Energy Adviser: Improving appliances’ efficiency agency’s goal

You’ve just outfitted your kitchen with those neat Energy Star appliances that not only look good but save energy and money every month. You know Energy Star is a government program that works with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency promoting energy efficiency by offering incentives and rebates on specified products and appliances. Of course, you read the yellow ENERGYGUIDE labels carefully when shopping around. So, your appliances couldn’t be more efficient. Or could they?

An organization you’ve probably never heard of is working behind the scenes to make kitchen appliances super efficient. The Consortium for Energy Efficiency has been around since 1991. Unlike Energy Star, it’s not a household name, because CEE doesn’t place labels on appliances. CEE mainly teams up with manufacturers to develop energy-stingy products and then forms initiatives to create acceptance for them.

One of the CEE initiatives is the Super Efficient Home Appliance Initiative that furnishes specifications for super efficiency according to its three levels of energy-efficient performance. An appliance manufacturer can choose to meet any of these for washers, refrigerators, dishwashers and air conditioners. CEE works with manufacturers at their research and development stage to create or improve energy-efficient technologies. Once these are developed, it helps create awareness and demand for new energy-efficient designs. In short, CEE is more of an influencer trying to increase public demand for greater energy-saving appliances so manufacturers will make them, while also working to improve manufacturers’ understanding of the impact of energy efficiency.

Although CEE doesn’t test products, it does validate the energy efficiency of product and appliance designs for electrical and water usage. Its criteria are similar to Energy Star, but not exactly the same. The agencies are working separately to make sure more energy-efficient appliances come to market, which is why Energy Star and CEE ratings overlap.

Categorized by tiers

CEE tags appliances in tiers two and three as super-efficient energy savers. For clothes washers, Energy Star-qualified washing machines fall into tier one. Clothes washers in tiers two and three have both higher energy and water saving ratings. Many Energy Star refrigerators also fall in CEE tier one in terms of energy savings.

“Because refrigeration can account for up to 10 percent of your annual energy use, it’s a good place to start to save energy,” said Matthew Babbitts, residential program manager for the utility. “Replacing an old fridge or freezer with a qualified Energy Star model can help you cut wasted energy. We will even send a recycling company to your home to pick up your old fridge or freezer and credit your utility account with $30.”

Clark Public Utilities offers rebates on Energy Star-qualified appliances purchased from an approved local retailer. If you’re considering a new appliance go to the utility’s website, click on “Your Home” and click on “Energy Conservation” and then “Rebates.” There you will find the list of product categories qualifying for 2013 rebates and the rebate amount. You’ll also see a link to qualified retailers offering these appliances.

The CEE website provides detailed information on appliances under the “CEE Program Resources” and the “Residential” bar on the page.

Asking approved local retailers whether they have the super-efficient appliances in the CEE tier two and three categories may boost your electric and water savings even more. Appliances in these categories will be appearing in stores this fall.

Energy adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.