Energy efficiency program for room air conditioners, central air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and heat pumps
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) mandates energy efficiency programs for many household appliances including room air conditioners (RAC), central air conditioners (CAC), dehumidifiers (DH) and heat pumps (HP). A program for these four appliances was undertaken to: obtain baseline data for all categories of products by test, market survey, or otherwise, as appropriate; determine technologically feasible levels for energy efficiency improvement targets (EEITs) for 1980; and evaluate the economic impacts associated with the technologically feasible EEITs. The procedures for and results of testing, analytically modeling, and analyzing the performance of these appliances and of determining the economic impact of proposed efficiency improvements are discussed. It is concluded that there is no basis for indicating that RAC, CAC, and HP efficiencies could or should be increased beyond the higher levels represented in today's market. Conversely, it does appear that today's lower efficiency products can be improved to higher levels of efficiency with little purchase price impact on the consumer. The greatest energy savings are achieved by increasing the efficiency of the lowest EER/COP products, and the purchase price impacts are the smallest for such changes. Most of the economic impact analyses indicated very little cost impact for increasing EERs to 7.5 or 8.5 depending on the product category. The data for DHs are so limited that it is exceptionally difficult to determine how efficient they might be, and at what cost. It appears that energy consumption is not a major consideration in DH design, with possibly a few exceptions. (LCL)
- Research Organization:
- Science Applications, Inc., La Jolla, Calif. (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6798791
- Report Number(s):
- SAI-77-858-LJ
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
320100* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Buildings
AIR CONDITIONERS
AIR CONDITIONING
APPLIANCES
BUILDINGS
DEHUMIDIFIERS
ECONOMIC IMPACT
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GAS APPLIANCES
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT PUMPS
LAWS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
STANDARDS
TESTING