Republicans on the House Small Business Committee pressed Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Thursday for answers on proposed energy-efficiency standards for ceiling fans.
The proposed standards were first published in the Federal Register in June, and the comment period closed earlier this week. According to the Energy Department, the rule as applied to standard residential ceiling fans would cut fan-related electricity costs by about 40 percent relative to the least efficient fans currently available.
The House panel presented the rules as burdensome to ceiling fan manufacturers, particularly smaller ones.
“This proposed rule would decrease the maximum estimated energy consumption permissible for large diameter and belt driven ceiling fans,” committee Republicans wrote. “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. It appears that the Department of Energy may not have properly considered small entities during this rulemaking process.”
An Energy Department spokesperson told The Hill this aspect has been mischaracterized, saying in an email that the one-time total conversion cost would be about $107 million for all manufacturers.
“The incremental cost to consumers is $86.6 million annually, while the operating cost savings are $281 million annually — both at a 7 percent discount rate,” the spokesperson said. “The savings are more than triple the incremental costs.”
The spokesperson noted the standards, “which are required by Congress,” would not be in effect for five years and would save Americans “up to $369 million per year, while substantially reducing harmful air pollution — a crucial fact that some have conveniently failed to mention.”
…
Efficiency standards for home appliances have become culture war flashpoints under the Biden administration. The administration has restored a number of efficiency rules rolled back under the Trump administration, including for shower heads, water heaters and gas furnaces.
The most umbrage, however, has been reserved for efficiency regulations over gas stoves, beginning last year when Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. approved a request for information on hazards associated with the devices, which the CPSC formalized in March. Although Trumka has said there are no plans to ban gas stoves, House Republicans have introduced formal legislation this year to legally prevent such a ban.
Now they’re triggered by ceiling fans. You can’t make this shit up
Republicans have absolutely destroyed the satire industry.
“hahaha, fan beats man!”
Did you read the article? They’re not triggered by ceiling fans, they’re triggered by more regulations, which is pretty on brand for the conservative platform. Not saying I agree with them but your comment is a complete misrepresentation of the argument.
they’re triggered by more regulations, which is pretty on brand for the conservative platform
Is it though? Or is it that it’s not their regulations being enforced.
When someone told them to regulate the pussy, they didn’t understand it meant for them to go get laid.
They sure like to regulate pussy though.
Also bathrooms. Also library books. Also teaching science, philosophy, psychology. Also “nicknames.” Also men’s hair length. Also prayer (only Christian) in school. Also funding nonprofit schools with public money. Also more taxes for the poor.
they’re triggered by more regulations, which is pretty on brand for the conservative platform.
Yeah like trying to regulate people’s literal livelihood? How very libertarian of them.
The new standard is based on cubic feet of air moved per minute per watt. It’s honestly pretty thoughtful in its implementation. I was expecting to see it was just some watt cap on products, but that’s not what it is at all; you can still make very powerful fans, they just need to actually be moving meaningful amounts of air.
The main people hurt by a rule change like this will be import brand piece of shit fans that don’t blow air and prey on vulnerable consumers. I doubt there is even one single US firm that will be negatively affected by this rule change because the cost of US manufacturing is WAY too high to be selling these dollar store fan products.
https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/ceiling-fans-ecs-nopr.pdf
I would like them to be required to prominently display their power consumption. I feel like every other household appliance I own makes their energy consumption fairly clear, but I have no idea what kind of energy my fans use. Like it’s probably more efficient to turn on every fan in my house all day rather than turn on my AC, but I have no idea if that’s true.
Can confirm, was shopping for ceiling fans and finding the cfm per power on different power levels was a pain in the arse.
Should be part of Energy Star like other appliances.
As it was I had to search for DC and/or ECM motor fans and go from there.
Sounds like a good way to make sure fan manufacturers aren’t putting misleading labels on their fans. Like “Powerful 800W FAN” on the front in big letters but a low CFM rating on a label on the back, if at all.
Not the only ones hurt. Ceiling fans are largely decorative items in many cases and not meant to be aerodynamically efficient as their primary goal. I honestly don’t believe this is a useful rule, because we want people to use fans to efficiently heat and cool their homes over just more heat or just more AC. Some folks might just decide to go with recessed lighting over a fan.
I haven’t ever encountered a ceiling fan that was primarily decorative to the point it would be considered swappable with recessed lighting, where are you getting this impression?
From selling them to home remodelers and knowing that people will go to great lengths to maintain a specific style of decor.
If only those manufacturers were somehow able to redesign their products to meet the new requirements.
Oh well, I guess they’ll just go under.
So the idea is the fan’s function is largely encompassed by the other infrastructure – central air or heat pump, say – but they keep it there anyway because it looks nice? Alright, to each their own
Yeah, my greater point is hopefully having it makes them use it.
Seems like that would be a good outcome. Less needless consumption.
The roster of Republicans who signed the letter:
The House committee’s letter was signed by Chairman Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), as well as Reps. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), Aaron Bean (R-Fla.) and Jake Ellzey (R-Texas).
FL & TX ffs.
Meanwhile ERCOT is asking people in Texas to conserve power damn near daily at this point.
Republicans don’t care if you can’t use your fans, they only care that you keep buying them.
We are only consumers to feed corporate profits in their equations.
They’re all made in China/Philippines. Even the US brands like Vornado and Dyson.
Republicans want to export dollars to East Asia.
Maria Elvira Salazar
Mfing Harry Potter villain name how could anyone expect any different?
It’s always supposedly about protecting the little guy, the small business person. While also, just coincidentally mind you, also protecting mega corporations that bankroll the GOP.
small business fan manufacturers
Is this really a thing? Small businesses that manufacture fans?
There are niche manufacturers in many industries. I wouldn’t be surprised. Particularly for super high-end residential products.
You may right that there are exceptions. It is simple to craft legislation in such a way that it only applies to large companies. Or foreign companies. Or gives the niche guys 20 more years to comply. This isn’t moral philosophy where things need to be absolute. It’s trade regulation. It can be applied however it needs to be. But do we see Republicants introducing specific revisions like this? No.
super high-end residential products.
Yeah, those low margin super high-end residential products that just can’t bear even another cent of regulatory compliance…
Do you even listen to yourself?
What are you talking about? When did I say anything about them not being able to comply? I was simply referring to the question “do small fan companies exist?”
With how the rule is written, I would be shocked if anything other than bargain basement import brands were affected.
Highly doubt it.
They’ll clutch at anything they think they might be able to use to piss off their constituents, won’t they?
“They’re coming for you gas stoves, citizen! Where will it end? What will you cook food for your family on?! Pic up a ‘don’t step on the gas’ ballcap for only $49.99, and go get ‘em!”
Lmao my da said they were coming for my gas water heater and he was right gobsmacked when I said “good”
Remember people hording incandescent light bulbs when those were restricted?
At this point I can’t even fathom wanting an incandescent bulb.
They’re still useful for things like older-model Easy-Bake Ovens and such.
I remember either a joke (or possibly a real attempt) about re-branding them to “heat orbs” or something to get around the ban.
Is this actually a concern? Having legislation rolled out to force new and better technology to reach the market, thus causing systemic savings of energy and money?
The way it’s written it’s as if the consumer is forced to go get a new ceiling fan or gas stove the moment the new ones land in the market.
And if some small manufacturers go bust, that means room for others to appear.
So I guess the shit has hit the fan?
Gods but I hate those stupid bastards.
