Environment Illinois staff worked this spring with state Rep. Kathleen Ryg and a bipartisan group of 10 legislators on new efficiency standards for home furnaces and other common appliances. The bill would have required manufacturers to meet more strict energy saving standards on products sold in Illinois.

Over-reliance on fossil fuels to generate electricity, power cars, and heat and cool homes contributes to both global warming and the smog and soot that makes air unsafe to breathe. Solving these problems requires a major shift to clean energy sources and serious investment in energy efficiency technologies.

“We can eliminate nearly 10,000 tons of air pollution, and 1 million tons of global warming pollution a year by adopting new standards for home furnaces,” said Rebecca Stanfield, director of Environment Illinois.

Environment Illinois staff were joined by Rep. Ryg and other legislators in January at a Statehouse news conference to announce the initiative. A strong coalition of health, environmental and consumer advocates, as well as the state’s leading energy companies including ComEd and Ameren, supported the bill.

Unfortunately, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce opposed the bill, asserting that the less stringent federal standards should remain in Illinois. On February 15, the bill was defeated in the House Energy and Environment Committee.

“Our coalition is planning to work this summer to build support and educate more legislators about the need for energy efficiency standards,” said Stanfield. “Our energy problems are only getting worse, and we hope to be able to pass this common-sense solution later this year.”

Efficiency will save consumers money

High natural gas prices have consumers at every income level spending far more to meet basic energy needs. Some families in Illinois will spent nearly half their incomes to pay gas and electric bills this winter.

Furnace and appliance standards would reduce home heating bills, and keep money in state instead of sending it out of state for natural gas imports.

• Home furnaces: The Appliance Standards Awareness Project estimates a new home furnace standard, once fully phased in, could save 30,000 million cubic feet of natural gas each year. That translates to $464 million in energy cost savings annually.

• Appliances: Illinoisans can save $31 million per year on their electric bills by 2010 with new standard for four key appliances: laptop cords, two types of lighting fixtures, and a commercially used transformer. These savings will grow to more than $72 million by 2020.

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