Department of Energy Creates Energy Star Criteria for Water Heaters
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 04. 3.08
Energy efficiency isn't considered sexy. Water heaters even less. But when you look at the numbers and realize that these energy-monsters that lurk in our basements are ranked third in energy consumption in U.S. houses (behind heating/cooling and kitchen appliances) and represent 17% of total demand, it's not hard to figure out that something needs to be done.
One step in the right direction is the inclusion of five categories of water heaters in the Energy Star program: high-performance gas storage, whole-home gas tankless, advanced drop-in or integrated heat pump, solar, and gas condensing. For more details on the requirements for each categories, you can see this Energy Star announcement.
GE hasn't wasted any time announcing two new models that will meet the new Energy Star criteria. The first one is a tankless (aka on-demand) gas water heater that should "save up to 25 percent annually on water heating costs compared to the operating costs of a standard 40-gallon gas tank water heater." The second model is more intriguing. It is a hybrid electric water heater (pictured below) that promises to use half as much energy as a traditional model yet use the same footprint and connections.
It kinds of look like something you would see in a science fiction video game.
The hybrid part works by combining conventional electric heating with a heat-exchanger that absorbs heat from the room to help warm the water. This is a good thing when your house requires cooling, but not when heating is required, so we expect these to make more sense in the warmer regions of the globe.
The hybrid should be available in late 2009, while the Energy Star GE gas tankless will be available May 1, 2008.
::U.S. Department of Energy Implements Criteria for ENERGY STAR® Water Heaters, ::GE® first to announce water heaters that will meet new DOE ENERGY STAR® standards, via ::GE's New Water Heater Could Kill 30 Coal Plants
See also: ::New Tankless Water Heater Uses Microwaves, ::Big Steps in Building: Put Solar Hot Water Heaters on Every Roof, ::Make a Solar Water Heater for Under $5
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Wait a minute - what about electric tankless heaters? They're 95 - 99% efficient, and they don't have any standing losses. Plus they're cheap - I got a 24kW unit for $435 on Ebay.
"Wait a minute - what about electric tankless heaters? They're 95 - 99% efficient, and they don't have any standing losses. Plus they're cheap - I got a 24kW unit for $435 on Ebay."
They are indeed pretty great.
The source of the electricity makes a difference, but if you are getting it from renewables sources... hard to beat. In fact, I'm not even sure if the new Energy Star criteria can make them better, which is probably why they focus on the other kinds where there's more room for improvement.
We can do so much better than EnergyStar. I've sat on those E* committees and they vastly water down what could be done to make industry happy. Thank the goddesses for NRDC sitting on those or it would be much worse. The meetings and phone conference should be open to the public so feel free to ask to attend and to be heard. They are the dullest and most important meeting you'll attend all week. With the public MIA industry can do what it wants
"Wait a minute - what about electric tankless heaters? They're 95 - 99% efficient, and they don't have any standing losses. Plus they're cheap - I got a 24kW unit for $435 on Ebay."
The heater might be 99% efficient, but generating that electricity is not anywhere near that good. So lower efficiency gas is actually more efficient if you calculate everything.
Plus, most houses don't have a large enough electrical service to run them. 24kW is 100amp. Which is what many houses have for the entire house. And even with that output the heater is only enough for 1 and a half usages (like one shower and a sink).
If your dishwasher and your washing machine are running you can't take a shower, etc.
Electric tankless will not work for most people, plus it's less efficient after everything is calculated. (The only place it's good is where you have cheap hydo power, and only 1 bathroom in the house.)
Energy Star is a joke,the picture of the GE heat pump water heater is cool,but this type of water heater has been avaliable already for at least 10 years.Look at www.airgenerate.com for one you can get for about 400 bucks.Come on guys you have to do better than this!
Ariel, many homes have electric tank water heaters. Moving *from* that *to* natural gas is not better than moving from a less efficient to a more efficient electric water heater.
In addition, millions already get their electricity from hydroelectric and wind power. Gas can't come close to comparing.
Ariel, many homes have electric tank water heaters. Moving *from* that *to* natural gas is not better than moving from a less efficient to a more efficient electric water heater.
In addition, millions already get their electricity from hydroelectric and wind power. Gas can't come close to comparing.
Actually, using nat gas produces significantly less CO2 than using electricity for heating. By the time electricity gets to your house from the grid, ~90% of the energy turns into waste heat as it passes through different stages of the grid. That's why electric heating is usually much more expensive than nat gas, even though most electricity is made from coal, which is signficantly cheaper on a BTU basis.
it's true tankless electric is difficult to retrofit to an existing home because most homes are not wired for such high loads. however, if you do have enough amperage, or if it's a new home or renovation, then electric tankless is the second most energy efficient and second lowest carbon footprint, if (big if) coupled with a renewable energy supplier (many states have programs to "choose" renewable energy from your power company for a small increase in your bill, usually10-15%). that said, there is a lingering concern how the electric grid will fare when millions of homes instantly demand 100 amps of power at 7a.m. every morning.
of course, the absolute most energy efficient hot water heating is solar, which works in even the coldest climates, can be retrofit to any home (not most apartments), and requires a storage tank that can be suplemented by a much lower amperage instant heating element.
as a side note, the first tankless water heater i ever saw was on the wall next to the shower of a apartment in lima, peru. turn on the faucet, switch valve to flow water through heater, and then...plug in the heater to a socket!! you can imagine i was very nervous to use this device!
natural gas is about 80% hydrogen and most gird power is only 30% efficient, personally i'd go with gas over electric unless i'm doing on site power generation
The source of the electricity makes a difference, but if you are getting it from renewables sources... hard to beat. In fact, I'm not even sure if the new Energy Star criteria can make them better, which is probably why they focus on the other kinds where there's more room for improvement. http://www.estetiks.com/