In the market for new appliances? We have some great news! The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has strengthened their Energy Star requirements for refrigerators and freezers, and the new rules will go into effect on September 15, 2014.
Why’s this good? Well, the new standards agreed upon by the EPA will mean Energy Star certified refrigerators and freezers will use at least 10 percent less energy than models meeting 2014 federal minimum efficiency standards.
If every refrigerator and freezer that was sold in the United States were to meet the new requirements, energy costs savings would grow to more than $890 million each year and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of those emitted from more than one million vehicles. That’s a huge savings!
Also, if you recycle an old refrigerator and replace it with an Energy Star-certified one, youcan save anywhere from $150 to $1,100 on energy costs over the product’s lifetime.
“We can all do our part in meeting the challenge of climate change,” said Janet McCabe, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “By choosing Energy Star appliances, families can save energy, save money and reduce carbon pollution.”
Certain Energy Star refrigerators and freezers with connected features will provide new convenience and energy saving opportunities than traditional refrigerators. These new products will allow you to view real-time energy use, receive energy related messages and have the ability to manage appliance settings remotely. Refrigerators and freezers with connected functionality will also be “smart grid”-ready, meaning that with your permission, they will be able to respond to utility signals, including curtailing operations during more expensive peak demand times.
To earn the Energy Star label, products must be certified by an EPA-recognized third party based on testing in an EPA-recognized laboratory. Products with the Energy Star label prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy requirements, and in 2012 alone, those requirements helped consumers save $24 billion on their utility bills.
To save even more energy, wait to update your old appliances until these new ones come out! For more information on the Energy Star program, visit www.EnergyStar.gov.