Savings potential of Energy Star{reg{underscore}sign} voluntary labeling programs

Conference · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1998

OSTI ID:20006383

Webber, C A; Brown, R E

In 1993 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced Energy Star{reg{underscore}sign}, a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products. Since then EPA, now in partnership with the US Department of Energy (DOE), has introduced programs for more than twenty products, spanning office equipment, residential heating and cooling equipment, new homes, commercial and residential lighting, home electronics, and major appliances. The authors present potential energy, dollar and carbon savings forecasts for these programs for the period 1998 to 2010. The target market penetration case represents the best estimate of future Energy Star savings. It is based on realistic market penetration goals for each of the products. The authors also provide results under the assumption of 100% market penetration; that is, they assume that all purchasers buy Energy Star-compliant products instead of standard efficiency products throughout the analysis period. Finally, they assess the sensitivity of the target penetration case forecasts to greater or lesser marketing success by EPA and DOE, lower-than-expected future energy prices, and higher or lower rates of carbon emission by electricity generators. The potential savings of Energy Star are substantial. If all purchasers chose Energy Star-compliant products instead of standard efficiency products over the next 15 years, they would save more than $100 billion on their energy bills during those 15 years. (Bill savings are in 1995 dollars, discounted at a 4% real discount rate.)

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: Environmental Protection Agency; US Department of Energy
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 20006383
• Report Number(s): CONF-980815--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS
FORECASTING
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS