When it comes to purchasing energy-efficient appliances, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) ENERGY STAR program has been a guiding light for many consumers over the last twenty years.
Adorned with a little blue label that makes it easy to identify which products are most efficient, ENERGY STAR-certified products are designed to meet a set of strict efficiency criteria dictated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the EPA. They work the same, if not better, than their traditional counterparts and do it with greater efficiency, helping you save money and protect the environment with ease — there's just one problem.
Stoves and ranges have been notably missing from the ENERGY STAR database for many years, with technical limitations and user behavior impacts preventing experts from establishing effective criteria for measuring efficiency.
But the good news? All of that is about to change.
In late January 2024, the Biden administration officially released a set of long-awaited federal efficiency standards for stoves and ranges, outlining a baseline to help consumers maximize efficiency and reduce wasted energy in their homes.
Here's what you need to know.
The new efficiency standards impact smooth electric stoves the most, requiring new electric stove models to use at least 30 percent less energy annually than today's most efficient options.
For gas stoves, these standards will require products to consume a maximum of 1.77 million British Thermal Units (BTUs) per year, an increase of 0.566 BTUs from the DOE's initial proposal in February 2023.
Manufacturers will have four years to get their products on par with the new regulations, which officially come into effect on January 31, 2028.
Fortunately, 97 percent of gas models currently on the market and 77 percent of smooth electric ones already meet these new efficiency standards, meaning, for many suppliers, it won't take long to get there.
And for the manufacturers that do need to make some adjustments? The Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP) suggests that "improving the efficiency of the power supply used to power the electronic controls ([for] electric smooth cooking tops), [and] optimizing the burner and grate design ([for] gas cooking tops)" may be the way to get there.
The Department of Energy has promised that the new standards "will not result in the loss of any consumer-desired features in future [stove] models, such as continuous cast-iron grates, high input rate burners, and other specialty burners," but will ensure that smooth electric stoves no longer waste power while sitting idle in standby mode.
Before you start worrying, though, this doesn't mean you have to get rid of your current gas or electric stove. It simply means that the next time you purchase a stove or range, the options available will be on par with these newly introduced regulations — and the Inflation Reduction Act can help you save if you choose to go electric.
It's all thanks to the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act!
The High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act benefits low- and moderate-income households by offering money back on investments made toward home electrification projects (like a new smooth electric stove).
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines a low-income household as making under 80 percent of a state's median family income and a moderate-income household as one making 80-150 percent of that same median value.
If you live in a qualifying household, the rebate opportunity includes the chance to receive up to $840 back on the purchase of an energy-efficient electric stove, cooktop, or range.
You can read more about the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act in our comprehensive guide to the Inflation Reduction Act right here.
Still, you might be thinking, if 97 percent of existing gas stovetops and 77 percent of smooth electric ones already meet these standards — what benefit are these improvements actually offering us in the long term?
It may seem like an insignificant shift, especially compared to the administration's first proposal, which would have impacted roughly 50 percent of the gas stoves currently on the market, but the Biden administration predicts that the benefits of these new standards will be substantial!
In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, these new stove efficiency standards are expected to save Americans $1.6 billion on energy spending over the next 30 years — talk about savings!
And then there are the environmental benefits to consider, too, and the DOE predicts that the new standards will reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 4 million metric tons in the same timeframe.
To give you an idea of just how much CO2 that really is, according to the EPA, 4.6 million metric tons of CO2 is roughly equal to the yearly emissions of 850,501 passenger vehicles or the energy consumed by 422,542 American homes (that's approximately the population of Minneapolis!).
These new standards come in the wake of a much broader discussion on the environmental and health impacts of gas stoves, which have been linked to childhood asthma, adverse cardiovascular effects, and increased CO2 emissions in our atmosphere — and their introduction is a big step in the right direction.
The result will be meaningful savings for Americans across the country and a lasting environmental impact that will continue to benefit our planet in the long term — all while still giving consumers the choice to select the type of stove that best suits their lifestyle and needs.
It's positive action, and we look forward to seeing how the regulations will continue to evolve and make an impact in the years to come. As always, we'll keep you updated every step of the way.
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