NEMA urges Congress to launch new efficiency era.
Press Release Summary:
NEMA presented testimony to the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power regarding the Energy Conservation Standards program implemented by the Department of Energy under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. In oral testimony, NEMA President and CEO Kevin J. Cosgriff urged Congress to stop serial rulemaking on mature products that now experience diminishing returns on energy savings. According to Cosgriff, more than half of the products covered by program impact NEMA-member manufacturers.
Original Press Release:
NEMA Urges Congress to Launch New Efficiency Era
Electrical manufacturers present testimony at congressional hearing on Energy Policy Conservation Act
ROSSLYN, Va.—Today the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) presented testimony to the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power regarding the Energy Conservation Standards program implemented by the Department of Energy (DOE) under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA). In oral testimony, NEMA President and CEO Kevin J. Cosgriff urged Congress to stop serial rulemaking on mature products that now experience diminishing returns on energy savings.
Cosgriff summarized the electrical industry’s position in three main points:
Multiple rulemakings on the same product result in diminished energy savings.
Future energy-efficiency opportunities should include looking at energy-use systems—not solely individual products.
Serial regulation limits consumer choice.
According to Cosgriff, more than half of the products covered by this program impact NEMA-member manufacturers. “We are in a central position in this dialogue, given that 20 of the 63 products covered in the DOE program are made by NEMA members. Moreover, another 30 covered products contain components made by NEMA members,” he said.
“The EPCA was written 40 years ago, and many of the covered products have since achieved then-unimagined levels of efficiency. It is time to sunset several of the mature products from the burden of additional rulemakings. These products have been through multiple iterations of energy conservation standards, and they are now witnessing diminishing returns in energy savings. These marginal returns are costly for citizens—consumers, employees, and employers alike.”
Cosgriff stressed that all stakeholders need sufficient time to understand the impact of regulation before a new rulemaking cycle begins. “As it stands, neither government nor other stakeholders have the data to analyze the impact of a regulation before a new rule is in the works,” said Cosgriff.
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) represents nearly 400 electrical, medical imaging, and radiation therapy manufacturers on the forefront of electrical safety, reliability, resilience, efficiency, and energy security. Our combined industries account for more than 400,000 American jobs and more than 7,000 facilities across the United States. Domestic production exceeds $117 billion per year.
Press contact:
Tracy Cullen
703.841.3282
press@nema.org
National Electrical Manufacturers Association
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