April 16, 2008—The US Department of Energy (DOE) has established new Energy Star criteria for water heaters, setting the wheels in motion for the first water heaters to carry the Energy Star label next year.
The new criteria apply to solar water heaters, advanced drop-in integrated heat pump water heaters, and three gas-fired designs: high-performance storage tank, condensing, and whole-home tankless water heaters.
The criteria will be implemented across two years, with the first phase to be initiated on January 1, 2009. The second phase, introducing stronger standards, will take effect on September 1, 2010.
According to DOE projections, these new water heater criteria could, after five years of being implemented, save about $780 million in utility costs, avoid 4.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and achieve cumulative energy savings of more than 3.9 billion kilowatt-hours and 270 million therms of natural gas.
