You may have heard the term Energy Star product when shopping for electric devices and even when reading this blog. But what exactly is an Energy Star product?
Put simply, the Energy Star label is a government-backed symbol put on products that live up to Environmental Protection Agency standards for energy efficiency. That means they’re products that not only save the consumer on energy costs but also help protect the environment.
The government created the Energy Star system in 1992 through the EPA and the Department of Energy. Devices carrying the Energy Star service mark—such as computer products and peripherals, kitchen appliances, buildings and other products—generally use 20–30% less energy than required by federal standards.
Think about that. Replacing an appliance with an Energy Star appliance means 20 to 30% savings on electrical use. Devices, such as dishwashers, can reduce electricity use by as much as 41%.
Further, the Energy Star label was established to:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants caused by the inefficient use of energy
- Make it easy for consumers to identify and purchase energy-efficient products that offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance, features, and comfort.
It’s not always easy for a product to get this rating as the EPA applies a pretty stringent set of requirements for the Energy Star label. These requirements are defined by a set of guiding principles.
The guidelines are:
- Product categories must contribute significant energy savings nationwide.
- Certified products must deliver the features and performance demanded by consumers, in addition to increased energy efficiency.
- If the certified product costs more than a conventional, less-efficient counterpart, purchasers will recover their investment in increased energy efficiency through utility bill savings, within a reasonable period of time.
- Energy efficiency can be achieved through broadly available, non-proprietary technologies offered by more than one manufacturer.
- Product energy consumption and performance can be measured and verified with testing.
- Labeling would effectively differentiate products and be visible for purchasers.
In other words, when you see an Energy Star label, you know that the product has passed energy efficiency tests, it can demonstrate that it will pass on savings to the consumer while still doing the job it’s designed to do, and uses readily available technology.
You can tell a product has received an Energy Star rating by looking at the yellow energy guide label on new appliances.
Of course, most electronic devices are fairly energy efficient these days, and it may not make economic sense to replace relatively new devices and appliances with an expensive new model for a small reduction in energy use.
But if you’ve still got a 30-year-old power-sucking fridge chugging away in the house, or the old fridge died regardless of its age, a switch to a new Energy Star model could make a noticeable difference on your electric bill.
And in the end, every little bit of savings helps.
Do you live in Gloucester County and want to learn about the electrical services that we offer? Call us at 856.769.3932.