Biden administration proposes more stringent efficiency standards for refrigerators, clothes washers

The Energy Department on Friday proposed to require new household refrigerators and clothes washers to meet a more stringent sets of energy efficiency standards.

It said that the move will save energy and money for consumers.  

Consumers who use appliances meeting the proposed standards will save about $425 on utility bills over the life of the appliances, the department said in a statement. 

The two rules would also cut carbon dioxide emissions by 233 million metric tons over 30 years, according to the administration. This is equal to about the total emissions of 29 million homes over the course of a year.

The rules would be expected to take effect in 2027. 

The proposals come amid a broader effort to address what the administration has described as a “vast backlog of outdated energy efficiency standards” and to “remedy the rollbacks and procedural roadblocks left by the prior Administration.”