ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award for Consumers

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The ENERGY STAR^® Emerging Technology Award is given to innovative technologies that meet rigorous performance criteria to reduce energy use and lower greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing features or functionality.  The Award provides forward-thinking, environmentally conscious consumers and end users with a tool to identify and purchase cutting-edge technologies that offer energy savings and help to reduce their carbon footprint. Interested?  Check out the technologies below for more information on savings opportunities and product availability.  

Award Winning Technologies for 2023:

Commercial or Industrial Heat Pump Dryers

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce the selection of Commercial or Industrial Heat Pump Dryers as a 2023 ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award category. Heat pump dryers utilizing variable speed compressors have the potential to deliver dramatic energy improvements to commonly used commercial and industrial product categories. The heat pump is used to significantly increase the efficiency of the heating cycle, and, when paired with a variable speed compressor, its performance is maximized by maintaining ideal dryer drum temperature and humidity. In addition to the efficiency benefits, another compelling factor in selecting this product category is that commercial and industrial dryers are not subject to minimum efficiency standards, so the savings potential is very high. Initial estimates indicate that this new heat pump technology could bring up to 50% energy savings without substantial increases in drying time performance. 

Adaptive Commercial Refrigeration Equipment

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce the selection of Adaptive Commercial Refrigeration Equipment as a 2022 ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award category with the goal of recognizing promising commercial refrigeration technology that offers new ways to save energy and protect the environment. In a conventional refrigeration system, the compressor operates at maximum capacity in response to thermal load, or it is turned off when the desired temperature has been achieved. However, the refrigeration load requirements vary widely based on various factors. An advanced adaptive compressor system pairs a variable speed compressor with a sensor-driven control system capable of capacity modulation in response to a varying internal thermal load. As a result, the advanced adaptive compressor system allows for the refrigerator to save a significant amount of energy while regulating the temperature by minimizing wide temperature variations.