Design by Julie Baugnet tons to achieve the same comfort levels. Refrigerators became 50 percent more efficient, as did automobiles during a similar period. More rigorous building codes and federal legislation concerning appliance and automobile efficiency were the principal spurs to these improvements. Yet these advances only scratch the surface of the possible. The U.S. Office of Technology Assessment estimates that by the year 2000, cars could average 51-78 mpg. Several prototype four passenger vehicles already achieve a combined city/high- way efficiency over 70 mpg. In June 1989 the EPA recommended 40 mpg standard for all new cars by the year 2000. Simply by substituting the best available furnaces and appliances we could save on average half our household energy. More than two- thirds of our fuel could be saved by substituting the most sophisticated existing technologies. A 1987 study determined that M inneso ta .could co s t-e f fe c t ive ly reduce electric consumption by 52 percent. The potential may be even greater. Source: Howard S. Geller, "Energy Efficient Appliances: Performance, Issues and Policy Options.” IEEE Technology and Society Magazine. March 1986 The Potential for Energy Efficiency Product Avg. In Use New Model Average (kwh) Best Available Estimated Cost- Effective Potential Savings Potential (%) Refrigerator 1500 1100 750 200-400 87 Central A/C 3600 2900 1800 900-1200 75 Electric water heater 4000 3500 1600 1000-1500 75 Electric range 800 750 700 400-500 50 Gas furnace* 730 750 700 400-500 50 Gas water heater* 270 250 200 100-150 63 Gas range* 70 50 40 25-30 64 *ln therms These lofty possibilities notw ithstanding, energy consumption in Minnesota is expected to increase. In 1988, for the first time in 15 years, vehicle fuel e ff ic ien cy worsened. Electric conservation programs have had relatively little impact on growth rates. Per capita electric consumption increased from 6180 kwh in 1970 to 8800 kwh in 1980 to 9580 kwh in 1986 and is projected to increase another 15-20 percent by the end of the century. Northern States Power (NSP), which sells more than 55 percent of all e le c tr ic ity sold in Minnesota, reduced consumption by some 130 GWH per year through its conservation efforts in the period 1982-1987. During the same period NSP customers increased electricity consumption by about 4,000 GWH. NSP projec ts a consumption increase of 10,000 GWH by 1998; conservation efforts w ill offset only 500 GWH of this increase. Clinton St. Quarterly—Winter, 1989-90 T
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