Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM AUGUST 2014 22 A pproximately 13 percent of the average household's energy bill is made up of costs to operate home appliances. 1 Consumers' interest in reducing utility bills—and their carbon footprint—is increasing their interest in energy-efficient products, especially home appliances. Meanwhile, in order to comply with more stringent efficiency standards for appliances, manufacturers are investing in the development of refrigerators that meet the new requirements. With all of these changes, it's increasingly important that you have the information and products consumers look for when they shop. COOL SAVINGS FOR CONSUMERS While many consumers look for high-tech, feature-rich appliances, others focus on energy efficiency and affordability. Manufacturers like GE, with affordably priced appliances that also provide energy savings, have the products they are looking for. The U.S. Department of Energy's new minimum efficiency standards for refrigerators, which go into effect in September, are one example of the new regulations. And, many of the new models in GE's new refrigeration lineup exceed the minimum standards to meet the even higher ENERGY STAR ® requirements. There are several reasons to encourage consumers to replace their old fridge to one of the newer, energy-efficient models: • A new 2014 model fridge uses about 57 percent less electricity than the average refrigerator manufactured in 1999 and improves the environment by helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the local power plant. • A non-dispensing fridge uses less electricity than a model with an ice-maker or water dispenser. 2 • Consumers who want a second refrigerator should consider a new, smaller model that is more efficient and takes up less floor space than the old one they have moved to the basement or garage. • Recycling an old refrigerator is easier than ever. When your customers buy that new, more energy-efficient model from a manufacturer like GE that participates in the EPA's Responsible Appliance Disposal Program, he or she can take comfort that the old refrigerator will be disposed of responsibly if taken away by the delivery crew. THE NEXT CHAPTER IN HOME REFRIGERATION Even as it manufactures today's energy-efficient products, GE is developing refrigeration technology for the future. Since their first wide- spread use in the early 1900s, compressors have been the standard method to obtain the cooling needed for household refrigerators. While that technology has made steady gains in efficiency over time, similar progress in the future is limited. GE has begun working on magnetocaloric refrigeration, a technology that uses magnets instead of compressors to achieve cooling. It is at least 20 percent more efficient than today's technology and, because refrigerants are not used, it dramatically reduces greenhouse gas emissions and does not contribute to ozone depletion. "We figured out how to create heat or cold without a compressor or chemical refrigerants," said Venkat Venkatakrishnan, director of advanced technologies for GE Appliances. "This breakthrough can power your fridge with greater efficiency, and because the technology does not contain traditional refrigerants, recycling refrigerators at end of life will be easier and less costly. GE is leading the development of the next refrigeration revolution." GE expects to make this technology a reality within the next five years. An added benefit is that magnetocaloric technology can be applied to other applications such as HVAC, clothes drying and water heating and has the potential to reduce the average U.S. household's energy consumption by over 60 percent. 3 By offering energy-efficient appliance options today, staying informed on changing appliance efficiency regulations and keeping an eye on what technology lies ahead, you'll be equipped to serve consumers today and into the future. 1 Where Does My Money Go? ENERGY STAR. Retrieved June 27, 2014, from http://www. energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_where_money 2 Cornell University's College of Human Ecology, www.human.cornell.edu 3 U.S. Energy Information Administration's annual energy outlook for the residential sector M A N U F A C T U R E R [ N O T E S ] RO BRINGING THE FUTURE OF ENERGY- EFFICIENT APPLIANCES TO CONSUM ERS

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