DOE Adopts Energy Efficiency Guidelines for Consumer Cooking Products

On February 14, 2024, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a paired direct final rule and notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that adopt updated energy conservation standards for consumer conventional cookware, including gas and electric cooking appliances. This rulemaking falls under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), which prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment. EPCA requires DOE to periodically determine whether more stringent standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in significant energy savings. The direct final rule and notice of proposed rulemaking propose the same set of standards; the direct final rule will go into effect on June 13, 2024, if not withdrawn in response to adverse comments. If the direct final rule is withdrawn, DOE will proceed with the rulemaking process under the NPRM.

As part of this proposed rulemaking, DOE analyzed the benefits and burdens of 3 trial standard levels (TSLs) of efficiency. In the context of this rulemaking governing refrigerators and freezers, efficiency standards are expressed in terms of "integrated annual energy consumption (IAEC), measured in thousand British thermal units per year for gas cooking tops and in kilowatt-hours per year for electric cooking tops." The scenarios explored by DOE range from TSL 3, the maximum technologically feasible energy efficiency for each product class, to TSL 1, the least rigorous standard, which is already met by 76-96% of products on the market (depending on product class class).

DOE's direct final rule adopts TSL 1, a standard that was recommended to DOE by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers and a coalition led by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, which includes environmental organizations like Earthjustice and the National Resources Defense Council. This standard is expected to result in cumulative emission reductions (between 2028 and 2057) of 3.99 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, 7.61 thousand tons of nitrogen oxides, 0.01 tons of mercury, 34.70 thousand tons of tons of methane and 0.04 thousand tons of nitrous oxide.