Efficient Appliances Yield Big Energy and Water Savings
Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced the results of a scientific
study showing that American households can substantially cut energy
and water bills by using energy-efficient clothes washers, clothes
dryers, dishwashers, and other products. The study of actual home
appliance use, part of the Department of Energy's (DOE) national
energy conservation initiative, was conducted in 50 volunteer homes
in Wilsonville and Lafayette, Ore.
"The numbers in this study speak for themselves," said
Abraham. "Based on our estimates, a typical family with a home
more than a decade old could save $200 per year in electricity and
water bills, and 18,600 gallons of water, by switching to highly
energy and water efficient appliances. A family in a newer home
would save slightly less, due to the more efficient equipment already
installed in their home. If every American household installed these
products, the annual water savings would equal the average flow
of the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico for five entire
days."
The Save Water and Energy Education Program (SWEEP) study was
conducted in 25 homes in each of the water-strapped Oregon cities
of Wilsonville (pop. 13,991) and Lafayette (pop. 2,586). The test
homes were built before 1992, when the use of some water and energy-efficient
equipment became mandatory. Manufacturers donated new Energy Star-labeled
clothes washers and dishwashers, highly efficient clothes dryers,
toilets, faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads. The SWEEP study
included community and student education events. DOE's Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory recorded and compared the actual electricity
and water used by the original appliances and the high-efficiency
products.
Study results demonstrate 68% energy savings with efficient clothes
washers (using electricity to run the washer and heat the water)
and 38% water savings compared to older, standard models previously
used in the homes; dishwashers used 39% less energy to heat the
water and 39% less water than standard models; clothes dryers used
25% less energy; and dual-flush toilets used 67% less water than
baseline models.
The major appliances alone saved enough energy and water to wash
an additional 250 loads of laundry and 110 loads of dishes, plus
enough electricity to run an energy-efficient refrigerator for an
entire year. The study confirms that energy and water use can be
reduced through intensive conservation campaigns and by replacing
older appliances with more efficient models.
"The SWEEP study showed the connection between water and
energy in every home – as well as in the dams on the rivers,"
said John McLain, product development director at the Portland General
Electric's National Earth Advantage Center. "Saving water and
energy through high efficiency appliances and plumbing fixtures
is cheaper than building new power plants and reservoirs, and this
is good news for everyone."
The SWEEP study is available at http://www.pnl.gov/
buildings/download_reports.htm.
Appliances and other products carrying the Energy Star label are
typically 20% more energy efficient than standard products. Energy
Star, a joint DOE/US EPA program, promotes energy efficient products
through labeling and consumer education. To learn more about Energy
Star, its products and partners, visit http://www.energystar.gov,
or call the toll-free Energy Star hotline at (888) STAR-YES.
To check for energy-efficient appliance rebate programs in California,
visit http://www.flexyourpower.ca.gov.
| Back | Next
|
|
