Since 2011, the Canadian Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been releasing their Energy Star Most Efficient list on a yearly basis. This list basically tells Canadians and Americans which products they ought to purchase if they care about the environment, their carbon footprint and… their energy bills! A total of 22 categories and subcategories of energy-efficient products was considered for 2013.
A few words about Energy Star
Before presenting some 2013 Energy Star Most Efficient products, it is worth shortly introducing Energy Star. Energy Star is an EPA voluntary program was put in place in 1992. It helps consumers, organizations and businesses make environmentally wise choices regarding products, services and practices by giving out Energy Star certifications to those who have achieved a certain degree of energy-efficiency. During its first 20 years of existence, Energy Star is said to have helped Americans avoid the emission of more than 1.8 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases.
Although Energy Star certifies industrial plants, homes and commercial buildings, its most famous target is industrial products. In order to receive the Energy Star label, a given product first has to be tested in an EPA-recognized laboratory in order to assess its energy efficiency. Getting the label once, however, does not mean keeping it forever since a certain percentage of the certified products are tested every year in order to ensure that their quality has not decreased over time. And among all the Energy Star certified products, some qualify for a short list that represents the leading edge of energy efficiency: this is the Energy Star Most Efficient, and here are some of the products that made it to this small group this year.
Television sets
Americans spend about 34 hours every week in front of their television, watching their favourite shows. This is almost 5 hours per day. Although it is hard to believe, considerable amounts of energy can be wasted through TV watching, especially when the model is not energy-efficient or when its users leave it on even when they are not watching. In effect, some TVs can cost more than $100 every year just in terms of energy supply.
The 2013 Energy Star Most Efficient TVs consume much less than that. Based on a daily 5-hour watching period and on a national average cost of 11.5 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity, the TVs with a 32-inch screen that appear on the 2013 Energy Star Most Efficient list all cost between four and seven dollars every year in terms of energy. The Samsung UN32EH5300F, for instance, only uses about 32 kilowatt-hours per year and therefore entails a tiny 4-dollar energy bill at the end of the year.
Clothes washers
A clothes washer is another kind of appliance that we use quite often and that can consume a lot of energy in the long run. We often are tempted to think just in terms of water use, but in fact, washing machines also consume significant quantities of electricity every time a load is washed. Cutting down on this energy consumption by purchasing a more energy-efficient machine could rapidly offset the potentially higher upfront cost of buying such a modern clothes washer.
Among the 2013 Energy Star Most Efficient large clothes washer (larger than 2.5 cubic feet), many cost under $100 for a full year in terms of electricity. Based on an average of 7.5 loads per week and on the same energy cost as above, the 3.86 cubic-feet Frigidaire FAFS4174 only costs between $77 and $82 per year. Also 3.86 cubic-feet, the Samsung WF398A*PA** has a similar energy-cost range. If you are looking for a new machine, it is more than considering these options. Other highly energy-efficient products such as refrigerators, air conditioners, computer displays, ceiling fans and windows also are listed. Taking the time to look of the 2013 Energy Star Most Efficient list could pay off in the long run while helping preserve the environment.
About the author: Alexandre Duval is a blogger for www.service2000.ca, an appliance repair company in Montreal.
Great read. So many older appliances are terrible for sucking electricity, but buying new, energy efficient electronics and appliances is good, but sometimes not enough. What about recycling those old ones? A lot of the parts and models may be obsolete, but can be refashioned into new through recycling! There are some recycling programs around for this. At least we’re making them better now.