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ASAP

Last Updated: June 2010
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THE PRODUCT: Clothes washers are defined by type: horizontal- or vertical-axis; and by capacity: standard and compact.

POTENTIAL STANDARD: In December 2007, Congress enacted EISA, setting the first minimum water efficiency requirements for clothes washers. Minimum energy efficiency requirements, however, were left unchanged from the existing levels set by DOE in 2001, which became effective in January 2007. Effective January 1st, 2011, residential clothes washers must be manufactured with a modified energy factor (MEF) of at least 1.26 and a maximum water factor (WF) of 9.5 or less. Currently, ENERGY STAR-qualified products must meet a minimum MEF of 1.8 and a maximum WF of 7.5. Energy Star criteria will rise to a minimum 2.0 MEF / 6.0 WF in 2011. Federal tax incentives are available to manufacturers of clothes washers with a minimum 2.0 MEF / 6.0 WF as well as 2.2 MEF / 4.5 WF. DOE is scheduled to complete a rulemaking on stronger standards by December 31st, 2011. The revised standards would become effective January 1st, 2015. A standard requiring an MEF of 2.0 would save 79 TWh and 419 Bcf (for a total of about 1.2 quads of primary energy) cumulatively by 2030 and generate $15.6 billion in net present value savings. In addition, a 6.0 WF standard would save about 550 billion gallons of water annually by 2030. Even higher standards may be merited.

KEY FACTS: About 83% of U.S. households have a clothes washer. The vast majority of clothes washers in the U.S., almost 92%, are vertical axis (top-loading) clothes washers, though the stock of horizontal axis (front-loading) is slowly increasing (EIA 2008a). Although all clothes washers are electrically powered, around 90% of the energy consumed is used to heat water (EPA 2008). Efficiency improvements can therefore arise from advances in mechanical technology (efficient motors) and reductions in the amount of water consumed to clean a given volume of laundry. We estimate that increasing the MEF to 2.0 would reduce the mechanical electricity consumption as well as electricity and natural gas used for water heating by 30%.

• Federal Documentation (DOE Web site)

Update
On April 15, 2010, DOE began to issue analytical results and tools to key stakeholders involved in the negotiation for potential energy conservation standards for clothes washers. (June 2010)

Press Release
Efficiency Advocates Announce Landmark Agreement on Higher Energy and Water Efficiency Standards May 1, 2007

Press Release
U.S. Department of Energy Moves to Roll Back New Appliance Efficiency Standards
April 4, 2001

Press Release
Breakthrough agreement boosts washer efficiency
May 23, 2000