Technical Support Document: Energy Use Projections for Four Consumer Products

摘要

This report summarizes an investigation conducted to forecast the amount of energy savings which could be attributed to energy efficiency standards for four consumer products as well as to determine the economic impact of such standards on consumers. The four consumer products are dishwashers, television sets, clothes washers, and humidifiers and dehumidifiers. Energy savings were forecasted for two levels of energy efficiency standards. Since the standard levels selected were greater than the energy efficiency at the minimum life cycle point, energy efficiency standards could result in increased life cycle costs for all four products. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to determine the effect that different projections of consumer purchasing behavior during a no-standards scenario would have on the forecasts of energy savings. Standards for the four products probably would not result in significant conservation of energy. The economic impact of such standards could result in higher first costs and increased life cycle costs for all four products. (ERA citation 10:020824)