Navigating the Latest Energy Regulations with LG

New energy policies are being introduced as a measure to counter the rise in energy demands and costs. In response to the energy crisis, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has drafted a new energy policy.
Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, the DOE must review energy efficiency standards once every six years and introduce changes accordingly. In regard to this periodical review, new minimum efficiency standards drafted by the DOE will come into effect starting January 1, 2023.
New regulations will come with an increased federal minimum Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) and Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF). These new changes will affect split-system air conditioners, split-system heat pumps and packaged units.
The DOE has announced that the minimum efficiency for air conditioners and heat pump cooling systems will go up by 1.0 SEER unit in the northern, southeastern and southwestern United States. Currently, the minimum efficiency for HVAC air conditioners is 13.0 SEER in the northern U.S.; whereas it is 14.0 SEER in the southern region. From next year onwards, the minimum efficiency standard will rise to 14.0 SEER for northern states and 15.0 SEER for southern states.

You might have seen “SEER”, “EER” or even “HSPF” labels on your air conditioners and heat pumps. So, what do these labels mean exactly? And are they a part of the new energy regulations? Yes, they are, and homeowners should be familiar with these terms to understand how and why new energy regulations will affect cooling and heating systems.
SEER is an acronym for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio which is used to measure air conditioning and heat pump cooling efficiency. It is calculated by the ratio of the cooling output for a given cooling season divided by the total power input in Watt-hours. For heating, this ratio is called Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF). Both are important factors when buying air conditioning and heating systems. The higher the SEER or HSPF, the more cooling or heating efficiency you get for your money. In the U.S., minimum SEER regulations differ from region to region due to geographical and climatic differences.

New HVAC products will have to go through stringent testing procedures to meet the new energy efficiency standards. As a result, efficiency standard metrics will also be updated from SEER, EER and HSPF to SEER2, EER2 and HSPF2, respectively. These rules will be applicable to HVAC products for both residential and commercial purposes. As far as heat pumps are concerned, the current 8.2 HSPF will be raised to 8.8 HSPF in the northern, southwestern and southeastern parts of the country. Newly manufactured HVAC products will have to meet these new energy guidelines.

That solely depends on where you are located. In the northern U.S., only HVAC products with 14.0 SEER rating or above will be allowed for installation. On the flip side, newly manufactured products of 14.0 SEER or lower will no longer be allowed for installation from January 1, 2023 onwards; however, 14.0 SEER heat pumps built before January 1, 2023, can still be installed on or after January 1, 2023.

The DOE’s role is to ensure clean and economically feasible energy to all which is driving this change in energy policy. These energy regulations are not only expected to benefit the environment, but will be economically beneficial to consumers as well.
These amendments are aimed at energy conservation, economic feasibility, and lower carbon emissions. The DOE is hopeful that these changes will improve energy efficiency, resulting in huge cut downs in energy consumption.

After reading this article, you might wonder “Which manufacturers are prepared for this?” or “How can I prevent my business from being affected by these regulations?”. Fortunately, LG has been preparing for these changes and our Gen 3 Scroll Compressor will help you transition smoothly toward these new energy regulations in 2023.
The LG Gen 3 Scroll Compressor meets the new energy regulations waiting to be implemented in 2023, and is ideal for installation across all regions in the United States. The LG Gen 3 Scroll Compressor is highly durable, and is compatible with low GWP refrigerants like R32 and R454B, bringing about improved motor performance and higher efficiency. And most importantly,
it has already been launched in North America.
In line with the new DOE regulations, LG has set up operations to help your business prepare from a technical and commercial standpoint. Our goal is to help clients navigate this transition and make it as frictionless as possible to adopt these new standards.
As your partner, we’re always striving to stay ahead of the changing tides in our industry so that you have the solutions needed. LG invites you to come along as we continue pursuing future innovations that keep your business moving forward.