The US Energy Department wants to stop regulating compressors for energy efficiency

The US Energy Department wants to reverse an earlier decision that classified compressors as "covered equipment." This means manufacturers would no longer have to meet federal energy efficiency standards for these machines.

For years, the Energy Department has added more types of equipment to its list of things that must meet efficiency standards. This proposal reverses that trend for a specific category. If this goes through, it could set a precedent for other industries to argue their equipment should also be exempt from efficiency rules.