The Department of Energy has zeroed in on ceiling fans in its continuing effort to make consumer appliances more energy-efficient.
As CBN News has reported, the administration has been pushing for months to propose new energy-efficient standards for Americans’ home appliances including clothes washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, room air conditioners, and gas stoves as a part of its green agenda to reduce air pollution.
The DOE changes would require standard ceiling fans to be more energy efficient, saving Americans approximately $39 over the life span of a new fan.
“DOE’s analyses indicate that the proposed energy conservation standards for ceiling fans would save a significant amount of energy,” the DOE’s proposed rule claimed. The rules would not take effect until 2028.
However, the equipment conversion costs for ceiling fan manufacturers are estimated to be $86 million per year, according to Fox Business.
This revelation led House Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams (R-TX) and other Republicans on the committee to question the proposed rule, claiming it could cause some small manufacturers to go out of business.
In a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, the committee members wrote, “This rule would require numerous small business fan manufacturers to redesign their products and may put between 10 and 30 percent of small business ceiling fan manufacturers out of business.”
The members also listed five questions for the DOE to answer, including whether the department expected small businesses to abandon their product lines or redesign their products.
“It appears that the Department of Energy (DOE) may not have properly considered small entities during this rulemaking process,” the lawmakers wrote.
The letter was signed by Williams, and Reps. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Aaron Bean (R-FL) and Jake Ellzey (R-TX).
Other conservatives responded to the rules as well. “First, they went after your car. Then, they targeted your gas stoves. Now, they are coming for your ceiling fans,” U.S. Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA) tweeted. “America will continue to reject the Biden Climate Police’s authoritarianism.”
First, they went after your car.
Then, they targeted your gas stoves.
Now, they are coming for your ceiling fans.
America will continue to reject the Biden Climate Police’s authoritarianism.
— Congressman Ben Cline (@RepBenCline) August 25, 2023
The standards which are required by Congress were first announced in the Federal Register two months ago. The DOE claims the new rule would save taxpayers up to $369 million a year in energy costs.
In addition, the purchase price of the ceiling fans would only increase by $10 per fan if the new rules are put in place. That extra cost would be made up by energy bill savings in about four years, the DOE estimated.
The public comment period ended Aug. 21. The DOE said it’s reviewing all comments, data, and information in response to the proposed rule in order to inform about the next steps in the rulemaking process.
CBN News reached out to the DOE for comment. In an emailed statement, a DOE spokesperson said, “These proposed standards, which are required by Congress, wouldn’t take effect until 2028, would give Americans more energy efficient options to choose from, and would save hardworking taxpayers up to $369 million per year, while substantially reducing harmful air pollution – a crucial fact that some have conveniently failed to mention.”
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