Biden Admin Alters Course on Gas Stove Rule After Months of Negotiations

The new rule has substantial revisions to the initial rule with more options for the consumers and flexibility for the manufacturers.

Flames burn on a gas stove in Chicago, Ill., on Jan. 12, 2023. Scott Olson/Getty Images

The Department of Energy (DOE) released a watered-down finalized gas stove rule Monday after months of talks with industry groups and climate activist groups.

The final rule made several major revisions to the initial rule which was released in February 2023 and was widely reported as a gas stove ban.

The adopted rule allows extra-high input rate (HIR) burners and oversized cast-iron grates. It also increases the energy conservation standard for gas cooktops or gas ranges from 1,204 thousand British Thermal Units (BTUs) per year to 1,770 thousand BTUs per year.

“The updated efficiency levels for gas cooking tops allow gas cooking tops to retain the presence of multiple HIR burners, continuous cast-iron grate,” read the adopted rules. “The adopted efficiency level thereby preserving consumer product choice for gas cooking tops.”

The rules will not affect any current cooking products but only future products on the market.

About 97 percent of gas cooking tops, 95 percent of electric standard ovens, 95 percent of electric self-clean ovens, 96 percent of gas standard ovens, and 96 percent of gas self-clean ovens would meet or exceed the required efficiency levels.

However, 23 percent of electric smooth element cooking tops would fall short.

It would take the industry $66.7 million of investment to make their product comply with the new standard, the DOE estimated.

The final rules will be effective in 2028.

The adoption of the new rules would save consumers approximately $1.6 billion on their utility bills and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 4 million metric tons in the coming 30 years, DOE projected.

The revised rule is based on a joint recommendation back in September 2023 by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), the American Council for an Energy-Efficiency Economy, the Alliance for Water Efficiency, the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, the Consumer Federation of America, the Consumer Reports, Earthjustice, the National Consumer Law Center, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.

The AHAM, a trade association representing the manufacturers of household appliances sold in the United States, applauded the new rules, saying it will save energy, preserve cooking methods and features for home cooks, and give manufacturers flexibility.

“This standard is a win for consumers and energy savings,” AHAM President and CEO Kelly Mariotti said in a statement. “We thank DOE for adopting the recommended levels and we ask the Department to follow this success with a speedy release of the test procedure associated with the new standard.”

Gas Stove Ban Controversy

The initial rule published by the DOE said that 50 percent of gas stoves on the market would be impacted.

It’s widely reported as a gas stove ban by the media because it could wipe off half of the gas stoves.

AHAM said that the DOE was banning gas cooking products from the market and the DOE-backed analysis was flawed.

“They have released the most stringent proposal for gas ranges, which only a sliver of the market can meet,” an industry spokesperson for AHAM told The Epoch Times then. “Clearly, the Department of Energy’s intentions are to eliminate gas products from the market. And they should just say that instead of releasing a deceptive and flawed analysis to justify their proposal”

The DOE admitted in the adopted rule that there were errors and inaccuracies in the analysis released with the initial rule.

To address the controversy over the potential gas stove ban, the DOE clarified in May 2023 that the federal government has no plan to ban gas stoves and it will revise the proposed rule to guarantee flexibility.

“Claims that the federal government is banning gas stoves are absurd. Neither DOE nor the federal government plans to ban gas stoves. In February 2023, DOE published a proposal that would improve the efficiency of gas and electric stoves. If implemented, the standards would not go into effect until 2027 and help U.S. consumers save up to $1.7 billion. As required by congressional mandate, DOE is determined to ensure consumers have multiple options that are both cost-effective and energy-efficient,” the DOE explained on its website.