The Biden administration has introduced stricter energy-efficiency standards for residential water heaters and other common appliances to cut energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
The Department of Energy projects these new regulations will save U.S. households approximately $1 trillion over 30 years.
The standards, which include updates to water heaters and dishwashers, are estimated to reduce emissions equivalent to removing 18 million cars from the road.
Despite potential short-term cost increases, the changes aim to lower annual utility costs for families and decrease environmental impact.
Key quote:
“Most of these standards haven’t been updated for more than a decade."
— Andrew deLaski, executive director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project
Why this matters:
Energy-efficient appliances can help reduce household energy consumption, which accounts for a significant portion of the U.S. energy use and related greenhouse gas emissions. Improved standards support environmental health and offer economic benefits to consumers through energy savings.
Infrastructure isn’t just roads and power plants. It’s also your stove and furnace and hot water heater. They have to change if we are going to decarbonize.
