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White House proposes new energy efficiency rule in climate push

[September 18, 2014]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Energy unveiled its latest energy efficiency rule on Thursday, a standard for commercial air conditioning units that the White House believes could slash energy use in commercial and industrial buildings.

The proposal would cut climate-changing carbon emissions by more than 60 million tonnes, and could save more energy than any other efficiency standard issued by the Energy Department to date, the White House said in a release.

The new standard was part of a package of actions announced on Friday that the White House said would curb nearly 300 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2030 and save consumers more than $10 billion on energy bills.

The Energy Department also said it would train veterans to install solar panels at military bases, while the Agriculture Department said it would invest $68 million in 540 renewable energy and efficiency projects in rural areas, including 240 solar projects.

The Housing and Urban Development Department has ruled that its loan guarantee funds for states and communities can be used for solar and energy efficiency projects, the White House said.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Robert Birsel)

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