Energy efficiency standards should be crafted with consumers in mind. But the Biden administration’s net-zero energy agenda is already driving up the costs of common household appliances.
Some estimates suggest Americans are paying 34% more for appliances compared to 15 years ago. Recent Department of Energy rulemaking targeting more than 15 consumer appliances under the guise of updating the Energy Policy and Conservation Act standards could drive costs even higher.
Equally alarming is a recent revelation that DOE is outsourcing rulemaking authority to “stakeholders,” including radical environmentalists and liberal billionaires eager to dictate what appliances people should own.
Back in April, the DOE announced its new rule on residential water heaters, effective May 2029. The agency claims pivoting from models using electric resistance technology to electric heat pump water heaters will save consumers $1,800 on bills through the lifetime of the appliance and reportedly slash “332 million metric tons” of carbon dioxide.