Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is hereby granting a nationwide limited waiver of the Buy American requirements of section 1605 of the Recovery Act under the authority of Section 1605(b)(2) (iron, steel, and the relevant manufactured goods are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality) with respect to: 24-leaf, motorized DMX iris units; induction lamps and ballasts for induction lighting systems (excluding fixtures for induction lighting); Enphase micro-inverters for solar photovoltaic systems; gas or propane commercial-scale high efficiency condensing wall hung boiler with indirect water heater, 94% or greater efficiency and a BTU output below 350,000, constructed with SA240-316 Ti stainless steel; large-format solar thermal collectors for integrated district heating systems (includes only high-performance flat plate solar collectors that possess the ability to limit the convective heat loss from the absorber plate to the cover glass, effectively minimizing heat losses to less than 2.6 W/m2K; the capability of sustaining output temperatures of 195 degrees F; and a gross collector area of greater than 150 ft\2\); turbochargers for Mitsubishi/Man 52/55B diesel generator engine (only in circumstances where replacing an existing MAN/NA48T turbocharger); and Liebert Variable Speed Upgrade Kits and Liebert iCOM Control Upgrade kits for the Liebert Chilled Water Deluxe heating, cooling, and humidification space conditioner that will be used on eligible EERE-Recovery Act funded projects.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of the decision and order (Case No. RF-015) that grants to the General Electric Company (GE) a waiver from the DOE electric refrigerator and refrigerator-freezer test procedure for certain basic models containing relative humidity sensors and adaptive control anti-sweat heaters. Under today's decision and order, GE shall be required to test and rate its refrigerator-freezers with relative humidity sensors and adaptive control anti-sweat heaters using an alternate test procedure that takes this technology into account when measuring energy consumption.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of the decision and order (Case No. RF-014) that grants to Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (Samsung) a waiver from the DOE electric refrigerator and refrigerator-freezer test procedure for certain basic models of residential refrigerator-freezers containing relative humidity sensors and adaptive control anti-sweat heaters. Under today's decision and order, Samsung shall be required to test and rate these refrigerator- freezers equipped with adaptive control anti-sweat heaters using an alternate test procedure that takes this technology into account when measuring energy consumption.

This notice publishes the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Decision and Order in Case No. CAC-027, which grants Sanyo North America Corporation (Sanyo) a waiver from the existing DOE test procedures applicable to commercial package air-source and water-source central air conditioners and heat pumps. The waiver is specific to the Sanyo variable capacity ECO-i (commercial) multi-split heat pumps. As a condition of this waiver, Sanyo must use the alternate test procedure set forth in this notice to test and rate its ECO-i multi-split products.

The Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on a proposed collection of information that DOE is developing for submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Pursuant to Section 14(a)(2)(A) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and in accordance with Title 41 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 102-3.65, and following consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat, General Services Administration, notice is hereby given that the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Advisory Committee (ERAC) has been established. To ensure a wide range of candidates for ERAC and a balanced committee, DOE is using this public announcement as an avenue to solicit nominations for this Committee.

This notice publishes the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) decision and order in Case No. CAC-024. DOE grants a waiver to Daikin from the existing DOE test procedure applicable to residential central air conditioners and heat pumps. The waiver request is specific to the Daikin Altherma air-to-water heat pump with integrated domestic water heating. The test method for central air conditioners and heat pumps contained in 10 CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix M does not include any provisions to account for the operational characteristics of an air-to-water heat pump, or any central air-conditioning heat pump with an integrated domestic hot water component. As a condition of this waiver, Daikin must test and rate its Altherma heat pump products according to the alternate test procedure set forth in this notice.

This notice announces the availability of materials related to a petition filed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts seeking an exemption from Federal preemption of certain energy efficiency standards. It also provides an opportunity for rebuttal to those comments that have already been received by the Department of Energy (DOE) in response to this petition.

This notice advises the public that applications under the Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0000013) for the formula grants of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will not be accepted after June 25, 2010.

This notice publishes the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) decision and order in Case No. CAC-025, which grants a waiver to Daikin from the existing DOE test procedure applicable to commercial package central air conditioners and heat pumps. The waiver is specific to the Daikin variable speed and variable refrigerant volume VRV-III-C (commercial) multi-split heat pumps and heat recovery systems. As a condition of this waiver, Daikin must use the alternate test procedure set forth in this notice to test and rate its VRV-III-C multi-split products.

This notice publishes the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) decision and order in Case No. CAC-026, which grants Daikin a waiver from the existing DOE test procedure applicable to commercial package central air conditioners and heat pumps. The waiver is specific to the Daikin variable capacity VRV-WIII (commercial) water-source multi-split heat pumps. As a condition of this waiver, Daikin must use the alternate test procedure set forth in this notice to test and rate its VRV-WIII multi-split products.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is soliciting information on how it can better assist the states to adopt, implement, enforce, and assess compliance with the current model building energy codes or their equivalent. DOE is interested in better understanding the barriers and issues involved and the needs, resources, materials and other technical assistance required to accomplish the goal of increased adoption and compliance with the latest model building energy codes, Standard 90.1-2007, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (or equivalent), for commercial buildings and the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (or equivalent) for low- rise residential buildings.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) of the U.S. Department of Energy hereby provides notice that on March 19, 2010, the Assistant Secretary for EERE granted nationwide limited waivers of the Buy American requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act; Pub. L. 111-5) under the authority of section 1605(b)(1) [application of the restrictions of section 1605 would be inconsistent with the public interest] for the purchase of light-emitting diode LED lighting (lamps, fixtures, and any supporting components) and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units. These nationwide limited waivers apply to projects using EERE Recovery Act funds for the construction, alteration, maintenance and repair of a public building or public work. These limited waivers only apply in circumstances where the recipient of EERE Recovery Act funds (``grantee'') has taken substantial steps to commit funds for the purchase of LED lights or HVAC units between February 17, 2009 and March 31, 2010. Substantial steps to commit funds would include, but are not limited to: (1) issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) on or before March 31, 2010 (applicable only where the grantee accepts a proposal received under that RFP); (2) in the case of a sole source selection: placing an order for the goods on or before March 31, 2010; (3) commencing a bidding process on or before March 31, 2010; (4) in circumstances where the grantee solicited quotes without an RFP: the grantee purchases the goods based on a quote dated on or before March 31, 2010 and the order for the goods is placed on or before March 31, 2010; and (5) grantee has executed a contract or purchase agreement with a supplier to acquire affected goods between February 17, 2009 and March 31, 2010.

In this notice, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is forecasting the representative average unit costs of five residential energy sources for the year 2010 pursuant to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The five sources are electricity, natural gas, No. 2 heating oil, propane, and kerosene.

The Fuel Cell Technologies Program, under the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, is inviting the fuel cell research community and other stakeholders to participate in a discussion of the most relevant research, development, and demonstration topics in fuel cells and fuel cell systems appropriate for government funding in stationary and transportation applications as well as cross-cutting stack and balance of plant component technology. Input from workshop participants will be used to assist in the development of a planned Fuel Cell Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) with awards anticipated in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is requesting information from stakeholders on questions pertaining to Section 1605the Buy American provisionsof the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (``Recovery Act'') of 2009, Public Law 111-5. DOE is seeking information organized into two distinct parts. Part 1 requests technical information from stakeholders seeking to ascertain the availability of manufactured goods produced in the United States that are needed to carry out projects funded by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Part 2 requests information on questions pertaining to the application and implementation (programmatic questions) of the Buy American provisions in Recovery Act projects funded by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC) was established under section 807 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT), Public Law No. 109-58; 119 Stat. 849. The Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law No. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770, requires that agencies publish notice of an advisory committee meeting in the Federal Register. To attend the meeting and/or to make oral statements during the public comment period, please e-mail HTAC@nrel.gov at least 5 business days before the meeting. Please indicate if you will be attending the meeting, whether you want to make an oral statement on February 10, 2010, and what organization you represent.

The Department of Energy (DOE) today publishes a final rule establishing the procedures and standards for reverse auctions of production incentives for cellulosic biofuels pursuant to section 942 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005).

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Abengoa Biorefinery Project near Hugoton, Stevens County, KS (DOE/EIS-0407D) (referred to as the ``Draft Abengoa Biorefinery EIS'' or ``Draft EIS''). This Draft EIS was prepared in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and DOE NEPA Implementing Regulations (10 CFR part 1021). The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, (USDA-RD) is a cooperating agency in preparation of the Draft Abengoa Biorefinery EIS.

This notice announces receipt of and publishes the Electrolux Home Products, Inc. (Electrolux) Petition for Waiver (hereafter, ``Petition'') from parts of the Department of Energy (DOE) test procedure for determining the energy consumption of electric refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers. The waiver request pertains to Electrolux's specified French door bottom-mount residential refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers, a product line that utilizes a control logic that changes the wattage of the anti-sweat heaters based upon the ambient relative humidity conditions in order to prevent condensation. The existing test procedure does not take humidity or adaptive control technology into account. Therefore, Electrolux has suggested an alternate test procedure that takes adaptive control technology into account when measuring energy consumption. DOE is soliciting comments, data, and information concerning Electrolux's Petition and the suggested alternate test procedure. DOE is also publishing notice of its March 3, 2009 grant of an interim waiver to Electrolux. Subsequently, DOE received a request from Electrolux to expand the scope of its interim waiver to four additional products. DOE has decided to grant this request.

This notice announces an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee under Section 9008(d) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that agencies publish these notices in the Federal Register to allow for public participation. This notice announces the meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee.

This notice announces receipt of and publishes a Petition for Waiver from LG Electronics, Inc. (LG). The Petition for Waiver (hereafter ``LG Petition'') requests a waiver from the Department of Energy (DOE) test procedure applicable to commercial package air-cooled central air conditioners and heat pumps. The waiver request is specific to the LG variable capacity Multi V (commercial) multi-split central air conditioners. Through this document, DOE is: (1) Soliciting comments, data, and information with respect to the LG Petition; and (2) announcing our determination to grant an Interim Waiver to LG from the applicable DOE test procedure for the subject commercial air- cooled, multi-split air conditioners and heat pumps.

The Department of Energy (DOE) today gives Notice of Opportunity for Technical Assistance (NOTA). The purpose of this NOTA is to support the goal of DOE's Solar America Initiative (SAI) to reduce the cost of solar photovoltaic technologies so that they become cost-competitive with grid electricity by 2015. The SAI represents a significant enhancement of DOE's business strategy of partnering with key stakeholders to accelerate commercialization of photovoltaic (PV) system research and development (R&D) to meet aggressive cost and installed capacity goals. DOE's Solar Energy Technologies Program uses research and development (R&D), testing and evaluation, and market transformation (MT) approaches to meet its SAI goal. MT efforts aim to reduce market barriers and promote market expansion of solar energy technologies through non-R&D activities. There are several aspects to SAI MT that should be kept in mind by Applicants to this NOTA: DOE is looking to identify and remove market barriers. DOE is seeking to identify and minimize or remove barriers to solar technology commercialization as quickly and efficiently as possible. DOE is looking for significant market changing activities. DOE is seeking to make large and significant changes in the marketplace through its market transformation activities. DOE is focused on near- and mid-term results. Accordingly, emphasis will be on projects and activities with the greatest potential to assist the DOE in reaching its SAI goal by 2015 (for more information, see SAI Web site at https://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/ solaramerica/). DOE is looking for performers and partners who are committed to the SAI mission. In order to achieve the SAI mission of 2015, DOE is inclined to partner and work with highly motivated entities. The DOE will provide Technical Assistance to large-scale, high- visibility solar installation projects that have the ability to impact the market for solar technologies through large project size, use of a novel solar technology, and/or use of a novel application for a solar technology. In addition, it is desired that the project be replicable or have replicable components. Large-scale installations may include photovoltaic, concentrating solar power, solar water heating, and solar space heating applications. Technical assistance will not be provided for research, development, or early-stage testing and evaluation of any technology or product. Solar America Showcases focus on providing support to projects in which a commercially-ready technology is to be installed in a large- scale application with full financial project commitment already in place. Support for research, product development or early stage testing and evaluation of solar products or technologies may be available under other Solar America Initiative opportunities. DOE will not purchase hardware or otherwise provide direct funding to organizations selected from this Notice. For further detail, see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document, and the full Notice of Opportunity for Technical Assistance (NOTA) at the DOE Industry Interactive Procurement System (IIPS) Web site: https://e-center.doe.gov/.

The Department of Energy (DOE) today gives notice of a Request for Information (RFI) to invite comment on approaches to address the need for consistently-collected reliability data of fielded photovoltaic systems, data analysis to deduce methods for assessing reliability and to improve accelerated aging tests to create predictive models, improvement in existing tests, more information on best practices for reliability and accelerated aging tests, and assessing the nature and frequency of safety-related issues (arcing, building integration aspects, and ground faults) and their relationship with long-term performance. It is clear that the foundation to address these needs is a database consisting of photovoltaic system and component reliability, as well as performance data, which are collected in a consistent manner. In addition to the database, it is necessary for DOE to collaborate with the national laboratories and others to evaluate the data, develop new or modified tests, assess safety, evaluate system and component interactions, and develop predictive models. DOE is issuing this RFI for information and feedback from the PV community stakeholders. These include, but are not limited to, system operators and integrators, utilities, project planners, financial planners, manufacturers, third-party data-aggregation companies, universities, testing facilities, and other interested parties. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document, which provides further detail and comments requested.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is publishing guidelines for persons and organizations interested in requesting National Priority Project Designation as established in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005). The President, upon recommendation of the Secretary of Energy, is authorized by EPAct 2005 annually to recognize projects that are making the greatest strides in helping the United States reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and promote domestic energy security. Following approval of an information collection request, DOE will publish an invitation to apply under the guidelines published today.