The Department of Energy has finalized new energy-efficient standards for refrigerators and freezers, as well as proposed standards for commercial fans and blowers. The standards will save households and businesses in the United States $5 billion per year on their utility bills and reduce nearly 420 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions cumulatively over 30 years, according to the DOE.
The latest standards build on actions in 2021 and 2022 that, when combined with the new standards, will provide nearly $1 trillion in consumer savings over 30 years. Over that time period, the DOE also estimates the standards will cumulatively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.5 billion metric tons or more.
According to the DOE, the final standards for residential refrigerators and freezers are congressionally mandated and reflective of a joint recommendation from stakeholders, including the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, the Consumer Federation of America, and energy efficiency advocates. The DOE issued 30 proposed or final energy efficiency standards in 2023, strengthening efficiency and reducing energy bills.
The efficiency actions for home appliances have been met with support by a coalition of appliance manufacturers and advocates for consumer protection, water and energy efficiency, and climate action. The Biden-Harris administration plans to continue finalizing cost-saving standards in 2024 with stakeholder input.
“DOE will continue to move quickly in 2024 -- together with our industry partners and stakeholders -- to update and strengthen outdated energy efficiency standards, which is critical to innovation, more consumer options, and healthier communities,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
The finalized standards for residential refrigerators and freezers align with recommendations from manufacturers, the manufacturing trade association, energy, environmental and consumer advocacy groups, states, and utilities. The standards had not previously been updated in a decade.
Compliance with the new standards will be required beginning either January 31, 2029, or January 31, 2030, depending on the configuration of the refrigerator or freezer.
The DOE estimates the standards will save consumers $36.4 billion over 30 years of shipments and result in cumulative emission reductions of nearly 101 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. The energy savings of 30 years of shipments represents a savings of 11% relative to the energy use of products currently on the market.
In addition to the finalized standards for fridges and freezers, the DOE proposed rulemaking for commercial fans and blowers. The proposal, which is the first federal standard for this product, would save American businesses by $3.3 billion annually in reduced energy costs. The proposal follows the standards already established in California for general fans and would come into effect in 2029 if adopted within DOE’s proposed timeframe.
Over 30 years of shipments, the DOE estimates the actions will reduce utility costs for American businesses by nearly $56 billion over 30 years and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 318 million metric tons.
