Over the past few decades, appliances have made massive gains in energy efficiency. Consumers can turn those gains into savings by replacing their older appliances with new, energy efficient models.
Appliances manufactured today use significantly less energy and water than their predecessors of a quarter century ago. Replacing a 15-year-old refrigerator with a new ENERGY STAR® model, for example, can reduce your carbon footprint by 8,200 pounds and save as much as $260 over the next five years, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Early replacement is an important step toward achieving new gains in energy efficiency.
AHAM estimates that expanded early replacement and recycling could reduce demand by 30-60 million MtCO2 over five years, at a cost of approximately 2.3 ¢/kWh. That translates into an estimated $5-10 billion in savings from lower electricity bills.
Early replacement is a great way to save money, reduce your energy use, and reduce your carbon footprint. Who can argue with that? If you have had your appliances for a while, think about whether you could tap into the savings that early replacement might offer. Don’t know where to start? Use the Department of Energy’s calculator to find out how much you could save by replacing your refrigerator.
