Secretary Chu Announces More Stringent Appliance Standards for Home Water Heaters and Other Heating

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http://energy.gov/news/8816.htm

April 1, 2010

Secretary Chu Announces More Stringent Appliance Standards for Home Water Heaters and Other Heating Products

New standards to save consumers up to $10 billion over 30 years

WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that the Department has finalized higher energy efficiency standards for a key group of heating appliances that will together save consumers up to $10 billion and prevent up to 164 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over 30 years. These new standards - for residential water heaters, pool heaters and direct heating equipment such as gas fireplaces - will reduce air pollution, prevent the release of harmful nitrogen oxides and mercury, and avoid emissions equivalent to taking 46 million cars off the road for one year.

“These energy-conserving appliance standards are a critical part of the Administration’s overall efforts to save energy in homes and businesses nationwide,” said Secretary Chu. “By raising the energy efficiency requirements of our everyday appliances, we will save money for American families and companies, reduce carbon pollution, and enhance our energy security for decades to come.”

The standards released on Wednesday increase the stringency of the existing minimum conservation standards for these three types of residential heating products, which account for about 18 percent of energy use in homes across the country. The standards will significantly reduce energy consumption by these products, including decreasing energy use in large electric storage water heaters by 47 percent and by more than 30 percent in large gas water heaters. The standards for water heaters will go into effect in 2015, while the standards for pool heaters and direct heating equipment – including gas-fired wall, floor and hearth heaters – will apply to products manufactured in 2013 and beyond.

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