Hawaii households, with higher electricity rates than the rest of the nation, could benefit from any help available to keep those bills down.
That’s exactly what the federal Energy Star program — which certifies energy-efficient appliances with a well-recognized blue logo with a white star — accomplished for more than 30 years, according to Caroline Carl, executive director of Hawaii Energy.
“Energy Star as a national certifying body for energy-efficient products has been incredibly effective,” she said. “That blue label has become so familiar and has been effective at helping consumers make good decisions. Since its inception consumers have saved over $500 billion just by choosing better products.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched Energy Star in 1992 under President George H.W. Bush. It has since become “the international standard for energy efficiency,” according to its website, and “one of the most successful voluntary U.S. government programs in history.”
But Energy Star is now on the chopping block, according to numerous media reports, as the EPA undergoes a broad reorganization under Trump administration directives.
The dismantling of Energy Star would be a blow not only to Hawaii’s ongoing efforts to lower energy costs, but a setback to achieving the state’s clean-energy goals, according to Carl.
Hawaii’s electricity rates are already three times the national average, she said, with the potential to increase even more in 2026.
Hawaii Energy, a ratepayer- funded program that encourages residents and businesses to make smart energy choices — from appliances to air conditioners and water heaters — is the primary administrator of Energy Star programming in the state on behalf of the Public Utilities Commission.
Hawaii Energy offers rebates for energy-efficient swaps such as Energy Star fridges, pool pumps and LED light bulbs. Residents benefit by not only getting the rebate, but saving on future energy costs.
“We promote Energy Star-certified with our rebates and marketing to ensure Hawaii residents are making the most efficient decisions for the most durable products on these essential household items,” Carl said. “What it also does is it ensures manufacturers have a set level of guidelines across all different products that are labeled as Energy Star, so you know what you’re getting.”
Since 2013, she said, Energy Star products have saved Hawaii residents over $196 million in first-year energy costs.
In the past fiscal year, Hawaii Energy issued over 16,000 residential rebates for Energy Star products, which has been pretty consistent every year, reflecting their popularity for managing the cost of living.
Carl said numerous small businesses and restaurants also benefit from Energy Star swaps.
In 2024, 230 small businesses and nonprofits that purchased Energy Star products through Hawaii Energy’s EmPOWER grant are expected to save over $1 million on their electricity bills.
Carl emphasized that Hawaii Energy’s rebates and programs are still available until further notice, but she encouraged residents and businesses to take advantage of them as soon as possible to avoid paying higher prices for energy-saving products in the future.
The EPA has not officially announced an end to the Energy Star program, but earlier this month said it was entering the next phase of organizational “improvements” to the agency.
According to Reuters, the end of the popular program would come as “part of the dissolution of the EPA’s Office of Atmospheric Protection (OAP) and the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards,” which have been presented as part of the reorganization. Energy Star falls under the former.
The EPA press office said May 2 that it had announced the next phase of organizational “improvements” to the agency “to better provide clean air, water, and land for all Americans.”
“These workforce changes impact the Office of the Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, and Office of Water,” said the EPA in an email. “With this action, EPA is delivering organizational improvements to the personnel structure that will directly benefit the American people and better advance the agency’s core mission, while Powering the Great American Comeback.”
ENERGY STAR IMPACTS
>> Since 2013, Energy Star products have saved Hawaii residents more than $196 million in first-year energy costs. Over the lifetime of those products, residents are expected to save an estimated $2.2 billion.
>> Hawaii Energy issued over 16,000 residential rebates for Energy Star products in the past fiscal year, which are expected to reduce electricity bills by over $72 million.
>> Some 230 small businesses/nonprofits that purchased Energy Star products through Hawaii Energy’s EmPOWER grant in 2024 are expected to save over $1 million.
>> By choosing Energy Star, a typical household can save about $450 on its energy bills each year.
>> Since 1992, Energy Star has helped American families and businesses save more than $500 billion in energy costs, saved 5 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity and prevented 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere.
>> Nearly 90% of American households recognize the Energy Star logo.
>> The estimated annual market value of Energy Star product sales is more than $100 billion.
>> More than 790,000 Americans are employed in manufacturing or installing Energy Star-certified products, making up roughly 35% of U.S. energy efficiency jobs.
Source: Hawaii Energy, energystar.gov
