The
Energy and Consumer Savings Act of 2006 would set minimum energy
efficiency standards for the sale of five new household and commercial
appliances. The bills, H-7610a (Handy) and S-2844 (Roberts), will
reduce energy consumption, lower energy costs and cut pollution from
power plants.
Last
week the Senate approved the Energy and Consumer Savings Act of 2006
unanimously. The bill is posted for a floor vote on the House Calendar
today.
The
Energy and Consumer Savings Act of 2006 would create new energy
efficiency standards for five products, including residential furnaces
and boilers, bottle-type water dispensers, commercial hot food holding
cabinets, walk in refrigerators and freezers, and certain lighting
products. Last year the General Assembly voted to set standards for
thirteen products and the bill was signed by Gov. Carcieri. In the past
six months Massachusetts and Vermont have both approved similar bills.
“Energy
efficiency is the quickest, smartest and cheapest way for Rhode Island
to cut energy costs and reduce pollution from power plants,” said Matt
Auten, Advocate with the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group
(RIPIRG). “These bills are a win-win for energy consumers and for the
environment.
Appliance
efficiency standards are a common sense response to electricity and
natural gas price spikes. Reducing energy waste saves consumers and
businesses money on their energy bills and provides system-wide
benefits like improving the reliability of the electric grid and
reducing demand for natural gas. The net present economic value of the
Energy and Consumer Savings Act is over $100 million and the annual
energy savings are projected to be the equivalent of the annual energy
use of 9,300 households by 2020.
