by Shane Henson — March 26, 2012—National efficiency standards set recently and in the past for appliances, lighting, and other equipment will save consumers and businesses more than $1.1 trillion and dramatically reduce greenhouse gas pollution and other emissions by 2035, according a study recently released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP).
According to the study, The Efficiency Boom: Cashing In on the Savings from Appliance Standards, existing standards will save 200 quads of energy by 2035, with another 42 quads of savings achievable with new standards. A “quad” is a measure of energy—the U.S. economy uses a total of about 100 quads per year.
Existing energy efficiency standards cover about 55 categories of products, ranging from major home appliances like refrigerators to commercial products such as motors and roof-top air conditioners, says ACEEE. Initial standards for many of these products were signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. Since then, Congress and the Department of Energy have repeatedly added new products and updated standards.
The study also examines what more can be done. According to the report, existing standards reduced U.S. electricity use by 7% in 2010. Annual electricity savings from existing standards will increase to 14% by 2035 as consumers and businesses purchase new products compliant with the latest standards. New and updated standards that can be completed by 2015 would reduce 2035 electricity use by another 7%, note the study’s authors.
To assess the potential impact of future standards, the report evaluates 34 products for which new or updated standards could be adopted within the next four years. Products with the biggest potential additional energy savings include electric water heaters, reflector light bulbs, distribution transformers, electric motors, and computers. ACEEE says the largest net economic savings would come from new clothes washer and outdoor lighting standards.
