The US Department of Energy (DOE) has scrapped key energy efficiency standards, rolling back regulations designed to cut emissions and lower bills.
The move is part of Donald Trump’s broader push to dismantle environmental policies and reduce government intervention.
Four efficiency rules have been withdrawn, covering electric motors, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers and external power supplies.
The DOE has also postponed the introduction of three other standards, including rules for heat pumps, walk-in freezers and gas water heaters.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright framed the decision as a victory for consumer choice. “By removing burdensome regulations put in place by the Biden administration, we are returning freedom of choice to the American people,” he said.
The rollback means that a planned efficiency rule for electric motors—expected to save businesses up to $56 billion and cut 156 million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions over 30 years—has been abandoned.
Trump’s team argues that such regulations drive up costs and limit consumer options. The DOE said in a statement:
This continued commitment to the American people will slash unnecessary red tape and regulations that raise prices, reduce consumer choice and frustrate the American people.”
US Dept of Energy Statement
But efficiency advocates warn the decision could cost consumers billions in higher energy bills.
Under Biden, the DOE had raised efficiency standards for over two dozen types of appliances, with projections showing these measures would save consumers $1 trillion and cut emissions by 2.5 billion metric tonnes over three decades.
The US Energy Policy and Conservation Act requires the DOE to review appliance standards every six years.
However, Trump-aligned policymakers are pushing to scrap efficiency regulations entirely. Project 2025, a Republican policy blueprint shaped by Trump officials, explicitly calls for eliminating appliance efficiency standards.
