by Jbs090209c3 — September 7, 2009—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced September 1 that it has published the first energy efficiency standards for the 2.3 million beverage vending machines in the United States. The new standards apply to both glass-front and solid-front beverage vending machines that are commonly found in office buildings, schools, colleges, retail sites and manufacturing facilities.
The standards, which take effect in 2012, are intended to make the machines more efficient in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy security while saving money, says DOE. Over the following 30 years, DOE estimates the standards will save about 0.159 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) of energy (also known as “quads”), while saving vendors between $1.1 billion and $1.6 billion. For comparison, the U.S. currently uses roughly 100 quads of energy per year.
The standards for beverage vending machines are the last of five energy efficiency standards that President Obama called on DOE to expedite in a memorandum issued in February 2009. The other efficiency standards were for dishwashers and general service incandescent lamps; microwaves and electric and gas kitchen ranges and ovens; commercial boilers and air conditioning equipment; and general service fluorescent lamps and incandescent reflector lamps.
For more information, see the final rule as published in the August 31 Federal Register.
