“It seems that almost everything that plugs in or fires up around the house is either subject to a pending regulation or soon will be,” Ben Lieberman, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, told Fox News.
Lieberman was responding to the news that the Biden administration was going to target hot water heaters for more regulation. Apparently, the regulatory gurus at the Department of Energy claim that “the new water heater standards will curb carbon dioxide emissions and save Americans billions in the long-term,” according to a Friday press release.
“Consumers aren’t going to like any of it,” Lieberman continued, according to Fox News. “These rules are almost always bad for consumers for the simple reason that they restrict consumer choice.”
The Biden administration isn’t through with American houses even after “fixing” our non-existent problem with hot water heaters. The Biden administration is planning to issue updated energy standards for other appliances, including “dishwashers, residential laundry machines, refrigerators, and boilers,” according to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
But don’t worry. The administration claims it’s going to save you money
Daily Caller:
The DOE estimates that the new rule will save American consumers $198 billion in energy costs and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 501 million metric tons over 30 years, according to the press release. The projected emissions reduction is equivalent to the combined annual amount of emissions generated by more than 60 million homes, or about half of the homes in the U.S., according to the press release.
“This proposal reinforces the trajectory of consumer savings that forms the key pillar of Bidenomics and builds on the unprecedented actions already taken by this Administration to lower energy costs for working families across the nation,” claims Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. The rule would “improve outdated efficiency standards for common household appliances, which is essential to slashing utility bills for American families and cutting harmful carbon emissions,” she added.
The”key pillar of Bidenomics” is government interference where it isn’t wanted or needed. And you will note that these “green regulations” are making us more and more “efficient” in our energy use and saving us oodles and oodles of money.
Anyone check the math?
Fox News:
Overall, the DOE projected the regulations, which are slated to go into effect in 2029, would save Americans about $198 billion while curbing emissions by 501 million metric tons over the next three decades. That’s roughly the same carbon footprint as 63 million homes or half of all homes nationwide.
Under the rule, the federal government would require higher efficiency for heaters using heat pump technology or, in the case of gas-fired water heaters, to achieve efficiency gains through condensing technology. Non-condensing gas-fired water heaters, though, are far cheaper and smaller, meaning they come with lower installation costs.
Limiting choice is the government’s idea of saving us money. Personally, I’d prefer manufacturers to have the freedom to make us these super-duper efficient appliances and give us a choice if we want to buy the carbon-spewing models. I would wager that the efficient appliances under a system like that would be a lot less expensive than under a Bidenomics system.
