Refrigerator standards set to cut energy waste

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Johanna Neumann

Senior Director, Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy, Environment America Research & Policy Center

Today the Biden administration announced final energy-saving standards for home refrigerators and freezers. The new standards, which will take effect in February 2029 for most product types and February 2030 for others, will ensure new refrigerators and freezers sold nationwide will use significantly less energy while maintaining today’s latest features and sizes. 

According to the Department of Energy (DOE), the updated standards will avert nearly 101 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants from the use of new models sold over 30 years. That’s the climate equivalent of taking 22 million gas-powered cars off the road for a year. 

In response to this announcement, Environment America Research & Policy Center’s Senior Director of the Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy, Johanna Neumann, released the following statement:

“It’s cool that refrigerators and freezers are becoming more efficient. By finalizing efficiency standards for household appliances, the Biden administration is making sure that when Americans go out and buy new appliances, they come equipped with energy-saving features that will deliver benefits to the homeowner and the planet for years to come. Standards that reduce energy waste in everyday appliances like refrigerators and freezers reduce pollution and lower energy bills. That should be welcome news for everyone.” 

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