Energy-Wasting Appliances Need Stiffer Regulation

Canadian households and businesses would use less energy, save money, and reduce global warming pollution if energy efficiency rules were improved.

WWF-Canada’s research shows that energy-efficient models of domestic appliances, consumer electronics, lighting, electric motors, heating/cooling systems and other appliances and equipment are available but do not dominate market share. Driving innovation and market uptake by making EnergyStar® and other current markers of ‘premium’ energy efficiency the baseline would:

Ø Cut at least 25 megatonnes per year of greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal-fired electricity and natural gas; almost 10% of Canada’s Kyoto target.

Ø Reduce energy bills, helping to counter rising fossil fuel and electricity prices. The average Canadian household could cut energy use from appliances by close to 40% using EnergyStar® models shaving $170 off their annual energy bill, according to the Canadian Appliance Manufacturers Association.

Ø Decrease demand for energy supply, eliminating the need to build expensive and ecologically questionable power plants, pipelines and transmission lines. For instance, California deems energy conservation the lowest cost way to meet its power needs; saving a kilowatt of electricity costs half of what building a new power plant to generate a kilowatt costs.

Ø Help improve Canada’s international ranking; Canada is the second-least efficient (energy/GDP) and one of the highest greenhouse gas emitting (per capita) country in the world.

“In the market for appliances? Go for high-efficiency models such as EnergyStar®. In the market to stop energy waste?, Send Ottawa a signal by signing WWF-Canada’s petition at www.saveourclimate.ca” said Julia Langer, WWF-Canada’s Director of Global Threats. “New technologies with better energy performance are percolating into the market but, in the face of dangerous climate change, government regulation is the fastest and cheapest way to make big gains in energy conservation.”

Climate change is already disrupting natural ecosystems and people’s livelihoods in Canada and around the world. Urgent action to reduce fossil fuel pollution is needed to keep global warming below the danger threshold of 2° C above pre-Industrial levels. Under the United Nations Kyoto Protocol, Canada is committed to reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) to 6% below 1990 levels by 2012, yet emissions have actually risen by 24%.

WWF-Canada advances policy and practical measures to ensure Canada meets its Kyoto commitment and to put Canada on a sustainable energy path. WWF’s global PowerSwitch! Campaign aims to dramatically reduce energy demand and move the global power sector off of coal to clean, renewable energy sources.