New washing machine efficiency standards proposed by the Biden administration last month have sparked concern from some manufacturers and trade associations that fear the new machines could be less effective and more costly for U.S. consumers.
The Department of Energy said the new efficiency standards, which seek to reduce emissions from both washing machines and refrigerators, will save consumers an estimated $3.5 billion annually on energy and water bills. U.S. households will save an estimated $425 in utility bills over the lifespan of the appliances, DOE said.
But manufacturers and trade groups say these efficiency standards will not come without a cost, both literally and figuratively, for consumers.
Among other things, the new efficiency standards would reduce the water used by washing machines and lower the water temperatures during some wash cycles. But this could negatively affect performance: Higher water temperatures are needed to remove many types of stains, white residue, and particulates from laundry effectively, Whirlpool said in a January filing.
Meanwhile, the lower water levels could cause longer wash times and limit the effectiveness of some detergents.
Using less water during the wash cycle also means the machines must operate at a higher torque, which creates higher stress on many components and requires longer periods for the motor to cool between cycles, manufacturers noted.
In January, Whirlpool told DOE it expects “profound impacts” from the proposed standards, including higher product cost and negative effects on product performance from the lower water use and temperatures included in the proposed rule.
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Higher product costs are also expected. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers told DOE the regulations “would have a disproportionate, negative impact on low-income households” by forcing cheaper laundry machines off the market and driving up upfront costs for consumers.
And in a joint filing with AHAM last month, the Coin Laundry Association, a trade group representing the self-service laundry industry, told DOE it is unlikely that there would be “any noticeable savings” associated with the amended standards for commercial clothes washers.
“Like many efficiency standards, the government claims that although these standards will raise the cost of appliances, they are justified because they will reduce consumer spending on energy and water even more. Of course, if that were true, consumers would likely buy more efficient appliances anyway, given that studies show consumers consider energy and water costs,” James Coleman, a senior AEI fellow, told Fox News.
“The proposal also argues that it won’t reduce appliance performance, but skepticism is warranted because past regulations have often been found to reduce performance,” he added.
DOE is required by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to review appliance efficiency standards regularly. It is not required to increase efficiency standards, though, in the past, it has traditionally done so.
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The rule is part of a broader push on energy efficiency from the Biden administration. To date, it has taken more than 110 actions aimed at strengthening energy efficiency standards for appliances, seeking to lower energy costs and address what it described as a “vast backlog of outdated energy efficiency standards.”
If adopted within DOE’s proposed time frame, the new rules could come into effect as early as 2027.
