The DOE has issued its first national efficiency standards for clean water pumps for commercial and industrial applications. The new rules are expected to save customers up to 1.1 billion over the 30-year duration of the standards. Improved models will also reduce energy usage by around 30 billion kWh and avoid 17 million metric tons of CO2 emissions.
Pumps between 1-200 horsepower will be subject to the new regulations, with the DOE estimating that the simple payback period for all affected equipment will be less than the average lifetime of the pumps, which is projected to be an average of 15 years. Additionally, the new standards will likely require that 25% of the least efficient models of pumps on the market will be redesigned or reconfigured for better efficiency to comply. Industry consensus for the specifications was met after negotiation by stakeholders such as manufacturers and efficiency advocates.