DOE Announces Efficiency Rules to Save Americans More Than $650 Million in Annual Energy And Water Bills

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced new energy efficiency actions that will save Americans $652 million in utility bills every year. The Congressionally-mandated proposed standards for new dishwashers and beverage vending machines and final standards for electric motors are designed to conserve energy and water while mitigating harmful carbon pollution. DOE expects the new standards for electric motors will save American businesses approximately $464 million per year on energy costs, while the proposed standards for dishwashers, which have not been updated in over a decade, will save American consumers approximately $168 million per year on their utility bills. Together, these proposed rules represent DOE’s latest steps to deliver savings through appliance efficiency, as directed by Congress, and lower costs for American families and businesses while tackling the climate crisis.     

“This Administration is using all of the tools at our disposal to save Americans money while promoting innovations that will reduce carbon pollution and combat the climate crisis,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “With today’s announcements, DOE is making rapid progress to strengthen outdated energy efficiency standards—as directed by Congress and in coordination with our industry partners and stakeholders—and support healthier, safer communities for the American people.” 

With today’s announcements, DOE has now issued proposed or final efficiency standards for 16 product categories so far this year—actions critical to carrying out Congressional direction for energy savings while also preserving reliability and performance across household appliances and commercial and industrial equipment.  

Electric Motors
Electric motors convert electrical energy into mechanical energy and are commonly used in manufacturing and process equipment. The direct final rule builds on joint recommendations from a wide range of stakeholders—the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Southern California Edison—and will better align U.S electric motor energy efficiency standards with expected European standards. 

DOE expects the new standards for electric motors, coming into effect in 2027, to save consumers up to $8.8 billion in utility bills over the ensuing 30 years of shipments and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 91.7 million metric tons—an amount roughly equivalent to the combined annual emissions of 20 million gasoline cars. 

Dishwashers
The efficiency levels proposed in today’s rule reflect that there are models available today that can meet improved energy and water standards, while providing the cleaning performance that consumers expect from their dishwashers. The new proposal builds upon the groundwork laid by DOE’s test procedure final rule that was published on January 18, 2023, which ensures consumer expectations for cleaning continue to be met with increased energy and water efficiency. 

If adopted within DOE’s proposed timeframe, the new rule for dishwashers will come into effect in 2027. DOE expects the new rule to save consumers nearly $3 billion in utility bill savings over the ensuing 30 years of shipments and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 12.5 million metric tons—an amount roughly equivalent to the combined annual emissions of 1.6 million homes. DOE also expects the new rule to save 240 billion gallons of water, which is equivalent to the water in 360,000 Olympic-sized pools. 

Beverage Vending Machines
In addition to the proposed rule for dishwashers and final rule for electric motors, DOE also released a proposal for beverage vending machines that would reduce energy costs for American businesses by $20 million annually. DOE estimates the proposed rule for beverage vending machines will save consumers $330 million in utility bills over 30 years of shipments and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3 million metric tons – and amount of roughly equivalent to the combined annual emissions of 378,000 homes.  

Saving Families Money
Collectively, DOE’s past and planned energy efficiency actions under the Biden-Harris Administration will save Americans $570 billion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2.4 billion metric tons cumulatively over 30 years, advancing the President’s ambitious efforts to combat climate change while strengthening our energy security.  

In addition to improving energy standards, DOE recently launched the Energy Savings Hub—an online one-stop shop for American families and consumers to access the savings tools that President Biden’s Investing in America agenda has made available to drastically cut energy costs. To learn how to upgrade to cleaner and more efficient appliances and keep money in your pocket, visit Energy.gov/Save

DOE’s Building Technologies Office implements minimum energy conservation standards for more than 60 categories of appliances and equipment. To learn more, visit the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program homepage

Originally published at https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-efficiency-rules-save-americans-more-650-million-annual-energy-and-water

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