Many Fridges, Freezers Soon Won’t Be Available In New York State

Several home appliances will soon be banned in hopes of saving the environment and saving you money

Just before the New Year, the Biden Administration announced a new rule that will impose stricter energy efficiency standards for residential refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers.

New Rules For Refrigerators, Freezers In New York

"DOE has determined that the amended energy conservation standards for these products would result in significant conservation of energy, and are technologically feasible and economically justified," the Energy Policy and Conservation Act states.

The Department of Energy believes the new rules will eliminate 420 million metric tons of "dangerous carbon dioxide emissions" over the next 30 years and save American households and businesses $5 billion per year on their utility bills.

"The Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to lowering utility costs for working families, which is helping to simultaneously strengthen energy independence and combat the climate crisis,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement. “DOE will continue to move quickly in 2024—together with our industry partners and stakeholders—to update and strengthen outdated energy efficiency standards, which is critical to innovation, more consumer options, and healthier communities.”

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The new rules will take older and less efficient models off the market by 2029 or 2030, depending on the setup of the refrigerator or freezer.

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"The energy savings over 30 years of shipments is 5.6 quadrillion British thermal units, which represents a savings of 11% relative to the energy use of products currently on the market. DOE estimates that the standards would save consumers $36.4 billion over 30 years of shipments and result in cumulative emission reductions of nearly 101 million metric tons of carbon dioxide—an amount roughly equivalent to the combined annual emissions of 12.7 million homes," the DOE added in a press release.

This will mark the first time in over a decade that efficiency standards were updated for residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers, officials note.

“Refrigerator technology keeps improving, and today the standards are catching up to ensure every new model uses key energy-saving features,” Appliance Standards Awareness Project executive director Andrew deLaski stated. “It’s going to mean a more cost-effective product for consumers and one that’s easier on the climate. It has been particularly encouraging to see the manufacturers embrace this continued significant progress.”

The standards will reduce new refrigerator and freezer energy use by approximately 10 to 15 percent by 2029 or 2030, according to the Appliance Standards Awareness Project.

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"Models meeting the new standards will likely use some combination of more-efficient compressors and fan motors and better insulation. In particular, most new models in the major product categories are expected to use variable-speed compressors (found in some models today). These compressors run longer at a lower speed, which means they stop and start less frequently; they can also keep foods at more consistent temperatures," the Appliance Standards Awareness Project states.

You Won't Have To Get Rid Of Old Fridges

A spokesperson for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy confirmed to Hudson Valley the new standards won't "any person to get rid of refrigerators or any other appliance they have."

The new standards will only concern "sales of new models."