Phony products impress federal Energy Star program

[theHandpuppet]

Source: The Seattle Times

Phony products impress federal Energy Star program
By Clement Tan
Tribune Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — Federal investigators who submitted phony products, such as a gasoline-powered alarm clock, to the government's energy-efficiency certification program found it easy to obtain approval and say the program is "vulnerable to fraud and abuse."

Investigators with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said they obtained Energy Star approval for 15 of 20 fictitious products they submitted for certification with fake energy-savings claims. Two were rejected and three did not receive a response.

<snipping>

Among the phony products that obtained Energy Star certification was a "room air cleaner" that, in a picture prominently displayed on the Web site of a bogus company, showed an electric space heater with a feather duster and strips of fly paper attached to it.

"Certification controls were ineffective primarily because Energy Star does not verify energy-savings data reported by manufacturers," investigators said in a GAO report released Friday....

Read more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011454082_energystar27.html

[panzerfaust]

1. In Oz, "Green fridge labelled a fraud"

It is not just imaginary products that get fraudulent energy efficiency ratings:

AN {Australian} ELECTRONICS manufacturer with a history of making false environmental claims has been caught doctoring fridges to make them appear more energy efficient.

LG Electronics has agreed to compensate potentially thousands of consumers after two of its fridges - models L197NFS and P197WFS - were found to contain an illegal device that activates an energy-saving mode when it detects room conditions similar to those in a test laboratory.

The so-called circumvention device was discovered last month by the consumer advocacy group, Choice.

The device detects test conditions - typically 22 degrees - and activates the energy-saving mode, creating the impression of lower running costs and energy usage. The devices have been banned in Australia since 2007...

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/green-fridge-labelled-a-fraud-20100316-qclx.html

And, it is asked, why cannot Industry simply be trusted to police itself?

[canetoad]

10. I agree that this is a fraudulent practice

LG Electronics is a South Korean corporation although they do have divisions in many countries ie. LG Australia, LG USA, LG Canada and so on.

I wonder if this is a worldwide fraud or just here.

[NecklyTyler]

2. TAILGATOR - Tailgator Gas Powered Portable Blender

The Tailgator Gas Powered Blender TAILGATOR makes a bar out of your truck or boat with margaritas and frozen drinks.
The Tailgator gas powered blender (TAILGATOR) is for party people and frozen drink lovers on-the-go. Mix blended drinks from any location with the Tailgator portable gas powered blender. The 24cc two-stroke 2-1/4 hp engine smoothly blends an entire pitcher of drinks in 15 seconds. With a durable 45 oz. lightweight plastic pitcher, the TAILGATOR is built to last longer than you. From Athens to Madison and Berkeley to Blacksburg, you'll be the center of attention with the TAILGATOR. Expect to see yourself on the Jumbotron manning your blending beast. Tailgate parties, road trips, picnics, boating, and beach trips will never be same with frozen concoctions in your mobile arsenal.

[NBachers]

5. Ask about our optional chain saw attachment for when you really get tanked up

And we offer splatter suits in a variety of team colors!

[M155Y_A1CH]

19. Wow, I want a Tailgator

for my Deere!

[jmowreader]

3. If they would have said "gasoline powered washing machine" I would have believed it

Lehmans will sell you a reconditioned Maytag wringer washer powered by a lawn mower engine. Most of the people who buy them are Amish. But Lehman's is pretty much Sears for the buggy-and-lantern set.

[theHandpuppet]

4. I guess this is the part that really got me

"Certification controls were ineffective primarily because Energy Star does not verify energy-savings data reported by manufacturers," investigators said in a GAO report released Friday....

Um.... wouldn't that be considered part of their job???

[Gormy Cuss]

11. Ooof! A perfect description of Lehman's

:rofl:

They do have a lot of interesting off-the-grid stuff.

[liberal N proud]

6. Would this chain saw qualify for Energy Star compliance?

It will cut down trees exponentially faster than any normal saw...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvAI7-Qa2Io


Edit to add :sarcasm:

[jmowreader]

13. That's called a Hot Saw

It's more a demonstration saw, tho...the Timbersports people can only use a single-cylinder engine in their competition saws. (Yes, there is an actual SPORT with athletes, prizes and TV coverage.)

[ladywnch]

7. ROFLMAO...... I didn't think anybody in government was this creative !...

.............."Among the phony products that obtained Energy Star certification was a "room air cleaner" that, in a picture prominently displayed on the Web site of a bogus company, showed an electric space heater with a feather duster and strips of fly paper attached to it."



I mean, come on now, a space heater with a feather duster and fly paper?!?!?!?!!!!! that's just plain funny!!!!!!

[DeSwiss]

15. Yep.

- Now that's funny!!!!

K&R

[Turbineguy]

8. Is this one of the agencies

inundated with Bush political hacks converted to civil service jobs? If so, that might explain a lot.

[Moosepoop]

9. I had 4 new "Energy Star" rated windows installed in January

Part of the reason for picking (and paying more for) the ones that I did was that "Energy Star" certification. Now I have to wonder if the ES certification is actually meaningless -- though so far the windows themselves seem to be living up to their advertising in terms of keeping heat in and drafts out.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

12. I didn't see this one in there

http://www.blacklightpower.com/papers/EngPower032610S.pdf


Thermally Reversible Hydrino Catalyst Systems as a New Power Source, R.L. Mills, G. Zhao, K. Akhtar, Z. Chang, J. He, X. Hu, G. Wu, J. Lotoski, G. Chu -Using absolute water-flow calorimetry, the energy balance for representative power and regeneration reactions of four classes of hydrino catalyst systems was determined wherein the formation of hydrinos has 200 times the energy release relative to combustion. The thermal cycle of reactants to products thermally reversed to reactants in a closed system is energy neutral, and the thermal losses (~3%) and energy to replace hydrogen converted to hydrinos (2%) are small compared to the large energy released in forming hydrinos.

Typical parameters measured by absolute water-flow calorimetry were 2-5 times energy gain relative to regeneration chemistry and 7 W cm-3. The predicted molecular hydrino and hydrino hydride products H2(1/4) and H-(1/4) corresponding to 50 MJ/mole H2 consumed were confirmed by the solution 1H NMR peak at 1.2 ppm and XPS peak at 11 eV, respectively. The results indicate that continuous generation of power liberated by forming hydrinos is commercially feasible using simplistic and efficient systems that concurrently maintain regeneration as part of the thermal energy balance.

[boppers]

14. WTH?

Wow, blacklight is fairly giggle-inducing.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

16. You'll need something to go with that crow someday... soon. That is all

I will say about this subject. Please do not respond to this message, it was generated automatically and will not respond to further provocation.

[boppers]

17. I would be more than happy to eat that crow.

..."someday".

[HysteryDiagnosis]

18. It would be "like" a miracle if anything ever comes of this stuff. n/t