BENTON HARBOR, Mich.,
Dec. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/
-- Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) today announced that the
Whirlpool WED99HED HybridCare™ Heat Pump Duet® Dryer was
awarded an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2014 ENERGY
STAR® Emerging Technology Award. The Award is presented to
innovative technologies that meet performance criteria to reduce
energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing
features or functionality.
The award builds on Whirlpool Corporation's leadership in the
dryer technology space, beginning with the introduction in June of
the first ENERGY STAR® certified dryer, the Whirlpool brand
Duet® model WED87HED steam dryer1. This continued with
ENERGY STAR® certifications for Whirlpool's entire front
load electric dryer lineup, punctuated by the Emerging Technology
Award for the Whirlpool WED99HED HybridCare™ Heat Pump Duet®
Dryer. Based on estimated annual energy use, it is our most
efficient clothes dryer sold in the
United States2.
The Whirlpool® HybridCare™ clothes dryer WED99HED with
Hybrid Heat Pump technology is designed to re-generate energy
during the drying cycle to reduce energy consumption while
providing dryer speed and performance flexibility. Compared to
typical dryers that use large amounts of energy in the form of
venting hot, moist air, the Whirlpool brand HybridCare™ dryer is a
ventless heat pump dryer that uses a refrigeration system to dry
and recycle the same air. The Whirlpool brand HybridCare™ dryer
exceeds the Emerging Technology Award's requirements to save
consumers approximately 40% in energy compared to standard
dryers.
"We're honored that the EPA recognizes Whirlpool Corporation's
commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency with our
innovative HybridCare™ heat pump dryer technology," said
Chris Ball, General Manager of the
Laundry category for Whirlpool North America. "Among the many
benefits of this dryer is that it does not require an outside vent,
which gives consumers more options for where to install it in the
home." The ventless feature can be a benefit in climates
where there is need to cool or heat the air brought in from a
traditional dryer's venting during operation.
"EPA commends Whirlpool on introducing a ventless heat pump
dryer that meets the requirements for the 2014 ENERGY STAR®
Emerging Technology Award. Super-efficient, cutting-edge technology
like this has the potential to save significant amounts of energy
and CO2 emissions," said Ann Bailey,
U.S. EPA, Director of ENERGY STAR® Products.
Energy efficiency is especially important considering North
American dryers also waste an estimated $4B per year in energy3.
Consumers will be able to both reduce their energy
consumption, and reduce the energy waste by Utilizing HybridCare™
technology.
One reviewer of the HybridCare™ called it the most exciting
dryer to hit the market in decades. Specifically mentioning its
ventless feature and energy efficiency, the reviewer noted that for
consumers in parts of the country with extreme climates, air
conditioners and heaters will not have to work as hard to recover
climate-controlled air expelled outside, further reducing seasonal
heating bills.
HybridCare™ technology uses advanced sensors tuned to manage
energy consumption and temperature to deliver drying performance
and energy savings. The three available modes allow flexibility
while providing great drying results:
- Speed mode – used when consumer focus is on managing time
- Eco mode – used when optimizing energy is the priority
- Balanced mode – blends the performance of Speed and Eco
Whirlpool Corporation is collaborating with industry alliances,
as well as hundreds of U.S. utilities and energy efficiency
organizations through the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
(NEEA) and the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) to
support efforts to mobilize the market toward energy efficiency.
Whirlpool has also established relationships with organizations
including the Super-Efficient Dryer Initiative (SEDI), which brings
together dryer manufacturers, government agencies, utilities, and
appliance retailers in the U.S. and Canada to promote the introduction of advanced
clothes dryers into the North American market.
Through these relationships, Whirlpool strives to make the
greatest long-term impact on the marketplace through the adoption
of energy-efficient products, like the HybridCare™ dryer. The
HybridCare™ technology dryer will also match select front load
washers of the currently available Duet series, making it an
obvious choice for consumers who desire greater levels of energy
savings.
The product launch is ramping up in select markets and will
expand to others in the U.S. and Canada in early 2015, generating excitement
among many major utilities and efficiency organizations that see
the HybridCare dryer as the next big opportunity for significant
energy savings in homes. Many utilities are developing plans to
offer customer rebates to incentivize the purchase of the
Whirlpool® HybridCare™ clothes dryer WED99HED. Whirlpool expects
that many customers in the following states and Canadian provinces
will soon be eligible for rebates on the HybridCare dryer:
- California
- Connecticut
- Idaho
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- New Jersey
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
- Vermont
- British Columbia
Whirlpool Corporation's full sustainability strategy engages
nearly every aspect of its business, from materials and processes,
to product technologies and end-of-life recycling, all aimed at a
more sustainable future. Whirlpool Corporation believes in
improving lives, one home, one family at a time through innovative,
world-class products and services. When it comes to sustainability,
Whirlpool works to satisfy its consumers, protect the environment,
nurture its communities and embed sustainability into its products
and processes while driving extraordinary value and enhancing
reputation.
About ENERGY STAR
Products, homes and buildings that
earn the ENERGY STAR label prevent greenhouse gas emissions by
meeting strict energy efficiency requirements set by the U.S. EPA.
From the first ENERGY STAR qualified computer in 1992, the label
can now be found on products in more than 70 different categories,
with more than 4.5 billion sold over the past 20 years. Over 1.5
million new homes and 23,000 office buildings, schools, hospitals
and plants have earned the ENERGY STAR label.
About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation is
the world's leading global manufacturer and marketer of major home
appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2013, 69,000 employees, and 59
manufacturing and technology research centers around the world.
The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid,
Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major
brand names. We earn the trust of consumers in nearly every country
by focusing on what matters most. Additional information about the
company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com.
1
Whirlpool.com, "Whirlpool Corporation receives first Energy Star ®
certification for clothes dryers", June 16,
2014
2
ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Clothes Dryers qualified product
list: http://1.usa.gov/1x3vWEs
3
USA Today, "Report: Dryers
Waste $4B yearly in energy Cost,"
June 12, 2014
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SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation