A gas-powered alarm clock. A geothermal heat pump more efficient than anything on the market. A fictional computer monitor approved within 30 minutes of submission.

These and other products are on a list of 15 bogus products detailed in the Government Accountability Office audit, "Energy Star Program: Covert Testing Shows the Energy Star Program Certification Process Is Vulnerable to Fraud and Abuse." The audit states, "GAO's investigation shows that Energy Star is for the most part a self-certification program vulnerable to fraud and abuse."

Read "Audit Finds Vulnerability of Energy Star Program" in today's New York Times, which references our October 2008 investigative report, "Energy Star Has Lost Some Luster," for more details on the audit.

We'll cover more details on the GAO audit and the Energy Department's plans to increase Energy Star enforcement, which we recently covered in "DOE to Step Up Energy-Use Checks on Energy Star-Qualified Appliances." "Consumers have long trusted the Energy Star brand for products that will save them energy and save them money," said Cathy Zoi, the Department of Energy's assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, in a press release last week. "The steps we're taking now will further strengthen and improve the program, building on the results that consumers have come to expect."