PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Researchers from an environmental think tank are calling for the adoption of energy standards they say benefit the environment and consumers’ wallets.
Setting energy efficient standards for 15 common appliances, including commercial kitchen systems, toilets, urinals and water coolers could save Pennsylvanians $291 million in utility bills by 2035, according to researchers from Philly-based PennEnvironment.
Flora Cardoni, PennEnvironment’s deputy director, said adopting Pennsylvania House Bill 660 would establish standards saving water, energy and the environment.
“These same appliance efficiency standards would save over a quarter-billion gallons of water,” she said. “That's enough to fill the Eagles stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, over 300 times, and that's especially important as part of the state experiences more frequent and intense drought conditions.”
According to Cardoni and Brooke Lockwood, a state policy associate with the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, the legislation could save Pennsylvania more than $7.7 billion in utility bills and more than 10,000 gigawatt hours of electricity by 2050.
“That's more than all of the households in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh combined use in a year,” said Cardoni.
“No one would need to switch out their current products,” said Lockwood. “When consumers buy a new product, they will be a more energy-efficient version when they're available.”
