Whirlpool® HybridCare™ Clothes Dryer Earns 2014 ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Dec. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) today announced that the Whirlpool WED99HED HybridCare™ Heat Pump Duet® Dryer was awarded an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2014 ENERGY STAR® Emerging Technology Award. The Award is presented to innovative technologies that meet performance criteria to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing features or functionality.

The award builds on Whirlpool Corporation's leadership in the dryer technology space, beginning with the introduction in June of the first ENERGY STAR® certified dryer, the Whirlpool brand Duet® model WED87HED steam dryer¹. This continued with ENERGY STAR® certifications for Whirlpool's entire front load electric dryer lineup, punctuated by the Emerging Technology Award for the Whirlpool WED99HED HybridCare™ Heat Pump Duet® Dryer. Based on estimated annual energy use, it is our most efficient clothes dryer sold in the United States².  

The Whirlpool® HybridCare™ clothes dryer WED99HED with Hybrid Heat Pump technology is designed to re-generate energy during the drying cycle to reduce energy consumption while providing dryer speed and performance flexibility. Compared to typical dryers that use large amounts of energy in the form of venting hot, moist air, the Whirlpool brand HybridCare™ dryer is a ventless heat pump dryer that uses a refrigeration system to dry and recycle the same air. The Whirlpool brand HybridCare™ dryer exceeds the Emerging Technology Award's requirements to save consumers approximately 40% in energy compared to standard dryers.

"We're honored that the EPA recognizes Whirlpool Corporation's commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency with our innovative HybridCare™ heat pump dryer technology," said Chris Ball, General Manager of the Laundry category for Whirlpool North America. "Among the many benefits of this dryer is that it does not require an outside vent, which gives consumers more options for where to install it in the home."  The ventless feature can be a benefit in climates where there is need to cool or heat the air brought in from a traditional dryer's venting during operation. 

"EPA commends Whirlpool on introducing a ventless heat pump dryer that meets the requirements for the 2014 ENERGY STAR® Emerging Technology Award. Super-efficient, cutting-edge technology like this has the potential to save significant amounts of energy and CO2 emissions," said Ann Bailey, U.S. EPA, Director of ENERGY STAR® Products.

Energy efficiency is especially important considering North American dryers also waste an estimated $4B per year in energy³.  Consumers will be able to both  reduce their energy consumption, and reduce the energy waste by Utilizing HybridCare™ technology.

One reviewer of the HybridCare™ called it the most exciting dryer to hit the market in decades. Specifically mentioning its ventless feature and energy efficiency, the reviewer noted that for consumers in parts of the country with extreme climates, air conditioners and heaters will not have to work as hard to recover climate-controlled air expelled outside, further reducing seasonal heating bills.

HybridCare™ technology uses advanced sensors tuned to manage energy consumption and temperature to deliver drying performance and energy savings. The three available modes allow flexibility while providing great drying results:

• Speed mode – used when consumer focus is on managing time
• Eco mode – used when optimizing energy is the priority
• Balanced mode – blends the performance of Speed and Eco

Whirlpool Corporation is collaborating with industry alliances, as well as hundreds of U.S. utilities and energy efficiency organizations through the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) and the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) to support efforts to mobilize the market toward energy efficiency. Whirlpool has also established relationships with organizations including the Super-Efficient Dryer Initiative (SEDI), which brings together dryer manufacturers, government agencies, utilities, and appliance retailers in the U.S. and Canada to promote the introduction of advanced clothes dryers into the North American market.

Through these relationships, Whirlpool strives to make the greatest long-term impact on the marketplace through the adoption of energy-efficient products, like the HybridCare™ dryer. The HybridCare™ technology dryer will also match select front load washers of the currently available Duet series, making it an obvious choice for consumers who desire greater levels of energy savings.

The product launch is ramping up in select markets and will expand to others in the U.S. and Canada in early 2015, generating excitement among many major utilities and efficiency organizations that see the HybridCare dryer as the next big opportunity for significant energy savings in homes. Many utilities are developing plans to offer customer rebates to incentivize the purchase of the Whirlpool® HybridCare™ clothes dryer WED99HED. Whirlpool expects that many customers in the following states and Canadian provinces will soon be eligible for rebates on the HybridCare dryer:

• California
• Connecticut
• Idaho
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• New Jersey
• New York
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• Washington
• Washington, D.C.
• Vermont
• British Columbia

Whirlpool Corporation's full sustainability strategy engages nearly every aspect of its business, from materials and processes, to product technologies and end-of-life recycling, all aimed at a more sustainable future. Whirlpool Corporation believes in improving lives, one home, one family at a time through innovative, world-class products and services. When it comes to sustainability, Whirlpool works to satisfy its consumers, protect the environment, nurture its communities and embed sustainability into its products and processes while driving extraordinary value and enhancing reputation.

About ENERGY STAR
Products, homes and buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR label prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency requirements set by the U.S. EPA. From the first ENERGY STAR qualified computer in 1992, the label can now be found on products in more than 70 different categories, with more than 4.5 billion sold over the past 20 years. Over 1.5 million new homes and 23,000 office buildings, schools, hospitals and plants have earned the ENERGY STAR label.

About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading global manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2013, 69,000 employees, and 59 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world.  The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names. We earn the trust of consumers in nearly every country by focusing on what matters most. Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com.

¹            Whirlpool.com, "Whirlpool Corporation receives first Energy Star ® certification for clothes dryers", June 16, 2014
²            ENERGY STAR Certified Residential Clothes Dryers qualified product list: http://1.usa.gov/1x3vWEs
³            USA Today, "Report: Dryers Waste $4B yearly in energy Cost," June 12, 2014