WASHINGTON (TND) -- The Biden administration has rolled out several new environmental regulations over the last several years in an effort to curb carbon emissions and create more efficient appliances that the White House says will lower costs for consumers.
According to the administration, efficiency standards for household appliances like washing machines and refrigerators have not been updated in more than a decade. The changes that have been proposed or are under consideration would force companies to create even more efficient appliances than what is available on the market in some instances, moves they say will save consumers billions over the long run.
Household appliances consume a significant chunk of energy use in the United States and the Biden administration is hoping to curb the greenhouse gas emissions caused by creating electricity to run them by implementing higher efficiency standards for products found in most homes.
The moves have received harsh backlash from some consumer choice advocates and Republican lawmakers, who have accused the administration of limiting Americans' choices and make appliances more expensive.
A look at some of the items subject to new regulations:
WATER HEATERS
The Department of Energy adopted stricter efficiency standards for residential water heaters earlier this year, shifting electric water heaters to heat pumps that use roughly half as much energy compared to older models. Water heaters powered by natural gas would also be required to meet higher efficiency standards.
New water heaters would have to meet the standards starting in 2029 and would result in over half of them using heat pump technology, compared to 3% in 2024, according to the department.
It does not affect water heaters that are already installed and will only apply to new units that are available on the market when the 2029 deadline hits.
The Department of Energy said the new standards will save Americans nearly $1 trillion over 30 years and the average family $100 a year or more through lower utility bills. But claims of saving have been disputed by some due to higher installation costs than used in government estimates and concerns about whether manufacturers will be able to make the units as affordable as what is already available.
Multiple states, counties and cities have enacted phase-outs of gas-powered lawn equipment like leaf blowers and lawn mowers in recent years, though that effort has not reached the federal government in any formal regulations being put into place.
Places with bans or limits on the gas-powered equipment include California; Burlington, Vermont; and Washington, D.C., among others, in an effort to curb emissions and cut down on "noise pollution," or sounds that are harmful to life.
Most of the limits on gas-powered lawn equipment have exemptions for homeowners that already own it or during peak cleanup periods like in the fall. But others are working on phasing the sale and use of the equipment out entirely over a set period.
The moves have faced stiff resistance from landscapers and other related businesses that argue that electric versions are less effective and will increase costs through having to buy new equipment and multiple batteries to power them.
FURNACES
Furnaces used to heat homes have been included in the administration's efforts to reduce the use of natural gas in appliances. A standard finalized last year that will take effect in late 2028 will require gas furnaces to achieve an annual fuel utilization efficiency -- how much energy is converted into heat -- of 95%, compared to the current standard of 90%.
While the administration says that furnaces that meet the new standard are already readily available on the market, industry groups say that it will effectively ban many cheaper options.
The moves targeting gas appliances, including stoves, have been challenged in court by natural gas companies and groups. The American Gas Association filed a lawsuit earlier this year seeking to block the Energy Department regulations.
The Biden administration issued a rule in April will effectively eliminate traditional incandescent light bulbs from use. The new efficiency standards will require light bulbs to meet a minimum standard of producing more than 120 lumens (a measure of brightness) per watt and require bulbs to be more energy efficient.
Incandescent bulbs will be highly unlikely to meet those standards, meaning that any new bulbs for sale when they go into effect in July of 2028 will likely by light-emitting diode, or LED, bulbs.
Some incandescent bulbs are exempt from the rule, like those that are used inside ovens.
LED bulbs have already been widely adopted by consumers and businesses for a variety of goods as they last longer and are more energy efficient than traditional bulbs. There are some concerns that the up-front costs of LED bulbs will be damaging to consumers, but supporters of making the switch, which includes the industry, argue that they last significantly longer and are more energy efficient, resulting in savings for consumers that may take longer to notice than some other products.
Overall, the Biden administration estimates the change will save families $1.6 billion on energy costs.
Refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers and other goods like commercial fans and blowers have also been subject to tougher efficiency standards over the last several years.
A heated battle over gas stoves played out over the last couple years, resulting in a watered-down rule issued in 2024 requiring modest improvements for stoves and ovens powered by gas and electricity.
Another rule issued by the Energy Department of dishwashers, fridges, freezers and clothes washers and dryers was reached through a compromise with manufacturers and environmental and consumer groups.
Among the recommendations included in the deal are making new fridges and freezers approximately 10-15% more efficient by 2029 or 2030, depending on the product type. Clothes washers would also use less energy and water by 2028, and dyers would use 40% less energy by 2028.