Energy Consumption of Major Household Appliances Shipped in Canada, Trends for 1990–2008

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Chapter 9 Conclusions

This report analyzed shipment data for major household appliances (refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, electric ranges, clothes washers and electric clothes dryers) between 1990 and 2008. These data represent the majority of shipments to Canadian retailers and builders during this period, and were collected through the co-operation of the Canadian Appliance Manufacturers Association.

Between 1990 and 2008, the average annual unit energy consumption (UEC) of most appliances decreased significantly. In fact, a household operating an average set of appliances purchased in 2008 might expect them to consume slightly fewer than 2900 kilowatt hours per year of electricity, roughly half as much as a set purchased in 1990. In addition to reducing energy demand and the associated impacts of electricity generation (such as greenhouse gas emissions), this decrease in energy consumption reduces household expenditures on electricity.

The reduction in average annual UEC ranged from 7 percent (electric clothes dryers) to 79 percent (clothes washers) during the study period. These energy efficiency improvements can be attributed to a variety of factors, including

• the research and development carried out by manufacturers
• consumer demand for more energy-efficient products
• standards that limit the amount of energy each appliance may consume (the minimum energy performance standards)
• information initiatives such as the EnerGuide for Equipment program and the ENERGY STAR^® Initiative in Canada, which help consumers identify the most energy-efficient products on the market
• the various incentives and rebates offered by the federal, provincial/territorial and municipal governments and utilities

To illustrate the significance of energy efficiency improvements during this period, this report quantified energy savings from all shipped appliances in Canada between 1992 and 2008:

• Clothes washers, refrigerators and dishwashers accounted for the majority of energy savings, due to significant improvements in the energy efficiency of these appliances.
• Freezers accounted for the least energy savings because of their low penetration rate and because the available shipment data accounts for a smaller portion of the market than it does for other appliances.
• Electric clothes dryers and electric ranges also accounted for lower energy savings because of relatively minimal energy efficiency improvements.

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