The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and efficiency organizations including the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) have submitted a petition to the ENERGY STAR program to recognize the benefits of smart appliances and jump start the smart grid. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) estimates that implementing smart grid technologies could reduce electricity use by more than four% annually by 2030. Smart appliances can have an even more profound impact on reducing expensive peak demand.
The petition urges the ENERGY STAR program to incorporate a 5% credit to the energy performance level required to meet ENERGY STAR eligibility criteria for smart grid-enabled appliances as soon as possible. AHAM and efficiency organizations agree that the incorporation of this incentive for smart grid-enabled appliances will increase the deployment of these products across the country.