EPA ending EnergyStar program
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wrote 28 days ago last edited by Mik 5 Jul 2025, 13:07
Not quite sure what to think about this. Is it redundant? Have you bought an appliance in the last 20 years that didn't have this sticker? I question its relevance. Sadly the article contains not info on how much the program costs.
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wrote 28 days ago last edited by
Evidently the budget is around 38 million. Proponents say it saves consumers 40 billion. I'm not so sure that is true.
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wrote 28 days ago last edited by
The federal budget to maintain the guidelines is probably pretty small. It may well save 40B in electricity costs. How much does it add to design and manufacturing costs? Unclear. And probably not included in the 40B estimate.
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wrote 28 days ago last edited by Mik 5 Jul 2025, 13:31
Where I come down on this is while getting the sticker is voluntary, aren't there regulations that govern energy usage? Would any consumer (who looks) buy an energy hog? I suppose it had a purpose at the time but that may be obsolete today. I'd need to know more to really call it.
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wrote 28 days ago last edited by
I’m not entirely sure that it’s even necessary when considering Canada, the EU, et al have their own energy saving regulations that match up, Whirlpool is not going to suddenly start building with entirely different components that are more of energy hogs just for the US…
Another argument that could be made is that it might allow a little grace to for a new manufacturer in the US to start building with less regulations. It would also allow them to build a “less smart” appliance with fewer chips and such…
It effectively removes the energy star tax credit, though.
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wrote 28 days ago last edited by Mik 5 Jul 2025, 15:45
And I wonder how much revenue that is costing. I cannot find that anywhere, even on Google Gemini. I'm quite sure it's not included in the $38M figure.
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wrote 28 days ago last edited by jon-nyc 5 Jul 2025, 16:54
I agree they won’t make wholesale changes in their line, especially because they probably put good odds on the program being restored in 4 years. But It actually wouldn’t surprise me if they started selling a few stripped down models for cheap that don’t conform aimed at dollar general type shoppers that would see the price tag and not necessarily think too much about energy costs.
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wrote 28 days ago last edited by
New appliances here also carry the Energy Star rating. Has been that since at least the 1980s; maybe earlier. I never realized it was a USEPA programme.
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wrote 28 days ago last edited by
I would expect most manufacturers to continue putting the sticker on compliant models as it has a positive association with most consumers, even in the US.