EPA and DOE oppose Senate participation in the Energy Star Program

Overall, the U.S. Senate proposal includes, in the upcoming energy bill, legislation, the Energy Star program will encounter some problems to be resolved. These issues are not limited to the requirements of the energy star for LED lighting.

As mentioned in this article, EPA and DOE two agencies believe that they can solve these problems without the need for legislation. They also said they would address these issues within 45 days, in response to a joint statement issued in March 16th.

EPA and DOE oppose Senate participation in the Energy Star Program

In March 19, 2009, Obama administration officials said that the Senate should be forthcoming in the legislation of energy efficiency, the United States Department of energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the Energy Star label cooperation agreement plan and new requirements to make a revision.

On the other hand, the United States said the two institutions, they are making joint efforts to solve the Energy Star program, without the aid of legislation, and the chief executive of Lisa Jackson, and the U.S. Department of energy secretary Steven Chu has met with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the discussion.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (Office of Atmospheric Climate Program Director Brian McLean, Programs) in the United States Senate Energy and natural resources committee (Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee) said the hearing, "the government has realized that we need to solve the problem, so that no confusion, we will do this as soon as possible. "

McLean and DOE, an official David Rodgers said that the two agencies will be in 45 days to provide the Commission with the Energy Star program solutions written documents.

However, it is not clear that the initiator of the energy star act, that is, the committee chairman Jeff Bingaman and senior member Lisa Murkowski, whether or not to quit. Bingaman plans to make a primary standard of the energy bill in the end of the month. He said, "bold attempt to make progress in this field and the development of legislation, and not to postpone the issue, hoping that one day these two agencies will solve these problems. "

Energy efficiency and renewable energy at the U.S. Department of energy (Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy), is responsible for planning and strategic analysis of Rodgers said, "the United States Secretary of energy Chu and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Jackson after the meeting, discussed these problems, and is committed to solve them, they have begun to guide every one of us employees, take all necessary measures to schedule all problems, and solve them. "

The problem is that the energy star is going to give the committee a more comprehensive bill, the Improvement (Appliance Standards Act) (598th) (PDF)". The bill requires agencies to update the 13 year history of the energy star cooperation agreement. It requires a clear definition of "role and responsibility", a formal procedure for the development of advanced decisions, a third party review of the program for the year two, and other measures.

The measures will impose other requirements on the Energy Star program, need every three years of Energy Star qualified products for energy saving can limit the review, or, when the energy star product type market share reached 35%, and decide on the basis of the review of more new standards, in addition to other review steps. It also needs to be confirmed that the products comply with the standards need to comply with product certification procedures, such as third party verification and certification.

McLean said, EPA need to deal with the energy star more problems - institutions need to monitor more than 60 kinds of products in the 50, but also to manage all the work of new residential, commercial and industrial buildings to improve the efficiency of lighting. Rodgers said, DOE needs to develop energy star standards for eight categories of products, including washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, doors and windows, LED lighting products and other.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials said they should take measures to improve the program, such as the implementation of third party certification, McLean this statement has been strengthened in the United States environmental protection agency. Rodgers said, DOE is responsible for their products to establish third party testing and certification, at the same time, the program has begun to implement its lighting products.

Representatives of the hearing to discuss the problems encountered in the energy star, the United States Environmental Protection Agency's labeling program was released in 1992 to help consumers identify the most efficient products.

National Electronic Manufacturers Association Kyle Pitsor said that confusion exists in the lighting industry, the reason is between EPA and DOE of the Energy Star program of the dispute, mainly for solid state lighting technology can bring huge energy saving.

Pitsor, vice chairman of the Association for government relations, said last March that DOE was the first to complete the energy star standards for solid state lighting products. But last year, EPA's Energy Star program began to be used in solid state lighting. He believes that the company is investing in new LED lighting technology and decision-making...... The conflicting Energy Star program will be a barrier to the development of lighting technology, "he said, adding that the energy star standard for solid state lighting is best performed in accordance with DOE's Energy Star standards.

The Energy Star program has also received praise. Steven NadEL, the US energy economy Council, agreed on the terms of the energy star bill and said in a statement to the commission that the plan was very successful.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that in 2007 the energy star for utilities, the value of energy savings of $16 billion, while reducing the number of two