The Biden administration is proposing new efficiency rules on residential air conditioners and pool heaters in a bid to cut energy demand and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Department of Energy announced Wednesday it is taking comments on two rule proposals that would require more cooling per unit of energy from room air conditioning units and more efficient heating from gas-fired and electric pool heaters. They are the first new appliance efficiency standards to be proposed during the Biden administration.
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Additionally, the department is proposing new building code requirements for the government’s building fleet to put federal properties on track to meet international building energy conservation standards.
The consumer-related standards were pitched also as cost-cutting measures, and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said the building standards would reduce carbon emissions to “drive down operating costs and therefore save taxpayer dollars.”
The department estimates that, if finalized as is, the air conditioner rule would save consumers up to $275 over the life of the product, while electric pool heater users would save more than $1,000 over the life of the product.
The Energy Department estimates that together, the new building codes and standards announced could save more than $15 billion in net costs over the next 30 years.
The rules also include estimated conversion costs to the industries asked to comply with the standards: $22.8 million for the air conditioning manufacturers and approximately $38.8 million for the consumer pool heater industry.
Energy efficiency is a priority for the Biden administration, which wants to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels for electricity generation and home heating and cooking as a means to mitigate climate change.
The push for more efficient appliances and buildings has taken on a new dimension in the face of high inflation, high energy costs, and the war in Ukraine.
President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Friday that the United States and European Union would be teaming up to supply more natural gas to Europe, where fuel and electricity prices are multiple times higher than in the U.S.
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The plan included a line saying the two leaders would also work with industries and other stakeholders to reduce gas demand at the same time and support energy-efficient solutions, including the deployment of smart thermostats and electric heat pumps.
