Energy Star Program Faces Potential Shutdown

The Trump administration once considered plans to shut down the Energy Star program, a move that sparked considerable debate given the program’s proven track record of saving consumers and businesses money on their energy bills.

What is Energy Star?

Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), helps us all save money and protect our environment through energy-efficient products and practices. The Energy Star label identifies top-performing, cost-effective products, from appliances to electronics, that meet certain energy efficiency criteria.

The Potential Impact of a Shutdown

Shutting down the Energy Star program could have had several negative consequences:

• Increased Energy Costs: Consumers would have potentially lost a reliable way to identify energy-efficient products, leading to higher energy consumption and costs.
• Environmental Impact: Without Energy Star guiding purchasing decisions, energy usage would likely rise, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to climate change.
• Economic Impact: The program has spurred innovation in energy-efficient technologies and created jobs. Eliminating it could have stifled this progress.