May 24, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Rebecca Foster, Residential Program Manager, 617-589-3949, ext. 207
Howard Newman, Communications Director, 617-589-3949, ext. 209

Agreement reached on raising clothes washer standards
Efficiency levels will increase by 35 percent, saving energy and money
On May 23, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that an agreement had been reached to increase federal minimum standards for residential clothes washers by 35 percent over the current standard. While full implementation of this standard will not take place until 2007, new requirements for manufacturers will be mandated by 2004.

CEE's Residential Clothes Washer Initiative, a national program launched in 1993, contributed to this landmark agreement by promoting high-efficiency specifications for clothes washers and fostering consumer acceptance of new technologies. In fact, the new federal standards are roughly equivalent to CEE's high-efficiency specifications.

"Our members and initiative sponsors have worked hard to promote high-efficiency clothes washers over the past seven years," said CEE Residential Program Manager Dana Banks, who heads up the Residential Clothes Washer Initiative. "This agreement was made possible by the increased demand for these products by consumers. When we first started, high efficiency-clothes washers were not even available from domestic manufacturers. They were a niche product. Now they're becoming the norm."

This new federal minimum culminates months of negotiation between manufacturers and advocacy groups, prompted by the DOE's commitment to a higher standard. "We'd like to recognize the contributions of CEE members and allies, and the manufacturers whose recommendations led to this agreement," Banks said.

CEE members and allies supporting the agreement include the Natural Resources Defense Council, Alliance to Save Energy, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Northwest Power Planning Council, Pacific Gas & Electric, the California Energy Commission, the American Water Works Association and the Appliance Standards Awareness Project.

Two-step process
The new standard will be implemented in two steps. Clothes washers manufactured after 2004 will be required to meet a modified energy factor (MEF) of 1.04 (20 percent more efficient than the current standard). This level will remain in effect until 2007, at which time an MEF of 1.26 (35 percent higher than the current standard) will be required. For comparison, the current MEF is 0.817.

Tax credits for manufacturers
The agreement also proposes a $60 million tax incentive for each manufacturer marketing the improved models prior to the 2004 deadline. If implemented, credits will be available from 2001-2006. Under the incentive, the credits will be based on two efficiency tiers. The first tier will provide a credit of $50 per unit for any products manufactured at 1.26 MEF or higher. The second tier will provide a credit of $100 for washers manufactured at 1.42 MEF or better, or at 1.5 MEF after 2004.

ENERGY STAR levels also increase
In related news, ENERGY STAR^® levels for clothes washers are scheduled to rise in 2004. The measurement used for these levels is changing from Energy Factor (EF) to the MEF. In 2001, the ENERGY STAR specification for clothes washers will be 1.26 MEF. The required MEF will then increase to 1.42 in 2004.