National

National Standards

National energy efficiency standards for appliances, lighting products and equipment have been saving energy and money since the late 1980s, often with little notice.  But, the tide is turning—national standards are gaining attention, appearing at the top of many “What can we do to reduce energy waste?” lists. Standards specify the minimum energy and/or water efficiency levels of specific products. Since 1987, Congress has established or directed the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to set efficiency standards for more than 55 products. DOE is also charged with reviewing and updating all standards to keep pace with technological change. National standards apply to products manufactured or imported for sale into the United States while state standards apply to products sold or installed in a given state.

A 2017 ASAP/ACEEE report titled, “Energy-Savings States of America: How Every State Benefits from National Appliance Standards” estimates that existing consumers and businesses saved $80 billion on utility bills from existing standards in 2015. Savings will grow to nearly $150 billion by 2030. The economic value of existing standards can also be expressed on a cumulative basis, counting both costs and benefits. Accounting for products sold between 1987 and 2035 and for estimated product price increases, total net present value savings from national standards is $2.4 trillion for US consumers and businesses, or roughly enough to purchase about 70 million new cars.

National Standards Resources