a petition filed with DOE, the state asked that they be allowed to enforce state level efficiency standards for gas furnaces enacted by the legislature. If the agency grants their petition, Massachusetts would be the first state to be granted permission to enforce tougher-than-federal minimums. Annual fuel costs for residents could be cut by as much as $180 per household.
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Court Orders DOE to Revisit CA's Petiton for State Washer Standards
October 28: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the ninth circuit ruled in favor of the California Energy Commission (CEC) in the agency's lawsuit against DOE. In 2006, DOE had denied CEC's petition to enforce state level water efficiency standards for clothes washers. The result of last month's decision is a remand of the petition back to the agency for reconsideration. If the DOE grants a waiver to CEC, it would allow implementation of state energy and water conservation standards for residential clothes washers that are significantly stronger than federal minimums.
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Washington State Sets New Standards  On May 15, 2009, Washington Governor Chris Gregoire signed HB 1004 into law, adopting efficiency standards for water dispensers, wine chillers, hot food holding cabinets, spas, and pool pumps. The legislation was sponsored by Representatives Morris, Chase, Morrell, Upthegrove, Hudgins and Moeller. Several other states have also adopted these standards and most of them are included in ASAP's 2010 model legislation.
For details see HB 1004 |
 Fun Fact - Rebound Effect
Have you been more lax about turning lights off after switching to CFL bulbs? Taken a longer shower after purchasing an efficient hot water heater? Driven a few extra miles because it wouldn't cost so much in your new 50-mpg Prius? If so, you are part of the 'rebound effect'. Under economic theory, it's the tendency of consumers to use an efficient product more or longer, thereby diminishing some portion of the benefits related to energy efficiency. The size of the rebound effect has been a matter of considerable controversy. In standards rulemakings, DOE accounts for the effect by taking a small percentage off the anticipated benefit of a new product. Fortunately, the extra use doesn't come close to overtaking the efficiencies. For example, in the lighting rulemaking, DOE accounted for a 8.5% rebound effect in the residential sector and 1% in the commercial sector. Do you rebound???
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| Take Action - Support Standards |
To take action - check our website for alerts or send an e-mail to the address below.
Marianne DiMascio, Outreach Director
Appliance Standards Awareness Project
781-293-6309 |
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