In February 2014, DOE issued an EERE-developed rule prescribing new energy efficiency standards for external power supplies.  External power supplies convert household electric current from wall outlets into lower voltage current, and are used in many consumer products, including cell phones, laptop computers, and power tools. The average American home has five to ten external power supplies, and more than 300 million are shipped in the United States each year.  These new standards will go into effect in 2016. Over the next 30 years, the standards are expected to reduce national energy consumption by nearly one quadrillion British thermal units, reduce the energy bills of U.S. families and businesses by nearly $4 billion, and reduce carbon emissions by nearly 47 million metric tons (equivalent to the emissions produced by the annual electricity use of more than 6.5 million homes).

Positive Impact

New energy-efficiency standards for external power supplies will reduce energy consumption, energy bills, and carbon emissions.

Location

Nationwide

Partners

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Navigant Consulting

EERE Investment

Technical Assistance

Clean Energy Sector

Energy-saving homes, buildings, and manufacturing

The Building Technologies Office leads a vast network of research and industry partners to continually develop innovative, cost-effective energy saving solutions—better products, better new homes, better ways to improve older homes, and better buildings in which we work, shop, and lead our everyday lives.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) success stories highlight the positive impact of its work with businesses, industry partners, universities, research labs, and other entities.