By Tim Gould, Legislative Committee Chair
While the passage of Washington’s 100% Clean Energy legislation has attracted much media coverage, another key piece of legislation has quietly moved through the legislature that is also of critical importance to the environmental community’s energy and climate agenda for 2019. The Appliance Efficiency Standards, HB 1444, has the potential to significantly reduce energy and water usage while saving Washington households money on electricity and water bills.
HB 1444 sets electric and water efficiency standards for appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators, while adding standards for household and commercial products, such as computers and monitors, commercial kitchen equipment, lighting, toilets, shower heads, kitchen faucets and replacement aerators. It requires that electric storage hot water heaters sold in the state be grid-ready, which will allow utilities to reduce the load on the electric grid during peak demand periods to maintain electricity reliability as we transition to clean energy. It also keeps our systems nimble and adaptable to changing technology as it authorizes the state to update rules on standards and test methods to be comparable with standards in other states.
This update to appliance efficiency standards will protect residents from excess energy and water costs while reducing our environmental footprint. This is especially important for people and businesses who rent their commercial building space or their residences. Appliance efficiency standards are a simple and cost-effective way to reduce electricity and water use while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Energy efficiency isn’t just the least expensive energy resource, it also has a net cost close to zero once one accounts for non-energy benefits such as improvements in health, safety, and comfort from new appliances.
The bill (2SHB 1444) was initially passed by the House in early March, then approved with amendments by the State Senate on April 15. The House then concurred with final passage on April 18. Sierra Club looks forward to the Governor signing this important legislation.
New appliance efficiency standards can have an immediate environmental impact, and these benefits only grow with time. With these new improvements in energy and water efficiency we can reduce or delay the need for new power plants, power transmission lines, energy and water distribution system upgrades, and additional water resources. Efficiency saves us money, reduces energy consumption, lessens our need to tap over-committed water resources, and eases the transition away from fossil fuels. We need to keep this in mind as we address the challenge of protecting complex ecosystems around us and maintaining a recognizable climate system.