Energy efficiency rollbacks could cost Americans $43 billion in higher utility bills

is a senior science reporter covering energy and the environment with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home , a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals. The Trump administration’s attempts to gut 12 energy efficiency standards could cost Americans billions of dollars in higher electricity bills. The Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced that it plans to rollback dozens of policies in what it called its “largest deregulatory effort in history.” While the DOE claims that getting rid of “burdensome and costly” rules would save $11 billion, that doesn’t take into account the costs Americans would bear if they have to use more energy-hungry appliances. Adding up those costs, the deregulation spree would ultimately lead to about $43 billion in higher electricity bills for households and businesses, according to an analysis by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP) that was first shared with The Verge. ... Read full article.