President Trump has wasted no time in his second term to unravel appliance efficiency standards and take up the cause of the fossil fuel industry. In a column on the Energy in the February issue of Buildings & Industry magazine, Andrew Warren, Chair of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, highlights some of Trump’s latest efforts to turn back the clock.
Burning through America’s energy efficiency standards
It is no secret that the new American President Donald Trump is determined to destroy anything he chooses to describe as “woke”. He is using his” Energy Emergency” to undo as much of current legislation as possible that can be portrayed as not fulfilling his ”drill, baby, drill” mantra.
His hatred of windfarms is notorious. His opposition to photovoltaics is well established, particularly if made in China. He doesn’t like electric vehicles.
But who previously knew about his loathing of modern refrigeration? Or efficient washing machines? Or less wasteful air conditioning units? Or even low flow showers?
Actually, that one is less of a surprise. Trump has long been distressed by the limited water flow from showerheads, saying during his first stint in the White House that he wasn’t getting wet enough in the shower as his hair needed to be “perfect.” Trump has also claimed that people aren’t getting enough water out of their WC fixtures, and so have to flush their toilets 10 or 15 times.
He famously attacked energy-saving light bulb regulations. “They took away our lightbulb. I want an incandescent light. I want to look better, okay?” Campaigning in Wisconsin, Trump incorrectly claimed that under the “green new scam”, his opponents “wanted to rip down all the buildings in Manhattan and they wanted to rebuild them without windows”. No environmental plans ever included removing windows from buildings,
On his first day in office, late last month Trump issued 186 Executive Orders. One little noticed example was, in his words, to deregulate energy standards in appliances. How will he achieve that?
The work has already begun. During last year, there were a whole bunch of Republican congresspeople, more than happy to promote Trump’s anti-energy efficiency agenda. No less than six Acts were passed by the House of Representatives- but were never ratified by the US Senate, because it then boasted a majority backing his predecessor, Joe Biden. That is no longer true.
Each of these Acts followed a consistent theme. Each was promoted by a Republican politician sure to be re-elected. Each basically addressed an electricity consuming item to be found in practically every American building. Each sought to ensure that there are no attempts to help reduce the amount of electricity that this gadget requires.
Uniquely amongst UK publications, this all too obviously coordinated theme was first reported on by this publication (see Eibi June 2023)
So, while the European Union has its Ecodesign regulation that regularly mandates tighter and tighter requirements for efficient electricity consumption in consumer goods, these American politicians seem completely fixated in ensuring that their constituents can be as profligate as possible.
Circling the drain
Representative Andy Ogles, from Tennessee, is behind the Liberty in Laundry Act. This prohibits the government from “prescribing or enforcing energy conservation standards for clothes washers”
His colleague Debbie Lesko is elected in Arizona. She has promoted the Hands Off our Home Appliances Act , which stops the Federal Government from placing new energy conservation standards on any household appliances.
Mississippi electors have chosen Mike Ezell, who has his Clothes Dryer Reliability Act. From Iowa comes Marianette Miller-Meeks, with her Refrigerator Freedom Act. Dan Crenshaw from Texas has an Affordable Air-Conditioning Act. And the New York congressman Nick Langworthy has a Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act.
These Acts are remarkably similar. In Lasko’s case, she seeks to repeal appliance efficiency regulations proposed by the Biden Administration last year—regulations that require refrigerator manufacturers to use less electricity and water over time as technology improves.
The US Department of Energy maintains these regulations, along with efficiency regulations on other appliances, would save Americans about $3.5 billion a year on energy and water bills. Energy efficient appliances are already lowering overall U.S. electricity consumption by 15% annually By 2035, energy efficient standards would cumulatively reduce US annual emissions by an average 81 million tons.
But proponents of the Refrigerator Freedom Act maintain they force Americans to give up the appliances they love. “Americans can hardly afford to stock their refrigerators with food, and now Democrats want to take the damn refrigerator away as well,” Rep. Van Drew from New. Jersey argued during the relevant debate.
Trump has appointed to his Cabinet as energy secretary Chris Wright. He is a Texan who is the CEO of one of American’s largest fracking companies, ironically called Liberty Energy. Hence the Liberty in Laundry Act?
He is also adamantly opposed to the philosophy championed by the late US President Jimmy Carter, who frequently trumpeted the importance of conserving energy – he described as “the moral equivalent of war”.
In direct contrast, Wright’s bombast includes the claim that “any negative impacts of climate change are clearly overwhelmed by the benefits of increasing energy consumption”. In other words, forget about bothering to save any fuel at all. Just burn, baby, burn.
The plan to repeal appliance efficiency standards is enshrined in Project 2025, the 900-page roadmap for Trump’s second term. Project 2025 states clearly: Eliminate energy efficiency standards for appliances. The next Administration should work with Congress to modify or repeal the law mandating energy efficiency standards.
This roadmap reveals why this drive to remove appliance standards exists. It is merely the next chapter of a familiar climate delay playbook, sponsored by the fossil fuel industry anxious to increase sales.
To truly understand these efforts to unravel appliance efficiency standards, you can’t just view each as a simple policy proposal. Think of them as messaging devices to spread fear about efforts to slow the climate crisis.
“Democrats are coming for your kitchen appliances,” tweeted Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) in January 2023. “We thought we were free in America until we met you folks,” said Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa) in a House of Representatives hearing about energy efficiency standards in October 2023. “Dealing with big government is stressful enough, and a good cure for those woes is a long hot shower,” said Rep. Andy Ogles. “But, like most good things, Joe Biden wants to take that away from you too.” Hence that Liberty in Laundry Bill – no doubt a tribute to the new energy secretary’s fracking company. .
This messaging leans into the same language as conspiracy theorists, evoking imagery of bureaucrats marching into people’s homes and snatching up their personal belongings. It is so far from the truth—again, efficiency standards have been in place for decades, backed by industry as well as consumers.
But this “project” serves an important purpose. It turns the public’s focus away from real, present policy issues like public health, utility savings, and the climate crisis. And deliberately turns it toward fake, fully-imagined future ones. Across Europe, we must heed this warning.
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 