Foodservice operators looking to show energy efficiency improvements will have another method at their disposal now that the Environmental Protection Agency is extending its Energy Star program to commercial ovens and griddles.
To qualify, the ovens and griddles must be 10-20 percent more efficient than the typical equivalent, with emphasis in improving minimum cooking efficiency, as well as maximum idle energy rate.
If all commercial griddles and ovens sold in the United States were to meet the new standards, more than $700 million in energy costs could be saved annually, preventing the same amount of GHG emissions as those from 660,000 vehicles, according to a press release.
The EPA says Energy Star qualified electric griddles can save businesses about $190 per year, while Energy Star gas griddles can save an average of $175 per year. Energy Star electric ovens can save about $190 per year, while gas ovens can save an average of $360 per year. Outfitting an entire kitchen with a suite of Energy Star qualified commercial food service equipment could save operators approximately $3,600 each year.
The effort follows on a previous announcement of new standards for commercial refrigerators and freezers to gain Energy Star certification, which came in early April.
The new standards require the appliances - many of which are used in foodservice environments - to be 33 percent more energy efficient than standard models. If all commercial freezers and refrigerators sold in the U.S. meet the standard, it would result in $275 million in energy savings annually, and would eliminate the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by 400,000 vehicles.
