Energy Policy Act Of 2005 Includes National Minimum Efficiency Levels
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 recently signed by President Bush, contains three historic consensus agreements between ARI, and several energy efficiency groups establishing national minimum efficiency standards on commercial package air conditioning equipment, commercial refrigeration equipment, and automatic commercial ice-making equipment that will save energy and protect the environment.
The terms of the agreements, enacted into law through the energy bill, involves national minimum efficiency standards that will be effective on January 1, 2010 and will avoid the need for 27 new 300 MW power plants. The law sets new more stringent minimum efficiency standards for packaged air conditioners and heat pumps (from 65,000 Btuh up to 240,000 Btuh cooling capacity) that are used in many commercial buildings, a 26% improvement.