Energy Star Savings Calculator
Estimate annual energy and cost savings from Energy Star appliances versus standard models.
Enter appliance type and count to see savings over time.
Energy Star is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program that certifies appliances and electronics meeting specific energy efficiency standards. Certified products typically use 10-50% less energy than minimum federal standards.
Savings depend on your electricity rate, usage patterns, and local climate. The estimates here use national averages: roughly 12 cents per kWh and typical household usage patterns.
Typical annual savings over standard models
Refrigerators: Energy Star models use about 15% less energy, saving $30-50/year. The biggest gains come from replacing pre-2000 refrigerators, which can use 3-4× the electricity of a current Energy Star unit.
Dishwashers: Save about 3.5 gallons of water per cycle and $35/year on energy and water combined.
Clothes washers: Use 25% less energy and 33% less water. Annual savings around $35-45.
Central air conditioners: Energy Star units use 8% less energy than federal standards, but replacing a 10+ year old system can cut cooling costs by 20-40%. Average savings $115/year.
Water heaters (electric): Energy Star heat pump water heaters are 2-3× more efficient than resistance heaters, saving $300-500/year — the single biggest energy efficiency upgrade in most homes.
LED bulbs: Each LED replacing a 60W incandescent saves about $6/year at 3 hours/day usage.
CO2 reduction
The average U.S. grid emits about 0.386 kg CO₂ per kWh. The calculator converts energy savings to CO₂ reduction as well.
Savings accumulate significantly over an appliance’s lifespan (typically 10-20 years). A refrigerator saving $40/year over 15 years saves $600, in addition to the environmental benefit.