DOE Proposes Higher Energy Efficiency for Vending Machines

June 5, 2009

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing a new energy-efficiency standard for cold-drink vending machines. Under the new proposal, refrigerated vending machines with glass or plastic front panels that dispense drinks in cans or bottles could be required to cut energy consumption by up to 42 percent, or 15 percent for more traditional solid front machines, reports Energy Efficiency News. The proposed regulations are open for comment until the end of July.

According to the DOE, the new regulations could save as much as 10-billion-kilowatt hours of electricity over 30 years, which is equivalent to the annual electricity usage of 800,000 homes, and reduce costs by $250 million for vending machine owners.

PepsiCo is already testing new vending machines that are 15 percent more efficient that the current average. The company recently launched a pilot program in the Washington, D.C. area, to test these climate-friendly, vending machines. The beverage company says this marks the first time that vending machines cooled by CO2 have been introduced in the United States. PepsiCo is also testing thousands of machines around the world that use other green refrigerants, such as isobutane and propane, that also have a lower climate impact than current HFC refrigerants.

Coca-Cola is also testing new climate-friendly, HFC-free, energy-efficient coolers and vending machines in Washington, D.C., at the House of Representatives. The company may deploy up to 1,800 energy-efficient vending machines around the U.S. and Canada later this year.

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