Slide 26 of 30
- The efficiency of an average new refrigerator increased dramatically, from 3.84 cubic feet per kilowatthour per day in 1972 to 11.22 cubic feet per kilowatthour by 1996.
- New technology, increasing price of electricity, and anticipated energy efficiency standards contributed to increased efficiency in new refrigerators.
- The National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987 set minimum efficiency standards for 13 product types, including refrigerators. After 1993, no refrigerator could be sold that did not meet the standards. Standards will be updated again in 2002.
Source: Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, Refrigerators Energy Efficiency and Consumption Trends, July 14, 1997.
Note(s): The efficiency of a refrigerator is expressed in "volume cooled per unit electric energy per day." Volume is measured in cubic feet and electrical energy is measured in kilowatthours. Increased efficiency compensates for the increasing size of refrigerators. Average efficiency is the sales-weighted average over all models sold in the United States.
