In a final rule, the Department of Energy (DOE) has established energy efficiency standards for refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machines. The action marks the first time DOE is regulating energy consumption of the approximately 2.3 million beverage vending machines in use in the United States.

Beverage vending machines common in the mid-1990s used as much 3,000 to 5,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year. With the new standards, machines will consume no more than 1,400 to 1,800 kWh annually. According to DOE, this will reduce CO2 emissions by up to 9.6 million metric tons from 2012 through 2042, roughly equivalent to removing more than 2 million cars from the road for a year.

DOE's economic analysis indicates that the impact of the standards on commercial customers is positive for most equipment classes. To meet the new standards, DOE estimates that the installed prices of such equipment will be $2,864, an increase of $239, which will be offset by annual energy savings of approximately $69 and an increase in maintenance and repair cost of $13.

The efficiency standards take effect August 31, 2012.