National appliance efficiency standards in the USA: cost-effective federal regulations

This paper reviews the status of Federal appliance and equipment efficiency standards in the United States and summarizes the impacts these standards are having on consumers, manufacturers, and the nation. It shows that standards already adopted are expected to save consumers $132 billion net and displace the need for 31 large (500 MW) baseload power plants by 2000. Existing standards also will cut carbon dioxide emissions in 2000 by about 26 million metric tons, equivalent to about two percent of total US emissions or removing around 15 million automobiles from the road. According to analyses by the US Department of Energy, appliance efficiency standards have not had a negative effect on appliance manufacturers. The final section of the paper reviews the status of standards rulemakings underway as of early 1996.