by Jamie Abelson | May 6th, 2021

​

The information out there about refrigeration and energy efficiency is so convoluted and disorganized that it makes one feel insane, especially because it seems like it would be so simple to calculate the energy use of a machine that is running at a similar level at all times. So, here is my attempt to simplify the issue (and I think it really is pretty simple).

​

Age

​

The first thing to make sure of is that you have a relatively new refrigerator. Huge leaps in energy efficiency have been made every couple of years for decades, but to keep it simple: if your refrigerator was built before the year 2001, you are probably using about DOUBLE the energy that you need to be. You should definitely buy a new refrigerator! Just do it right now.

 

If you are feeling hesitant, go with that 2001 cutoff as your magic number. If you are feeling excited about cutting energy costs and usage, a better idea would be to replace your refrigerator if it was built before 2011. More major improvements to efficiency have been made even that recently.

 

If you are shopping for a new refrigerator, the easiest way to make sure that it is energy efficient is to make sure it has the "Energy Star" Label associated with it. Here is what that looks like:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

A Little More Information

 

If you want a little more information, here it is. It seems that the best way to measure refrigerator energy efficiency is by looking at the estimated annual kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity used by that model.

 

As of 2021, the most efficient refrigerators use an amount of kilowatt hours in the high 200s, but anything in the 300s also receives a high rating. For larger refrigerators, the 400s aren’t that bad. The least energy efficient models that still make the top list on the Energy Star website (bigger refrigerators or ones with tons of features) hit 576 kilowatt hours per year. To keep it simple, let’s say that anything over that is not efficient.

​

Here is what I hope is a helpful table for you. I took all of the refrigerator models listed as Energy Star Most Efficient for 2021, I took out compact units and refrigerator only units (without freezers), I took out models below 10 cubic feet and above 20 cubic feet, and provided the range of energy use on the remaining models for each size. For the most part the ranges are caused by brand type and special features. In theory, you could figure out the smallest refrigerator unit that makes sense for you and your family, with the features you feel necessary, and then see if the annual energy use falls inside or close to these ranges.

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After doing some easy internet research I found that my refrigerator uses about 485 kilowatt hours a year (which is fine but not great). Just for the sake of argument, if I were to replace my refrigerator with a new model that used say 350 kilowatt hours per year, I would probably save about 15$ - 20$ per year (with IL energy prices). I would decrease my energy consumption from refrigeration by 135 kilowatt hours per year. In 2017, the EIA estimated the average American home uses about 29 kilowatt hours per day, so this would be the equivalent of my house not using any electricity at all for about 4.5 days every year. Of course, if your refrigerator is using a ton more energy than mine (which is fairly new), your opportunity for cost and energy savings would be much higher.

​

Six Tidbits

 

There are millions of tidbits on the Internet about how to save a little energy here and there related to refrigeration, but these are the six points that came up the most often and appear to be important.

 

1. Refrigerators/freezer units with the freezers on top are more energy efficient than bottom or side freezer units because the freezer is closer to the compressor. Less energy is lost in transit to the bottom of the refrigerator.

 

2. There is a lot of very confusing debate about how much energy usage is added when your refrigerator has an automatic ice making machine. Some people think that it only uses energy when it is making ice, while other people think it is wasting energy all the time. The long and the short of it is: if you really want to be energy conscious, you should buy a fridge without an automatic ice maker. If you can't give up your automatic ice maker, this will add anywhere from 12% to 20% onto your refrigerator's energy use. Either way, you still want to get the most efficient refrigerator that you can find that is big enough for your needs and fits into your ideal space for your refrigerator. Why quibble over numbers? Just find the most efficient refrigerator that works for you.

 

3. Another thing to mention is how important it is to recycle your old refrigerator instead of just throwing it away. This is for obvious reasons, but also because refrigerators release many harmful chemicals into the atmosphere when they end up in landfills. When you order a new refrigerator, make sure the vendor offers takeaway and recycling services. Some states even offer free refrigerator recycling pick-up and even small cash rebates for getting it done. Here is a graph from the EPA showing the amount of tons of Major Appliances that are recycled vs. how many tons end up in landfills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. The other way to majorly lesson the energy that we use on refrigeration is to give up our second refrigerator or freezer. Of the 7% of American residential electricity use going to refrigeration, about 18% of that is going to people’s second refrigerators. It has been estimated that anywhere from 23%-26% of American households now have two refrigerators and the percentage is rising. Beyond the obvious fact that you are doubling your energy use by having a second refrigerator, another major problem with this is that most of these second refrigerators are people’s old refrigerators, which as we have seen, guzzle up tons of extra energy. I can’t say it any better than Chris Mooney from the Washington Post: “So for the sake of the planet and your own energy bills, please reconsider whether you really need a second fridge (especially an older one). And for the sake of your gut, buy your beer one six-pack at a time.”

 

5. Many electricity utilities across the United states offer rebates for homeowners purchasing high efficiency models. For example, in my zipcode in Chicago our local utility is currently offering a $50 rebate for anyone purchasing a new high efficiency refrigerator. While this might not be a huge game changer, it’s a nice added incentive to lower energy consumption. To start your research into what incentives are available in your state, head to this Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency here is what the rebate in IL looks like.

 

6. Of course, the bigger the refrigerator, the more energy it is likely to use. I read somewhere that a good estimate for the size refrigerator you need is 4-6 cubic feet per person. I would imagine most people in the world, including Europeans, would seriously question the need for that much space. But just speaking for myself, our refrigerator is 15.7 cubic feet (just the refrigerator) and there are three of us. Currently, the fridge feels huge, but if we are successful in bringing our hopeful forth mouth and stomach into the equation, it would probably feel just about right. So, let’s go with the low end and say that 4 cubic feet per person should be more than enough space.

​

​