DOE’s reduced gas stove rule savings estimate sparks criticism.
The Biden Administration Faces Criticism Over Revised Gas Stove Efficiency Rule
The Biden administration has recently faced backlash after revising its estimate for consumer savings under the gas stove energy efficiency rule. The revision, filed by the Department of Energy as part of its “Energy Policy and Conservation Program,” has sparked criticism from industry voices who argue that the changes are not justified by the net benefits.
Lowered Consumer Savings Estimate
Originally, the DOE estimated that the rule, if implemented today, would save U.S. consumers up to $1.7 billion in costs and render approximately half of current U.S. stove models ineligible for purchase. However, the revised estimate now suggests that consumer savings would only amount to about 9 cents per month, marking a significant 30% reduction from the initial projection.
Industry Voices Speak Out
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) has urged the DOE to reconsider its proposed rulemaking in light of the revision. AHAM argues that the proposed “extremely stringent standard” would force consumers to sacrifice important features and access to a wide range of gas stove models on the market, all for the sake of saving mere “pennies” each month.
“The newly released DOE analysis revises downward the potential energy savings from its original cooking product rulemaking proposal, showing that the savings are even less than DOE originally projected and are almost negligible,” the group stated.
The DOE’s recognition that currently available cooking products are more efficient than previously assumed is the primary reason for the changes in projected energy savings, according to AHAM.
Political Opposition
The DOE’s proposed efficiency regulation has not only faced industry criticism but also drawn ire from congressional Republicans. They argue that the regulation of kitchen appliances violates the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, a federal program established in 1979 to set energy conservation standards for consumer products. In response, Republicans introduced the “Save Our Gas Stoves Act” earlier this year, aiming to prevent the DOE from implementing any gas stove bans or restrictions at the federal level.
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