Higher A/C Efficiency Standards in the Works

The U.S. Department of Energy is proposing new energy-efficiency standards
for central air conditioning that would increase efficiency by 30 percent. DOE seeks
comments and collaboration from the energy industry, energy-efficiency advocates and
environmentalists on the final proposal. The new standard is slated to take effect by December 2000. “What is clear regarding power outages is that we’ve got to improve the reliability of the electricity supply and cut peak demand,” said Dan Reicher, assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy. “The most important way to cut peak demand is to cut air-conditioning load.”

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