Recent legislation has increasingly mandated the use of variablespeed pool pumps to promote energy efficiency and reduce electricity consumption.

At the federal level, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) introduced new energy efficiency standards that took effect in July 2021.

These standards require most new and replacement pool pumps to meet specific efficiency criteria, effectively phasing out many single-speed pumps.

The rules primarily target pumps used in residential swimming pools, ensuring that newly manufactured pumps are more energy-efficient. In California, the Title 20 Appliance Efficiency Regulations mandate that residential pool pumps and motors meet stringent energy efficiency standards.

The regulations require that all filtration pumps manufactured and sold in the state be variable-speed and meet specific efficiency criteria. California has been at the forefront of energy efficiency legislation, and these regulations align with the state's broader goals of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Other states have followed California's lead, implementing similar regulations.

For instance, Arizona and Florida have introduced laws that mandate the installation of energy-efficient pool pumps for new pools and during the replacement of old pumps.

These laws often specify that variable-speed pumps must be used, given their superior efficiency compared to single- and dual-speed models.

That’s because variable-speed pumps, operated correctly, are so much more efficient.

The pump affinity law is an important principle in understanding the efficiency benefits of variablespeed pumps.

This law states that the power required by a pump is proportional to the cube of the flow rate.

This means that even a small reduction in pump speed can result in a significant decrease in power consumption.

For example, reducing the pump speed by 50% can reduce power consumption by nearly 87.5% (since 0.5 × 0.5 × 0.5 = 0.125, and 1 – 0.125 = 0.875 or 87.5% reduction).

This substantial energy savings potential underpins the rationale for mandating variable-speed pumps, as they can operate at lower speeds for most of their runtime, significantly reducing energy usage and operating costs.

That’s why federal and state laws are increasingly mandating the use of variable-speed pool pumps to promote energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption.

The Department of Energy’s new standards and specific state regulations in California, Arizona, and Florida reflect a growing trend toward more energy-efficient pool equipment.