The Department of Energy issued a notice of proposed rulemaking for energy conservation standards for automatic commercial ice makers. DOE estimates that ice makers meeting the proposed standards sold over 30 years would reduce US electricity use by about 30 billion kWh.
But a blog posting by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy suggests that the DOE should have proposed even stronger efficiency standards.
“The proposed standards, which can be met by employing higher-efficiency compressors and motors and increasing heat exchanger surface area, would reduce icemaker energy consumption by 15-30 percent for the most common types of machines,” says ACEEE’s blog. “(But) higher cost-effective efficiency levels, which could be achieved using technologies including permanent magnet motors and drain water heat exchangers, would reduce energy consumption for the most common types of ice makers by another 5-10 percent.”
A final rule is due by the end of the year.
DOE also issued a notice of proposed rulemaking for packaged terminal air conditioners and packaged terminal heat pumps.