Energy Department seeks greater efficiencies for gas, electric stoves
By Alan Wolf, YSN
New, more stringent efficiency standards for gas and electric ranges proposed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have earned the ire of the home appliance industry.
The proposal would limit the amount of energy consumed by household cooktops and ovens manufactured after 2026. The standards have already been met in part by all major manufacturers, the DOE said, but would add about $32.5 million in annual production costs while providing $100 billion in energy savings each year and $132 billion in health and climate benefits through reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
But the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), an industry trade group, decried the proposed standards as the most stringent it has ever seen. Speaking on Fox Business, AHAM spokesperson Jill Notini said vendors are concerned that an agency would create standards so strict “that products can’t meet them” and would have to be “dramatically redesigned to meet new levels.”
Notini also suggested that the proposal could be a backdoor attempt at a ban on gas-powered appliances, after a member of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) first floated then walked back the idea last month. “We are very concerned this is another attempt to remove gas cooking products from the market,” Notini said.
The DOE is accepting comments on the proposed standards through April 3. Instructions for submitting them are available here.
Related: Why Gas Ranges May Be Running Out of Steam
Hat tip to Fox Business and NBC News.
