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Home Energy Magazine Online September/October 1993
TRENDS IN ENERGY
Trends in Energy is a bulletin of residential energy
conservation issues. It covers items ranging from the latest policy issues to
the newest energy technologies. If you have items that would be of interest,
please send them to: Trends Department, Home Energy, 2124 Kittredge St.,
No. 95, Berkeley, CA 94704.
Whirlpool Wins
Whirlpool Corporation has been named the winner of the much talked about
Super Efficient Refrigerator Program (SERP) contest. Major U.S. appliance
manufacturers competed against one another in a $30 million race to manufacture
a chlorofluorocarbon-free "super-efficient" fridge. Whirlpool--the nation's
second largest refrigerator maker--must now produce and distribute 250,000 SERP
refrigerators during 1994-1997 to collect the prize. The fridges must be at
least 25% more energy-efficient than 1993 federal standards require.
SERP, a consortium that includes 24 utilities, will award the $30 million
"golden carrot" award in the form of rebates (roughly $100) as the
refrigerators reach the market. The $30 million is derived from a pool.
Utilities committed between $150,000 and $7 million each, with the amounts
proportional to the number of residential customers they serve (see "The Race
to Make The Fridge of The Future," HE Jan/Feb '93, p.36, and
"Super-Efficient Refrigerator Finalists," HE Mar/Apr '93, p.9).
Manufacturers were judged on efficiency improvements and their ability to
deliver the products to market and track customer purchases. Whirlpool and
Frigidaire Company were selected as contest finalists in December 1992 and
subsequently built prototypes and submitted final bids.
How did Whirlpool revamp its fridge? The most formidable challenge was
replacing ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Whirlpool opted to
replace CFC-11, used to insulate refrigerators, with HCFC-141b. The CFC-12
refrigerant, also known as Freon, was replaced with HFC-134a. These
substitutions had a domino effect on other components of the refrigerator. For
instance, the compressor had to be redesigned for HFC-134a. Along the way,
valving changes and a more efficient motor made the new compressor more
energy-efficient. While the first model will not use vacuum panels for
insulation, (there was much speculation about whether it would) future SERP
units may use this technology.
Other changes in the SERP unit include a redesigned condenser fan motor, a
thicker front door, a new defrost control, and a simple change to a run-off
pipe. The pipe, which is used for water during the defrost cycle, was bent to
prevent warm air from moving back into the refrigerator--for a 1% energy
savings. The defrost control is equipped with a microchip that uses "fuzzy
logic" to adapt to temperature changes. Allowing the unit to defrost when
needed instead of in regular cycles saves energy.
For proprietary reasons, Whirlpool refuses to be more specific about the
technologies it is using in the SERP unit until it reaches the marketplace. And
the company won't say exactly how much energy the first unit will use. All
Whirlpool will divulge is that it exceeds the required 25% efficiency
improvement. Whirlpool expects to eventually manufacture SERP refrigerators in
a variety of models, but again, won't say which models or features will be
available. Further, different models may require design changes.
The first model will be a side-by-side 22 ft3 refrigerator-freezer
unit. Company spokeswoman Carol Sizer said Whirlpool went with this
configuration because it already had developed a side-by-side unit that was 15%
more efficient than 1993 federal standards required. (Federal regulations
already require 1993 units to be nearly 30% more efficient than required in
1990.) Retailers will set the price, but Whirlpool will sell SERP units for the
same price as comparable fridges (the same size with similar features).
The first model is not a low-end product. Similarly sized side-by-side units
typically retail for $1,000-$1,400. "We don't anticipate any difficulties
selling these because they will be comparably priced," said Sizer. "The big
challenge will be selling them in non-SERP markets where there is no rebate."
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