[WIRE] The Department of Energy (DOE) announced on Friday a plan to crack down on home hot water heaters, part of a string of proposed rules from the Biden administration on appliances that critics warn will limit consumer power.
The new proposed rule would tighten requirements for water heaters, dictating that "most common-sized electric water heaters to achieve efficiency gains with heat pump technology and gas-fired instantaneous water heaters to achieve efficiency gains through condensing technology," according to a press release from the agency.
Such standards would save consumers $11 billion annually on utility bills and $198 billion for Americans over a 30-year period, DOE said. The regulations would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 500 million tons during the same time period, the agency claimed.
"Today’s actions — together with our industry partners and stakeholders — improve outdated efficiency standards for common household appliances, which is essential to slashing utility bills for American families and cutting harmful carbon emissions," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement. |