foxbusiness com

Bi de n admin's latest home appliance crackdown - ceiling fans

Breck Dumas 4–5 minutes

Ceiling fans are now the latest target in the Bi den administration's green agenda, sparking pushback from Republicans and manufacturers.

The Department of Energy is proposing a rule that would require ceiling fans to be more energy efficient, arguing the move would save U.S. households on energy costs.

According to the Energy Department's analysis, the new rules would save households about $39 over the lifespan of the new energy-efficient fan. However, the cost to manufacturers associated with the increased equipment will total $86.6 million per year, the department said.

Republicans on the House Committee on Small Business say that if the rule goes into effect, it could put small manufacturers out of business, given the costs the companies would incur in order to comply with the changes.

"This rule would require numerous small business fan manufacturers to redesign their products and may put between 10 and 30 percent of small business ceiling fan manufacturers out of business," the GOP members of the committee wrote in a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Thursday. "It appears that the Department of Energy (DOE) may not have properly considered small entities during this rulemaking process."

In a statement to FOX Business on Friday, a DOE spokesperson defended the potential new rule changes, saying, "These proposed standards, which are required by Congress, wouldn’t take effect until 2028, would give Americans more energy efficient options to choose from, and would save hardworking taxpayers up to $369 million per year, while substantially reducing harmful air pollution — a crucial fact that some have conveniently failed to mention."

The agency said standard residential ceiling fans complying with the proposed rule would cut consumers' electricity costs to operate fans by roughly 40% compared to with the least-efficient fans currently on the market. The DOE estimates the purchase price of fans would increase by around $10 a piece if the new regulations are put in place, and says that additional cost would be covered by energy bill savings in about four years.

The Energy Department has been on the warpath to impose more stringent regulations on household appliances for the past several months, proposing new standards for gas stoves, ovens, washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwashers and other essentials as part of its mission to advance energy efficiency and conservation.

On his first day in office in January 2021, President Bi d en signed an executive order requiring the Energy Department to make "major revisions" to current appliance regulation standards and standards set by the Tr ump administration. A month later, the agency listed more than a dozen energy-efficiency rules impacting appliances like water heaters, cooking products and lamps, that it would review.

"Their philosophy is energy efficiency at all costs or energy efficiency no matter the cost," a former senior Energy Department official, who served during the Tru mp administration, previously told Fox News Digital. "That means we are going to see, as a result of their efficiency standards, higher-priced appliances. It's that simple."

Oh I definitely speed when it suits me. But the ceiling fans and the gas stove things, I’m not interested in any more of the progress for the greater good, especially when it comes from libs. So the remodel that I just started, I might buy some old and inefficient ceiling fans to stick in it. Just cuz.

No dog in the fight but I had gas line put in at my place and it cost me nothing. Well I had to run the lines inside the house but that was going to happen if there was gas on the property or not.

I have ceiling fans in more than half of my places. Sometimes it really helps. Have electric only apartments with AC at the top of the stairs. Running the fans makes it livable in there.

Have a fan in the master bed and the den (office) at my place.

You can buy fans for cheap. You can also spend big bucks on them. I go for a little better than the cheap ones as they can get torn up the same and I don't have the cost involved.

NE, glad to see you are back!

David in wHitler country, Let me know when they start cutting the oligarchy, err I mean gov't workers salaries and pensions at the top like MikeA said.

So, the consumer saves $39 over the lifespan of the fan, and it costs an extra $100 up front?

We need politicians who are attentive to REAL ISSUES facing the country.

All of above postings consider ONLY the consideration of money, and trivial amounts at that. money in, money out. Ho mush money is left over. There is so much more involved.

ENERGY IS POWER! That’s why our country leads and needs energy independence.

Don’t you understand what power it is?

Doesn’t anyone remember 1973, when the Saudi’s refused oils shipments to the US at the outbreak of the October war with Israel? Here in the US, there were long lines for existing fuel supplies, when you could find any. The possibility of no fuel oil for winter was a genuine threat in cold areas. Politically, Henry Kissinger had to promise the Saudis that he would do everything that he could to see that Israel returned the captured territories, a promise that he himself had advocated but would not have otherwise given any US commitment. Israel, ostensibly our friend, was enraged. In those pre-energy-independence days, oil was king, those with oil ruled the world and those without oil were utterly dependent on those that did.

Energy Independence affects our balance-of-payments, too. Aside from relief from oil payments, oil in the rest of the world is used extensively in manufacture of many, many products. So every time you buy some cheap plastic gimmick from Home Depot, you are reimbursing China (in US$) what they paid for petroleum (in Yuan, at dollar-denominated price), thus increasing China’s dollar reserves, lessening China’s dollar payments and netting a decrease is US dollar balance of payments.

Look at the problem of Poland, we tried to get them to help Ukraine by supplying them with F-14s, they declined, worrying about the possibility of a cold winter without Russian natural gas, we had to promise them to provide stocks elsewhere, at our expense, even though Poland is desperate for NATO protection again Russian hegemony.

ENERGY IS POWER and US cannot operate without that power. Without it, almost everything that we have and need is dependent on that power in a changed world. That’s why US has led an Energy Independence campaign since 1973 and we are SO DEPENDENT on it, politically, economically, resource-wise and to counter the effects of previous fossil-fuel recklessness. Even small amounts used

by individuals add up when the statistics are aggregated over the whole US economy. Plus, don’t forget how good research spawns even better research. You need new and good simple ideas to create new and good complicated ideas.

Those who can only see pennies in, pennies out, how much is left over are the wrong people to lead the country.

I don't understand.

Just what is this "credibility factor"?

Russia doesn't have a lot of credibility, but they were able to worry Poland A LOT, by threatening to cut off their natural gas for the winter, if Poland sent planes to Ukraine (to be replaced from US funds). Energy gave Russia power to intimidate Poland into defying US wishes. I don't know what we had to do to finally get Poland to cooperate, but I'm sure it cost us a lot (financial or otherwise) and its all because energy gave Russia the means of power over Poland. We can't afford a lot of that.

"They don’t have any left." Who is "they" and what don't they have any left of, and how is that relevant to the necessity of a national energy independence program and its relationship to trivial projects like power consumption of ceiling fans?

Try me, I might surprise you.

On the other hand, maybe there really isn't any good explanation.

Stop & Think: How do you build a national policy to not only conserve energy but to manage a whole country the size of the US (and with the economy of the US) to be able to regain the balance of credibility (there's that word again) that the free world used to have when energy politics were more simple?

The credible answer that has been decided on is, not only to conserve, but to develop new sources, renewable source, and to use our technological productivity to make USA no longer vulnerable to foreign interest that possess energy, and to make OUR technology able to better control the world because we have the energy to sustain ourselves when the rest of the world.

And how do you carry out a program like that? You must carry out ALL applications of the technology, to make energy self-sufficiency happen EVERYWHERE IN OUR LIVES, from power consumption of ceiling fans to volume of telephones (decrease battery usage) to lessening weight of electric cars (700 lb batteries instead of 7000 lbs) to new types of light bulbs, to electric cars, to quantum computers (not only faster but less power consumption), EVERYTHING has to examined and improved. And you can't ignore how new discoveries spawn even newer and better discoveries.

Rent money in, rent expenses out, how much is left over? But thats too simple to describe our way of life in America today. Thats not our only concern.

Perhaps the focus of the energy police should be reducing the over all cooling cost of a home. A fan might be $10 this year to cool a room. How much does an HVAC system cost to cool that same space? Could be $500. Yet, what is the target?

Seems like to me they are picking up pennies and leaving dollars. But at least at the end of the day, politicians will feel good that they did something.

Ray, you need to think more globally.

This is a government program, with just one of its goals being to reduce energy usage while still trying to provide the same level of benefits to citizens.

Just one reason is to reduce dependence on foreign governments by other countries that we want in OUR sphere of influence. Belarus wants favors from us and favors from Russia. In fact, they NEED them. But Belarus gets cold in winter and whoever can sell them gas will keep them warm. Its a powerful persuader. So, whose friend should they be? America has more to give, but Russia can provide fuel at a cheaper cost. So they are dependent on Russia and no friend to America. If we want to prevent the next war in Europe, how do we do that? A US energy policy can help.

This is serious business, not just a toy for politicians. It doesnt matter that by requiring energy efficient ceiling fans, manufacturers will have to spend for new equipment, more than the dollar savings achieved by the new fans. What matters is the participation in the overall effort to REDUCE fossil-based fuel usage EVERYWHERE and we will make up the cost of new equipment by increased growth and productivity, instead of nickel and dimeing at the initial cost. Its a GOOD program for the US and it should be supported, instead of trying to focus on silly and petty concerns. Is import for the future of USA.

Saves $39 over the life of the fan and cost average $10 more. Life of a ceiling fan is maybe 20 years? So ten bucks up front to save two dollars a year? Not horrible, Of course, if you only have the fan ten years, then you spent ten bucks up front to save about twenty.

Most likely, if what has happened with other appliances holds true, the revised fans will not work as well nor as long as the older simpler ones did.

Moshe--What the F are you talking about? Increasing efficiency of the economy by decreasing use of fossil fuels? Fossil fuels are the cheapest source of energy.

We should be looking for ways to increase our energy production, not chasing ever-diminishing returns from trying to squeeze out more and more from our appliances. Fridges used to last 30 years, these new high efficiency ones with their electronics are lucky to go 7 years. How the heck is that efficient?

So have you given up AC and your ceiling fan yet Moshe?

I support US energy independence the best way I know. I own and invest in producing natural gas wells in two states and a chain of oil wells in a third state.

Where I can appreciate those who honestly believe you can save your way to wealth, the truth is that you need to invest your way to wealth. Perhaps the well off folks out there in California should be paying more and using less. If that is the objective, then perhaps you could be a better energy saver use a fan instead of Air Conditioning.

It isn't an emergency if the AC goes out if you have a good fan. It might not be comfortable but you can get by. Before places like California want to lead the way in reform by passing new laws, perhaps they could enforce the laws that they have instead of selective use of them in sanctuary cities.

Sadly I believe that most folks from your state don't even realize that one of the most liberal nations in the world - Holland laughs at how your state believes it regulate mortality with laws. They view that as modern day tree hugging hippies. And I had to bust out laughing with them..........guess the rest of the world doesn't view your culture in the same high esteem that you do. Maybe you can try and pass a law that folks in Amsterdam have to respect folks out on the west coast next so that feeling don't get hurt.

The DOE estimates the purchase price of fans would increase by around $10 a piece if the new regulations are put in place,

Flying off the handle... no one said you had to replace your old unit... just that manufactures had to make them more energy efficient....

"The Boss" isn't doing so well right now... and calling our president names does not help either.

NE(PA)

I don't believe this forum is the appropriate venue for political rants. I do believe that we deserve better options for our president...most of the really smart people want nothing to do with the job.

Don(PA) yup, I have had circuit boards fail --sometimes I replace them...sometimes replace the whole (insert item).

NE (PA)-- yes, I know that politics get injected into this forum a fair amount....my comment is meant to keep it from digressing from what it should be.

I'm really curious who these alleged "small business" ceiling fan manufacturers are. How many of us have ever bought ceiling fans that didn't come from either a Big Box store (where they are all likely made in China anyhow on the lower end where this will actually have an affect)?

And the GOP thinks that MAYBE 10-30% of those MIGHT go under because of this change?

This seems like a non-issue really. It seems like a made-up worry to me. There aren't a ton of "mom and pop" ceiling fan manufacturers, sorry. And, if they are, they make high-end/expensive fans that will not be going out of business because of this sort of change.

This seems like the GOP just complaining to complain. They are not protecting some "small business" ceiling fan manufacturers. I just don't think it is an issue like they are suggesting.

Also, who the heck can't handle/use the new gas can spouts?? Are you also locked out of your cabinets because someone put child locks on them?? Are you able to open your toilet seat ok or do you need some assistance there too? Sheesh -- the things people find to complain about is amazing.

John, you think that the epa mandated gas can spouts are functional? Well, that makes one person!

Yes, they work fine for me. Again, if you have trouble with those, then you probably have trouble with child locks on doors too. Don't worry, you'll get it one day with practice!

And, yes, political events have an effect on the economy and business. But that isn't the sort of political garbage I'm referring to usually. A lot of people are already very set in their ways and are convinced that the "other side" is out to get them. That political rhetoric does not help any of us really.

Just because you aren't paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.