Industry and environmentalist groups agreed Tuesday on tougher
efficiency standards for home appliances that, over the next 30
years, could save enough energy to power 40 percent of American
homes for a year. While the US Senate energy bill appears all
but dead, a coalition of environmentalist and industry groups
forged ahead with an agreement Tuesday that promises to
significantly reduce Americans' home energy consumption for
decades to come. The plan, if approved and implemented by the US
Department of Energy, would hike the efficiency of the nation's
biggest home energy hogs: refrigerators, freezers, clothes
washers, clothes dryers, room air conditioners, dishwashers.
Over the next 30 years, the increase could save enough energy to
power 40 percent of American homes for a year. It would also cut
greenhouse gas emissions by about 550 million tons – about the
same as taking 100 million cars off the road for a year. IN
PICTURES: Harnessing the sun's energy The plan, which was agreed
on by leading appliance ma