Clothes Washers Surpass New Standards

In May, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced a major agreement by appliance manufacturers and energy efficiency advocates to improve residential clothes washers. The agreement includes new minimum energy efficiency standards, tax credits for manufacturers who produce washers that exceed them, and new qualification levels for washers to obtain the Energy Star label designation. At press time, the proposed standards were expected to be published during the summer. However, you don't have to wait for machines that meet the proposed standards.

While the agreement is subject to a final ruling by DOE, it is expected that the joint recommendations by manufacturers and efficiency advocates will be accepted and written into the final standards. The standards include a 21% reduction in energy by 2004 and a 35% reduction by 2007.

Many manufacturers currently offer products that meet the proposed standards. Besides the new Fisher & Paykel, (see "Vertical-Axis Washer Beats the Odds," HE July/Aug '00, p. 13), there are already on the market horizontal-axis washers from major manufacturers that meet the expected standards, though at present these front-loading machines cost several hundred dollars more than standard top-loading washers. The front-loaders require 23 gallons of water per load, as opposed to 40 gallons for a standard top-loader, a significant energy difference, since 85% of the energy used for washing clothes is for heating the water. Spin cycles of more than 800 rpm also wring more water out of clothes. A 1997 study of 100 households conducted by DOE and Maytag demonstrated water savings of 38% and energy savings of 56% with front-loaders. It should be noted that the existing test procedure does not account for the energy saved by the faster spin cycles; a new test procedure accounting for this will become effective with the new minimum-efficiency levels.

Starting in July 2000, the Energy Guide labels for horizontal- and vertical-axis washing machines were combined.

The DOE agreement participants include the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, Alliance Laundry Systems, Amana, Asko, Frigidaire, General Electric Appliances, Maytag, Miele, Fisher & Paykel, and Whirlpool. Other organizations that support this agreement include the Natural Resources Defense Council; the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy; the Alliance to Save Energy; the Northwest Power Planning Council; the City of Austin, Texas; Pacific Gas & Electric Company; the Appliance Standards Awareness Project; and the California Energy Commission.

Meanwhile, the next round of refrigerator standards kicks in this January. New refrigerators will use less energy than similar models of only a few years ago and probably less than one-third as much as the older unit being replaced. The savings will be so large that many consumers will be able to notice the reduction in their electric bills.

--Doug Peckler

Doug Peckler is associate editor of Home Energy.

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