美國能源部近日針對商用保冷設備宣布新的能源效率標準，將在3年內生效。
由於食物必須持續性的保冷，商用保冷設備幾乎都是每天24小時、365天全年無休地運作。一間大型量販店的冰箱每年可耗電高達17000千瓦時，一個大型商用冰櫃每年耗電可高達38000千瓦時。
這項2月28日建立的新能源效率標準，適用於用來展示或保存易腐壞產品的商用冰箱冰櫃，包括量販店、便利商店、餐廳和其他食物零售服務業所使用的各式食物保冷設備。
省電、省錢更減碳
此政策融合了產業界、消費者、環境倡議團體以及其他相關利害關係者的意見，針對美國能源部2009年的能效標準加以修改，將讓商用保冷設備效率平均提高30%。
「在超市和量販店，保冷設備耗電量可佔總耗電量近40%，是一大電費支出。改善商用保冷設備的能效，能讓這些產業更具競爭力，減少溫室氣體排放也節省電費。」美國能源部長Ernest Moniz說。
Moniz說，新標準生效後的30年間，預估將可減少1.42億公噸的碳汙染，等於1430萬戶美國家庭一年的用電量，為企業省下117億美元的電費。
能源部更指出，到了2030年，這些比以往更嚴格的標準預計將能為消費者省下共4000億美元，並減少19億噸的溫室氣體排放。
歐巴馬推新能效標準 全美可減汙一半
歐巴馬政府執政期間，能源部已經完成超過30項家用和商用產品的新能效標準，包括洗碗機、冰箱和熱水器。
歐巴馬政府已設下新目標，在歐巴馬第一和第二任期間所訂定的家電和聯邦大樓能源效率標準，必須在2030年時總計減少至少30億噸的碳汙染。能源部說，這等於全美能源產業一整年製造的碳汙染的一半。
The Energy Department has announced new efficiency standards for commercial refrigeration equipment that will take effect in three years.
Commercial refrigerators, freezers and refrigerator-freezers are used to chill perishable products on display or in storage, including at grocery and convenience stores, restaurants and other food retail and food service establishments.
Since these products must be kept cold constantly, commercial refrigeration equipment operates 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
A large grocery store refrigerator can consume up to 17,000 kilowatt-hours of power per year, while a large commercial freezer can use up to 38,000 kilowatt-hours of power per year.
The new efficiency standards established February 28 incorporate feedback from industry, consumer and environmental advocacy groups and other stakeholders.
They update the Energy Department’s 2009 standards and will make the average commercial refrigeration unit about 30 percent more efficient, compared to the current standards.
“In our supermarkets and grocery stores, refrigeration can use almost 40 percent of total energy use – contributing a large portion of these businesses’ utility bills. By improving the energy efficiency of commercial refrigeration equipment – like restaurant-size fridges or the deli case at your local grocery store – we can make our businesses more competitive, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.
Over the 30 years after they take effect, the new standards will help cut carbon pollution by about 142 million metric tons – equivalent to the annual electricity use of 14.3 million U.S. homes – and save businesses up to $11.7 billion on their energy bills, said Moniz.
During the Obama Administration, the Energy Department has finalized new efficiency standards for more than 30 household and commercial products, including dishwashers, refrigerators and water heaters.
Together these stricter standards are estimated to save consumers more than $400 billion and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 1.9 billion metric tons through 2030, according to the Energy Department.
Now the administration has set a new goal – efficiency standards for appliances and federal buildings set in President Obama’s first and second terms combined will reduce carbon pollution by at least three billion metric tons in total by 2030.
The Energy Department says this equals nearly half the carbon pollution from the entire U.S. energy sector for one year.
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