Super Efficient Refrigerators : The Golden Carrot ® from Concept to Reality

In 1993 a national coalition of utilities awarded an incentive contract to Whirlpool Corporation for the market introduction of super efficient refrigerators. Formed in 1991, the coalition developed several key goals. The super efficient refrigerator would achieve energy savings which exceed 1993 federal standards by 25% to 50%, or more, and would be free of CFC materials. The program would employ a window of opportunity between 1994 and 1997, and would assure market acceptability in function, style and price. The program would stimulate competition among manufacturers for efficiency improvements. Finally, the program would move the market toward these goals beyond the $30 million in program commitments. The program’s turnkey design, market transformation potential and benefit/cost parameters attracted membership commitments totalling $30 million from 24 utilities across America. Dubbed “Golden Carrot,” the embodiment of these key goals in a structured program produced tight competition for the contract which will produce aggregate energy savings of over 1 billion kWh over a 15 year life cycle of the approximately quarter million units planned for the market.