The
Department of Energy
is proposing new
energy conservation
standards for new household gas and electric cooking devices, some of which have never been subject to federal efficiency standards.
DOE’s proposed rule-making, published Wednesday, follows the recent political frenzy
over the fate of gas stoves
that was ignited after a federal regulator at the Consumer Product Safety Commission said his agency could ban them to reduce indoor air pollution.
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION RACKS UP 110 RULES ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The proposed rule-making would set new efficiency standards for both electric and gas cooking tops, preventing them from exceeding set levels of energy use per year.
The metrics used would not attempt to limit stove usage when they are installed and in use, a department spokesperson emphasized.
“Instead, the metric will ensure cooktops are produced to meet a certain level of energy efficiency if the proposed rule is finalized,” the person said.
It would also impose regulations on electric ovens for the first time, providing that they may not utilize a linear power supply, or one that produces unregulated as well as regulated power.
Gas ovens would be subjected to the same prohibition.
Energy savings from the rule would improve the security and reliability of the nation’s energy system, DOE’s rulemaking said, estimating that the standards could enable energy savings of 3.4% relative to a scenario without the standards.
It also estimated manufacturers would incur total conversion costs of $183.4 million to comply with the standards.
The Trump administration elected not to advance new conservation rules for these appliance categories after concluding new standards would not be economically justified and would not result in a significant conservation of energy.
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The Biden administration has introduced more than 100 energy efficiency rules, arguing that they save consumers money and blunt climate change by reducing demand for energy, thereby reducing combustion of fossil fuels.
A number of Democratic-led municipalities
have implemented restrictions or bans on gas appliances
in new construction in a bid to reduce air pollution and slow climate change, and some states are pursuing similar regulations.
