Energy Star Appliances
Today, much of the world’s electricity is still produced through coal plants and water turbines. Coal is a non-renewable source of energy; its combustion releases greenhouse gases and soot. Water turbines require the building of large dams, severely disrupting surrounding ecosystems.
A top priority should be reducing the amount of electricity we use. However, a modern home has many electrical appliances and technologies. It would be unrealistic for your family to stop using the fridge, or to prohibit research for homework on the computer. On the other hand, some fridges and some computers use far less energy than others.
The next time you purchase an appliance or an electronic device, must you look up the energy specifications of potential buys? Quick, grab a notebook and write down the energy stats for all 20 cubic feet fridges. But thanks to Energy Star, we can be lazy.
Energy Star is a designation given to appliances and other electronic products that utilize less energy. Emerging first in 1992 as a government program in the United States, the Energy Star Standard has since then been adopted in Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, and the European Union. It is now considered an international standard.
What appliances are eligible to receive the Energy Star? They must use significantly less energy than their standard counterparts. An Energy Star dishwasher, for instance, must use at least 41% less energy than a regular dishwasher. A refrigerator, on the other hand, needs a 20% reduction to qualify for Energy Star. An Energy Star air conditioner uses 10% less electricity.
Electronics are also subject to Energy Star standards. An Energy Star television, for instance, uses 30% less electricity. Battery chargers, VCRs, and cordless phones must use 90% less energy than average to qualify for Energy Star.
The Energy Star qualifications around computers are more stringent. The new Energy Star standard requires that the computer’s power supply unit follows the 80 PLUS program. What does that mean? The power supply unit must be at least 80% efficient at 20%, 50% and 100% power loads. So if the unit receives 1000 watts of power, it should be using at least 800 watts of it.
When purchasing appliances and electronics, look for the Energy Star logo. Most department, home improvement and furniture stores should have a few Energy Star options in each category. The Energy Star tag attached to the item will clearly lay out how much electricity and money you would save by using this appliance in one year.
Nothing is perfect, and the Energy Star system is no exception. For instance, in December 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency of the Inspector General published a report on the Energy Star program. The report found that Energy Star’s claims of energy reduction were inaccurate, or unverified.
The testing of energy efficiency flouts the basic methods of research. The manufacturers tested their own products, and submitted their own results—a blatant conflict of interest. The data submitted by manufacturers was rarely verified by Energy Star. Outdated tests were used, when new methods were available. Although Energy Star may be unreliable, it remains the best system for determining energy savings. However, to ascertain your choice, do additional research.
