The Biden administration proposed new efficiency standards for residential clothes dryers on Wednesday, the latest in a long line of rulemakings the administration has rolled out in a bid to reduce energy use and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
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The Department of Energy’s proposed rule would set new energy conservation rates that manufacturers of seven different gas-powered and electric models would have to meet beginning in 2027. The standards are estimated to enable reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 116 million metric tons and save the average household $36 per year on utility bills over a 30-year period.
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Consumer clothes dryers accounted for some 3.2% of annual residential energy use in the United States in 2020. Under the proposed rule, new dryer models would use about 40% less energy than the least-efficient models in the current market, according to an estimate from the Appliance Standards Awareness Project.
“Clothes dryers, like many highly used household appliances, can greatly benefit from efficiency upgrades that significantly reduce energy use,” said Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk. “The new standard proposed today would put money back in the pockets of American consumers while supporting the Biden Administration’s unprecedented effort to tackle the climate crisis and achieve a net-zero carbon economy by 2050.”
Manufacturers “would likely need to both ensure that dryers properly shut off when clothes are dry as well as use improved (but existing) heating technology” in order to meet the proposed standards, according to ASAP.
The Energy Department’s analysis estimated that it would cost manufacturers approximately $149.7 million to comply with the standards.
The proposed rule is the 85th energy efficiency-related action taken by DOE this year, the department said in its announcement of the rule. The administration is planning more than 100 such actions for this year alone.
Some actions have overturned Trump-era regulations, such as the rule it recently finalized to phase out incandescent light bulbs.
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Other energy conservation proposals and finalized rules under Biden have covered everything from consumer furnaces to water heaters and air conditioners.
