Contact: Ben Somberg, 202-658-8129, bsomberg@aceee.org
Washington, DC—Energy efficiency standards for new stoves finalized by the Department of Energy (DOE) today will reduce waste in many electric models when they are not operating and improve the efficiency of 3% of gas units sold. The standards are at efficiency levels stove manufacturers and energy efficiency advocates jointly recommended. Manufacturers said these levels would “preserve the features and functionality that consumers expect from their cooking products and have access to today.”
The DOE is catching up on updating efficiency standards for dozens of residential and commercial products. If it finalizes all pending standards, it will reduce utility bills for consumers by nearly $1 trillion and cut 2.5 billion metric tons or more of greenhouse gas emissions over 30 years of product sales, the department said in December. Pending standards for dozens of other products will reduce overall household costs and cut climate pollution more significantly than the standards for stoves and ovens.
“The main thing this does is ensure new smooth-top electric stoves don’t waste energy when they’re not even operating. It’s a modest money saver for consumers, with changes that would be challenging to even notice. There was disagreement over this stoves rule last year, but then the stakeholders came together and resolved it,” said Andrew deLaski, executive director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project. “It’s the whole suite of dozens of updated product standards the department is working on that will deliver the big impact reducing people’s costs and protecting the climate.”
Background:
Consumer, climate, and efficiency advocates joined with appliance manufacturers (represented by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) in September to recommend efficiency levels and compliance dates that DOE should adopt in final standards for six products: refrigerators and freezers, beverage and wine chillers, dishwashers, stoves, clothes washers, and clothes dryers. The DOE has now adopted the recommended standards for stoves and refrigerators.
The combined average utility bill savings from just these six standards would be $120 annually (for a household that replaces these appliances with the most common type of each product after the standards take effect—rather than with the least efficient appliances sold today). Pending or finalized standards for other products—such as furnaces, water heaters, transformers, and commercial and industrial fans—will deliver significant additional savings for families and businesses.
Reduce energy waste when electric models aren’t being used
For electric smooth-top stoves, the DOE standards will ensure all new models use at least 30% less energy annually than the lowest-performing models today. Manufacturers can achieve this by reducing standby power consumption in lower-performing models, which would have no impact on cooking (and ensure models could still have clocks and displays). DOE data show that 77% of electric smooth-top units sold would not be affected, while the remaining models would need to be modified to be more efficient. This can be achieved by using a switch-mode power supply instead of a linear power supply.
Improve efficiency of 3% of new gas units sold
DOE’s analysis shows that 97% of gas stove shipments already meet the new standards. Manufacturers will have until January 31, 2028, to modify the small share of models that do not already meet the standards. DOE’s analysis has shown that manufacturers can optimize burner and grate design (including grate weight, flame angle, and distance from burner ports to the cooking surface) to improve energy efficiency performance.
Nearly all of the energy savings from the standards will be achieved from electric stoves, rather than from gas stoves, according to DOE data.
Direct final rule procedure
While most commonly a proposed rule would be followed by a final rule, in this case DOE has followed its proposed rule and public comment period with a direct final rule (in response to the joint recommendation from stakeholders). This common rulemaking procedure opens an additional 110-day public comment period; in the unlikely event that the agency subsequently determines that any comments it receives provide a reasonable basis to withdraw the direct final rule, it could do so and prepare a new final rule. Absent such a series of events, the direct final rule will take effect after DOE’s review of any new comments, with the standards affecting products sold on or after January 31, 2028.
In this case, DOE was effectively required to use the direct final rule procedure, with its additional comment period, because the compliance date—recommended in the joint agreement—is later than three years after final rule publication.
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The Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP) advocates for appliance, equipment, and lighting standards that cut planet-warming emissions and other air pollution, save water, and reduce economic and environmental burdens for low- and moderate-income households. ASAP’s steering committee includes representatives from environmental and efficiency nonprofits, consumer groups, the utility sector, and state government.