Thanks for your comment! I should’ve included more detailed citations, you’re right. I used the Energy Star website’s Refrigerator Savings Calculator (see http://www.energystar.gov/ia/business/bulk_purchasing/bpsavings_calc/Consumer_Residential_Refrig_Sav_Calc.xls).

I tend to stick to Energy Star’s official numbers, though I’d be willing to share information from other sources for the interest of readers. I’m sure that some are faster…they probably use a different set of variables. I say, play around with the numbers in the calculator and see what you get. I stuck to the defaults.

The next generation of Energy Star refrigerators will be 30% more efficient than today’s federal standards, versus the current 20% improvement. So I know you’re correct in your last statement.

Thanks for pointing out my omissions.

Interesting blog entry. I would be interested in your source(s) for the statistics cited. Is it the Appliance Mag you reference?

The last stat about net $71 seems curious to me. You note a $30 average premium for an Energy Star refrig ($1,180 versus $1,150 for a non-Energy Star rated frig). And, you reference a 2.8 year payback for the Energy Star unit — a reasonable payback stat, although I’ve seen faster payback estimates for same appliance. And, the lifetime savings is $71 for Energy Star….hmmm.

Folks should know that utilities are jacking up kwh rates faster than inflation, and instituting graduated/scaled rates (the more you use, the higher your per kwh rate it). I suspect that payback speed and the lifetime savings — even if you can defend those stats now — will look even better for Energy Star appliances in the not so distant future.

Best wishes,

Kevin McDonald
Mpls, MN