### FOR IMME DIATE RELEASE

303 CONGRESS ST., SUITE 600 For more information please contact: Larry Alexander, CEE (617) 330-9755 

### Putting a New Spin on Washing Machines: Utilities Unite to Promote Efficient Clothes Washers
The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) today announced it will undertake

BOSTON , 

### M A o 2 21 o a major promotion of an initiative to encourage a new generation of energy and water efficient home clothes washers. TEL: 6 1 7 330 9755 The CEE initiative already has had an effect on the marketplace for" home washing machines. A number of major manufacturers will be offering innovative new Fax.: 617 330 1136 clothes washers that will reach unprecedented heights of efficiency and performance. dsmceeC^lgc.apc.org According to Howard Geller of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy E-MAIL: (ACE3) "These new highly efficient models will save purchasers hundreds of dollars through lower energy and water bills over the life of the washing machine." Washing machine manufacturers made the following comments about their plan: to introduce new, highly efficient clothes washers: Maytag : "Maytag and Admiral Products is developing a horizontal-axis washer, planned for introduction in 1996, well in advance of the federal guidelines for more energy efficient laundry products. The washer is expected to showcase Maytag's laundry appliance expertise, as well as carry on its century-old tradition of 

### manufacturing quality appliances." Frigidaire: "Frigidaire Company is proud to be the first major U.S. washer manufacturer to bring a new, highly efficient. clothes washer to market. The new Frigidaire Gallery series washer translates proven European horizontal axis design to the extra large washing capacity demanded by U.S. consumers while using 40% less water than conventional washers. Annually, the Frigidaire Gallery washer can save over 8,000 gallons of water and significant amounts of energy. This new washer, which meets CEE's clothes washer initiative specifications, will be introduced at the National _ Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in New Orleans on April 28th and will be available foi sale in July." Whirlpool : "Whirlpool applauds CEE's efforts to further promote its clothes washer program. We plan to begin production of more energy efficient clothes washer in 1996 in anticipation of new industry standards from the Department of Energy that ar due in 1999. If CEE's program attracts enough support from utilities, then it could pla) a key role in helping the clothes washer industry make the transition toward energy and water efficient technologies that we believe the DOE will find are cost effective for the consumer." Miele: "Washing machines use more energy and water than they need to use. This wastes money and resources. Multiply this waste by millions of daily uses and it becomes obvious that we must improve. For generations, Europeans have paid much more for energy than Americans and have had severely limited resources. Their clothes washers must be efficient. Miele recognizes the importance of the organizational work that the Consortium for Energy Efficiency is performing and is proud to be associated with their program." (over)

9 303 CONGRESS ST., SUITE 600

BOSTON, MA 02210

TEL: 617 330 9755

FAX.: 6 1 7 330 1 1 36

E-MAIL: dsmcee@igc.apc.org· 

### FOR 1 M M E D .1 A 

### T ER E LEA S E

For more information please contact: Larry Alexander, CEE (617) 330-9755



### -Putting a New Spin on Washing Machines: Utilities Unite to Promote Efficient Clothes Washers

TheConsortium for EnergyEfficiency (CEE) today announced it will undertake
a majorpromotion ofaninitiative to encourage a new generation ofenergy and water efficienthome clothes washers.

, The CEE initiative already has had an effect on the marketplace for' home washing machines. A number ofmajor manufacturers will be offering innovative new clothes washers that 

### willreach unprecedented heights ofefficiency and performance. According to Howard Geller ofthe American Councilfor an Energy Efficient Economy (ACE3) ''These new highly efficient models 

### will save purchasers hundreds ofdollars through lowerenergy and water

### b~ overthe life ofthewa.&hing machine."

. Washing machine manufacturers made the following comments about their plan: to introduce ,new, highly efficient clothes washers: 

### Maytag: "Maytag and Admiral Products 

### is developing a horizontal-axis washer, planned for introduction 

### in 1996, well in advance ofthe federal guidelines for
more energy efficientlaundry products. The washer 

### is expected to showcase May tag's laundry appliance expertise, as well as carry on its century-old tradition of manufacturing quality appliances."



### .Frigidaire: "Frigidaire Company is proud to be the frrst major U.S. washer manufacturer to bring anew, highly efficientclothes washer to market. The new
. Frigidaire Gallery series washer translates proven European horizontal axis design to th. extra large washing capacity demanded by U.S. consumers while using 40% less water than conventional washers. Amiually, the Frigidaire Gallery washer can save over 8,000 gallons ofwater and significant amounts ofenergy. This new washer, which meets CEE's clothes washer initiative specifications, will be introduced at the National

_ Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in New Orleans on April 28th and will be available fOJ sale inJuly." 

### Whirlpool: ''Whirlpool applauds CEE'sefforts to further promote its clothes washerprogram. Weplan to begiJ;l production ofmore energy efficient dothes wac;hen in 1996 in anticipation ofnew industry standards from the Department ofEnergy that ar due in 1999. 

### IfCEE's program attracts enough support from utilities, then it could pIa)
a key role inhelping the clothes washerindustry make the transition toward energy and water efficienttechnologies thatwebelieve the DOEwill fmd are cost effective for the consumer."



### , Miele: ''Washingmachines use more energy and water than they need to use. 'This wastes money and resources.**~ultiply** this waste by millions ofdaily uses andit becomes**obvio~** that we mustimprove. For generations, Europeans have paid much
more for energy'than Americans andhave had severely limitedresources. Theirclothes washers must beefficient Mielerecognizes the importance of**th~** organizational work that the Consortium for EnergyEfficiency 

### is performing and is proud to be associated with their program."
(over)

,Asko: "Asko, Inc. believes that the CEE is on the right track by working with the utility

companies to supply incentives for energy efficient appliances. Efficient clothes washers can save both energy and water. People should realize that when energy and water are saved, it also reduces the number of power plants and water treatment plants that need to be built. Asko's new high spin speed washers -also extract more water out of a wash load before it goes into the drier. This means the clothes are not as heavy, and less energy is required to tumble them dry. We all must find ways to save our natural resources, and an efficient clothes washer is a good start. With the increased availability of qualifying products, CEE expects that many electric, gas and water utilities will participate in CEE's clothes washer initiative. Pacific Gas and Electric, one of the largest utility companies in the U.S., is planning to offer significant incentives for efficient washers. According to Senior Product Manager Lauren Casentini: "PG&E has been a strong believer in the market transformation potential of efficient clothes washers for several years. We are teaming up with three California water utilities this year to pilot a joint energy and water utility. incentive on washers meeting CEE's specifications. Qualifying customers could receive a rebate of more than $200! It is very encouraging to see early signs of a positive market response to this product." The CEE clothes washer initiative provides common definitions of efficiency that participating electric, gas and water utilities can use when offering incentives to encourage their customers to purchase efficient washers. In this way, CEE's initiative encourages washer manufacturers to develop more efficient products. Utilities have run efficiency programs for clothes washers in the past. However, with widely divergent specifications, they have not presented manufacturers with a clear target for their research, development and production efforts. If large numbers of utilities adopt CEE's initiative, manufacturers will have clear efficiency performance targets -- and the potential of large markets -- to plan for. Participation by utilities in the initiative, and adoption of the initiative's definitions of efficiency, is voluntary and non-exclusive. "CEE's initiative will help utilities make the most of their energy efficiency investments" notes Executive Director Larry Alexander. "Over the long-term this initiative should help reduce the price and increase the availability of highly efficient, environmentally friendly clothes washers". CEE is an international, non-profit organization made up of electric and gas utilities, public interest groups, government agencies, and research institutions. Its member utilities serve more . than 25 million customers. CEE was created following.the launch of the Super Efficient Refrigerator Program to develop and implement voluntary, non-exclusive "Golden Carrot" market transformation initiatives for a variety of highly efficient technologies.



### Contacts: Howard Geller ACES (202) 429-2248

Lauren Casentini PG&E (415) 973-8890 Linda Eggers 

### Maytag ,(515) 791-8518 Tony Evans Frigidaire (614) 792-4102 Vince Anderson 

### Whirlpool (812) 426-4692 Miele Bob Loeffler (800) 843-7231 Asko Michael Wasson 

### (214) 644-8595 Asko: "Asko, Inc. believes that the CEE 

### is on the right track by working with the utility companies to supply incentives for energy efficient appliances. Efficient clothes washers can save both energy and water. People should realize that when energy and water are saved, 

### italso reduces the nUmber ofpowerplants and watertreatmentplants that need to be built ASko's new high spin speed washers**~also**_extract more water out ofa wash load before 

### it goes into the drier. This means the clothes are not

## as heavy, and less energy is required to tumble them dry. We all must fmd ways to save ournatural resources, and an efficientclothes washer

### is a good start. With the increased availability ofqualifying products, CEEexpects that many electric, gas and water utilities will participate in CEE'sclothes washerinitiative. Pacific Gas and Electric, one of the largest utility companies in the U.S., 

### is planning to offer significant incentives for efficient washers. According to Senior Product Manager Lauren Casentini: "PG&E has been a strong believerin the market transformation potential ofefficient clothes washers for several years. We
are teaming up 

## with three Californiawater utilities this yearto pilot ajointenergy and water utility: incentive on washers meeting CEE's specifications. Qualifying customers**cou~d** receive a rebate ofmore than $200! It is very encouraging to see early signs ofa positive market response to this 

### product." The CEEclothes washer initiative provides common defmitions ofefficiency thatparticipating electric, gas and water utilities can use when offering incentives to encourage their customers to

- purchase efficient washers. In this way, CEE's initiative encourages washer manufacturers to develop more efficient products. Utilities have run efficiency programs for clothes washers in the past However, with widely divergent specifications, they have not presented manufacturers with a clear target for their research, development and production efforts. Iflarge numbers of utilities adopt CEE's initiative, manufacturers will have clear efficiency performance targets

-- and the potential of large markets

-- to plan for: Participation by utilities in the initiative, and adoption ofthe initiative's definitions ofeffioiency, 

### is voluntary and non-exclusive. "CEE'sinitiative will help utilities make the most oftheirenergy efficiency investments" notes Executive Director Larry Alexander. "Overthe long-term this initiative should help reduce the price and increase the availability ofhighly efficient, environmentally friendly clothes washers". CEE is an international, non-profit organization made up ofelectric and gas utilities, public interest groups, governinent agencies, and research institutions. Its member utilities serve more. than 25 million customers. CEE was created following the launch of the Super Efficient Refrigeraior Program to develop and implement voluntary, non-exclusive -"Golden Carrot" market transformation initiatives for a variety ofhighly efficient technologies.

###

Contacts: Howard Geller ACE3 (202) 429-2248 Lauren Casentini PG&E (415) 973-8890 LindaEggers Maytag .(515) 791-8518 Tony Evans Frigidaiie (614) 792-4102 Vince Anderson Whirlpool (812) 426-4692 Miele Bob Loeffler (800) 843-7231

- Asko MichaelWasson (214) 644-8595