Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Room Air Conditioners, 36349-36355 [2017-16441]
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36349
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
Vol. 82, No. 149
Friday, August 4, 2017
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains notices to the public of the proposed
issuance of rules and regulations. The
purpose of these notices is to give interested
persons an opportunity to participate in the
rule making prior to the adoption of the final
rules.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy
10 CFR Part 430
[EERE–2017–BT–TP–0012]
Energy Conservation Program: Test
Procedure for Room Air Conditioners
Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Request for information (RFI).
AGENCY:
The U.S. Department of
Energy (‘‘DOE’’) is initiating a data
collection process through this request
for information to consider whether to
amend DOE’s test procedure for room
air conditioners (‘‘room ACs’’). To
inform interested parties and to
facilitate this process, DOE has gathered
data, identifying several issues
associated with the currently applicable
test procedure on which DOE is
interested in receiving comment. The
issues outlined in this document mainly
concern issues initially identified in an
RFI issued in 2015 considering
amendments to the current energy
conservation standards and test
procedure for room ACs; harmonization
with the recently established portable
air conditioner (‘‘portable AC’’) test
procedure; clarification of the test setup
and testing conditions; updated
industry test procedures for room ACs;
and any additional topics that may
inform DOE’s decisions in a future test
procedure rulemaking, including
methods to reduce regulatory burden
while ensuring the procedure’s
accuracy. DOE welcomes written
comments from the public on any
subject within the scope of this
document (including topics not raised
in this RFI).
DATES: Written comments and
information are requested on or before
September 5, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
encouraged to submit comments using
SUMMARY:
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the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Alternatively, interested persons may
submit comments, identified by docket
number EERE–2017–BT–TP–0012, by
any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Email: RoomAC2017TP0012@
ee.doe.gov. Include the docket number
EERE–2017–BT–TP–0012 in the subject
line of the message.
• Postal Mail: Appliance and
Equipment Standards Program, U.S.
Department of Energy, Building
Technologies Office, Mailstop EE–5B,
1000 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121. If
possible, please submit all items on a
compact disc (‘‘CD’’), in which case it is
not necessary to include printed copies.
• Hand Delivery/Courier: Appliance
and Equipment Standards Program, U.S.
Department of Energy, Building
Technologies Office, 950 L’Enfant Plaza
SW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024.
Telephone: (202) 586–6636. If possible,
please submit all items on a CD, in
which case it is not necessary to include
printed copies.
No telefacsimilies (faxes) will be
accepted. For detailed instructions on
submitting comments and additional
information on this process, see section
III of this document.
Docket: The docket for this activity,
which includes Federal Register
notices, comments, and other
supporting documents/materials, is
available for review at http://
www.regulations.gov. All documents in
the docket are listed in the http://
www.regulations.gov index. However,
some documents listed in the index,
such as those containing information
that is exempt from public disclosure,
may not be publicly available.
The docket Web page can be found at
https://www.regulations.gov/
docket?D=EERE-2017-BT-TP-0012. The
docket Web page will contain simple
instructions on how to access all
documents, including public comments,
in the docket. See section III for
information on how to submit
comments through http://
www.regulations.gov.
Mr.
Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Office, EE–5B, 1000
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121.
Telephone: (202) 586–0371. Email:
ApplianceStandardsQuestions@
ee.doe.gov.
Ms. Sarah Butler, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of the General Counsel,
GC–33, 1000 Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC 20585–0121.
Telephone: (202) 586–1777. Email:
Sarah.Butler@hq.doe.gov.
For further information on how to
submit a comment or review other
public comments and the docket,
contact the Appliance and Equipment
Standards Program staff at (202) 586–
6636 or by email:
ApplianceStandardsQuestions@
ee.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
A. Authority and Background
B. Rulemaking History
1. The January 2011 Final Rule
2. The June 2015 Request for Information
II. Request for Information and Comments
A. Harmonization with the Portable Air
Conditioners Test Procedure
1. Test Conditions
2. Installation Heat Transfer and Leakage
3. Off-Cycle Mode
B. Test Setup and Air Sampling
C. Room Air Conditioner Referenced Test
Procedures
1. American National Standards Institute/
Association of Home Appliance
Manufacturers RAC–1
2. American National Standards Institute/
American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning
Engineers Standard 16
D. Other Test Procedure Topics
III. Submission of Comments
I. Introduction
Room ACs are included in the list of
‘‘covered products’’ for which DOE is
authorized to establish and amend
energy conservation standards and test
procedures. (42 U.S.C. 6292(a)(2)) DOE’s
test procedure for room ACs appears at
title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (‘‘CFR’’) part 430, subpart B,
appendix F (‘‘appendix F’’). The
following sections discuss DOE’s
authority to establish and amend the
test procedure for room ACs, as well as
relevant background information
regarding DOE’s consideration of test
procedures for this product.
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A. Authority and Background
The Energy Policy and Conservation
Act of 1975 (‘‘EPCA’’ or ‘‘the Act’’),1
Public Law 94–163 (42 U.S.C. 6291–
6317, as codified), among other things,
authorizes DOE to regulate the energy
efficiency of a number of consumer
products and industrial equipment.
Title III, Part B 2 of EPCA established the
Energy Conservation Program for
Consumer Products Other Than
Automobiles, which sets forth a variety
of provisions designed to improve
energy efficiency. These products
include room ACs, the subject of this
RFI. (42 U.S.C. 6292(a)(2))
Under EPCA, DOE’s energy
conservation program consists
essentially of four parts: (1) Testing, (2)
labeling, (3) Federal energy conservation
standards, and (4) certification and
enforcement procedures. Relevant
provisions of the Act specifically
include definitions (42 U.S.C. 6291),
energy conservation standards (42
U.S.C. 6295), test procedures (42 U.S.C.
6293), labeling provisions (42 U.S.C.
6294), and the authority to require
information and reports from
manufacturers (42 U.S.C. 6296).
Federal energy efficiency
requirements for covered products
established under EPCA generally
supersede State laws and regulations
concerning energy conservation testing,
labeling, and standards. (See 42 U.S.C.
6297) DOE may, however, grant waivers
of Federal preemption for particular
State laws or regulations, in accordance
with the procedures and other
provisions of EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 6297(d))
The Federal testing requirements
consist of test procedures that
manufacturers of covered products must
use as the basis for: (1) Certifying to
DOE that their products comply with
the applicable energy conservation
standards adopted pursuant to EPCA (42
U.S.C. 6295(s)), and (2) making
representations about the efficiency of
those consumer products (42 U.S.C.
6293(c)). Similarly, DOE must use these
test procedures to determine whether
the products comply with relevant
standards promulgated under EPCA. (42
U.S.C. 6295(s))
Under 42 U.S.C. 6293, EPCA sets forth
the criteria and procedures DOE must
follow when prescribing or amending
test procedures for covered products.
EPCA requires that any test procedures
prescribed or amended under this
1 All references to EPCA in this document refer
to the statute as amended through the Energy
Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015 (EEIA 2015),
Public Law 114–11 (April 30, 2015).
2 For editorial reasons, upon codification in the
U.S. Code, Part B was redesignated Part A.
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section shall be reasonably designed to
produce test results which measure
energy efficiency, energy use or
estimated annual operating cost of a
covered product during a representative
average use cycle or period of use and
shall not be unduly burdensome to
conduct. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3))
In addition, if DOE determines that a
test procedure amendment is warranted,
it must publish a proposed test
procedure and offer the public an
opportunity to present oral and written
comments on them. (42 U.S.C.
6293(b)(2))
EPCA also requires that, at least once
every 7 years, DOE evaluate test
procedures for each type of covered
equipment, including room ACs, to
determine whether amended test
procedures would more accurately or
fully comply with the requirements for
the test procedures to not be unduly
burdensome to conduct and be
reasonably designed to produce test
results that reflect energy efficiency,
energy use, and estimated operating
costs during a representative average
use cycle. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(1)(A)) If
amended test procedures are
appropriate, DOE must publish a final
rule to incorporate the amendments. If
DOE determines that test procedure
revisions are not appropriate, DOE must
publish its determination not to amend
the test procedures. DOE is publishing
this RFI to collect data and information
to inform a potential test procedure
rulemaking to satisfy the 7-year review
requirement specified in EPCA, which
requires that DOE publish, by January 6,
2018, either a final rule amending the
test procedures or a determination that
amended test procedures are not
required. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(1)(A))
B. Rulemaking History
DOE’s current test procedures for
room ACs are codified at appendix F
and the room AC performance metric
calculations are codified at 10 CFR
430.23(f). Test procedures for room ACs
were established on June 1, 1977, and
were subsequently redesignated and
editorially amended on June 29, 1979.
42 FR 27898 (June 1, 1977); 44 FR 37938
(June 29, 1979).
1. The January 2011 Final Rule
The Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007 (‘‘EISA 2007’’)
amended EPCA, directing DOE to
amend its energy efficiency test
procedures for all covered products to
include measures of standby mode and
off mode energy consumption. (42
U.S.C. 6295(gg)(2)(A)) In compliance
with the EISA 2007 requirements, on
January 6, 2011, DOE published a final
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rule amending the room AC test
procedure to include measurements of
standby mode and off mode energy
consumption and to introduce a new
combined efficiency metric, Combined
Energy Efficiency Ratio (‘‘CEER’’), that
accounts for energy consumption in
active mode, standby mode, and off
mode. 76 FR 972. DOE also incorporated
a new standard, International
Electrotechnical Commission (‘‘IEC’’)
Standard 62301, to measure the standby
and off mode energy consumption. Id.
In addition to IEC Standard 62301, the
final rule updated the references to
standards developed by the American
National Standards Institute (‘‘ANSI’’),
the Association of Home Appliance
Manufacturers (‘‘AHAM’’), and the
American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning
Engineers (‘‘ASHRAE’’). Id. In sum, the
current room AC test procedure
incorporates by reference three industry
test standards: (1) ANSI/AHAM RAC–1–
2008, ‘‘Room Air Conditioners’’ (‘‘ANSI/
AHAM RAC–1’’); 3 (2) ANSI/ASHRAE
Standard 16–1983 (RA 2009), ‘‘Method
of Testing for Rating Room Air
Conditioners and Packaged Terminal
Air Conditioners’’ (‘‘ANSI/ASHRAE
16’’); 4 and (3) IEC Standard 62301,
‘‘Household electrical appliances—
Measurement of standby power (first
edition June 2005)’’.5
2. The June 2015 Request for
Information
DOE published an RFI (hereinafter the
‘‘June 2015 RFI’’) regarding the energy
conservation standards and the test
procedures for room ACs. 80 FR 34843
(June 18, 2015). In addition to soliciting
information regarding the energy
conservations standards, the June 2015
RFI discussed and sought comment on
the following test procedure related
items: (1) Potential updates to the
energy efficiency metric that would
address performance in additional
operating modes; (2) alternate methods
for measuring cooling mode
performance; (3) addressing heating
mode performance and any relevant test
methods, existing industry standards,
operating conditions, and associated test
burden; (4) methods for measuring partload performance and the prevalence of
units on the market with components
optimized for efficient part-load
operation; (5) testing and certification of
units that can operate on multiple
voltages; and (6) the energy usage
3 Copies can be purchased from http://
webstore.ansi.org.
4 Copies can be purchased from http://
www.techstreet.com.
5 Copies can be purchased from http://
webstore.iec.ch.
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associated with connected functionality.
80 FR 34843, 34846 34848. DOE
received comments from interested
parties pertaining to the test procedure
in response to the June 2015 RFI.6
II. Request for Information and
Comments
In the following sections, DOE has
identified a variety of issues on which
it seeks input to aid in the development
of the technical and economic analyses
regarding whether amended test
procedures for room ACs may be
warranted. Specifically, DOE is
requesting comment on any
opportunities to streamline and simplify
testing requirements for room ACs.
Additionally, DOE welcomes
comments on other issues relevant to
the conduct of this process that may not
specifically be identified in this
document. In particular, DOE notes that
under Executive Order 13771,
‘‘Reducing Regulation and Controlling
Regulatory Costs,’’ Executive Branch
agencies such as DOE are directed to
manage the costs associated with the
imposition of expenditures required to
comply with Federal regulations. See 82
FR 9339 (Feb. 3, 2017). Pursuant to that
Executive Order, DOE encourages the
public to provide input on measures
DOE could take to lower the cost of its
regulations applicable to room ACs
consistent with the requirements of
EPCA. DOE also requests comment on
the benefits and burdens of adopting
any industry/voluntary consensus-based
or other appropriate test procedure,
without modification.
A. Harmonization With the Portable Air
Conditioners Test Procedure
As discussed in the June 2015 RFI,
DOE believes that consumers regard
portable ACs and room ACs as similar
products with similar function and
consumer utility, because both are selfencased products powered by singlephase electric current that utilize
refrigerant to provide cooling to defined
spaces, and their product usage is
broadly similar. See 80 FR 34843,
34845. Consequently, DOE believes that
consumers are inclined to compare the
two products based on their rated
capacity and efficiency. Thus,
harmonizing the test conditions for
room ACs and portable ACs may allow
consumers to make a more accurate
comparison of the energy use or
efficiency of the two products.
DOE published a test procedure final
rule for portable ACs on June 1, 2016
6 All public comments are located in the energy
conservation standards docket: http://
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2014BT-STD-0059.
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(hereinafter the ‘‘June 2016 Portable AC
Final Rule’’), in which DOE established
test procedures for portable ACs in 10
CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix CC
(‘‘appendix CC’’). 81 FR 35242. DOE
assessed both the new portable AC test
procedure and the room AC test
procedure to determine whether any
significant differences would impede an
accurate consumer comparison of
measured performance of the two
covered products. DOE notes that the
portable AC test procedure differentiates
between single-duct and dual-duct
portable ACs, which require different
test conditions. For the purposes of the
comparison with room ACs, DOE
specifically considered the dual-duct
testing provisions in the portable AC
test procedure, because dual-duct
portable ACs are most similar to room
ACs in that the condenser inlet air is
drawn from the unconditioned space,
unlike single-duct portable ACs that
draw condenser inlet air from the
conditioned space. DOE identified
several key differences between the test
procedures in appendix F and appendix
CC that lead to incomparable results.
Specifically, the portable AC test
procedure includes (1) two sets of test
conditions for dual-duct portable ACs,
one at 95 degrees Fahrenheit (‘‘°F’’) drybulb and 75 °F wet-bulb outdoor
temperature (identical to the room AC
test procedure) and the other at 83 °F
dry-bulb and 67.5 °F wet-bulb outdoor
temperature; 7 (2) a requirement that the
test unit be set up and tested with all
manufacturer-provided materials and
the associated heat losses be accounted
for in the energy efficiency metric; and
(3) the consideration of energy
consumption in off-cycle mode (as
defined in appendix CC). In light of
these differences, DOE is requesting
feedback in this RFI on whether
amendments to the room AC test
procedure are warranted to harmonize
the two test procedures in order to
enable a more accurate comparison of
portable AC and room AC performance.
In the following subsections, DOE
describes the differences between the
two test procedures in greater detail and
7 For single-duct portable ACs, testing is only
required at the 95 °F dry-bulb and 75 °F wet-bulb
outdoor test condition. Single-duct portable ACs do
not intake air from the unconditioned space and
therefore performance of the unit while testing
would be unchanged by the adjustment in outdoor
test conditions. Thus, DOE requires numerical
adjustments for the 83 °F dry-bulb and 67.5 °F wetbulb outdoor condition when determining the
seasonally adjusted cooling capacity and CEER for
single-duct portable ACs. This approach minimizes
test burden yet ensures that the performance of a
single-duct and dual-duct portable AC can be
compared.
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requests information on key topics
related to their harmonization.
1. Test Conditions
In a portable AC test procedure
supplemental notice of proposed
rulemaking (‘‘SNOPR’’), published on
November 27, 2015 (hereinafter the
‘‘November 2015 Portable AC SNOPR’’),
DOE developed a climate analysis to
determine the ideal cooling mode test
conditions for portable ACs. 80 FR
74020, 74026. DOE considered 2012
climate data from the National Centers
for Environmental Information
(‘‘NCEI’’) 8 of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (‘‘NOAA’’)
to determine the average dry-bulb
temperature and relative humidity
associated with the hottest 750 hours of
the year in each state for which data
were available.9 DOE then reviewed
room AC ownership data from the 2009
Residential Energy Consumption Survey
(‘‘RECS’’) 10 to identify room AC
ownership by geographic region, as a
proxy for portable AC ownership.11
Based on these data, DOE used a
weighted-average approach to combine
the average temperature and humidity
for each state to determine a national
average test condition representative of
the hottest 750 hours of the year. DOE
found that the national average dry-bulb
temperature and relative humidity
associated with the hottest 750 hours
are 83 °F and 45 percent, respectively.
DOE then proposed two cooling mode
test conditions for dual-duct portable
ACs in the November 2015 Portable AC
SNOPR: (1) A higher outdoor
temperature condition based on AHAM
PAC–1–2015, ‘‘Portable Air
Conditioners’’ (95 °F dry-bulb and 75 °F
wet-bulb temperature), representing
high-temperature conditions when
cooling is most needed; and (2) the
lower outdoor temperature condition
based on the weighted-average
temperature and humidity observed
during the hottest 750 hours (83 °F drybulb and 67.5 °F wet-bulb temperature).
Id. In the June 2016 Portable AC Final
Rule, DOE adopted in appendix CC the
cooling mode test conditions proposed
in the November 2015 Portable AC
SNOPR. 81 FR 35242, 35249–35251.
In the June 2016 Portable AC Final
Rule, DOE also established an energy
efficiency metric, CEER, which provides
a representative measure of overall
8 The NCEI was formerly known as the National
Climate Data Center.
9 NCEI climate data are available online at:
https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/crn/qcdatasets.html.
10 RECS data are available online at: http://
www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/data/2009/.
11 DOE utilized RECS data for room ACs because
such data were not available for portable ACs.
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the cooling season. CEER for dual-duct
portable ACs is calculated as follows:
Where:
ACC95 = adjusted cooling capacity measured
at an outdoor temperature of 95 °F in
British thermal units per hour (Btu/h);
ACC83 = adjusted cooling capacity measured
at an outdoor temperature of 83 °F in
Btu/h;
AEC95 = total annual energy consumption in
cooling mode at an outdoor temperature
of 95 °F in kilowatt-hours per hear (kWh/
year);
AEC83 = total annual energy consumption in
cooling mode at an outdoor temperature
of 83 °F in kWh/year;
k = 0.001 kWh/Wh conversion factor for
watt-hours to kilowatt-hours;
t = number of hours per year, 8,760.
81 FR 35242, 35268.
of actual use, and it will capture
benefits associated with variable-speed
compressors and other components that
improve part-load performance.
Issue A.1.1 DOE seeks feedback on
the harmonization of the room AC test
procedure with the DOE test procedure
for dual-duct portable ACs, specifically
related to the inclusion of an additional
cooling mode test condition.
Issue A.1.2 DOE seeks information
on the test burden and other potential
impacts associated with the inclusion of
an additional cooling mode test
condition in the room AC test
procedure.
Issue A.1.3 DOE seeks information
on the merits and limitations of utilizing
the CEER efficiency metric adopted for
dual-duct portable ACs for the purposes
of rating room ACs.
Issue A.1.4 DOE seeks information
on the implementation and operation of
variable-speed compressors and other
components that will improve part-load
performance for room ACs, and whether
the dual rating conditions specified for
testing of dual-duct portable ACs would
capture benefits of these technologies
for room ACs and be included in the
revised test procedure.
Room ACs are currently tested with a
single outdoor test condition, 95 °F drybulb and 75 °F wet-bulb temperature,
which aligns with only one of the two
cooling mode test conditions for dualduct portable ACs. Considering the
similarities between the two products
(i.e., consumer utility, internal
components, etc.) and the potential for
consumers to compare the energy use or
efficiency of both products, DOE seeks
comment on whether it would be
appropriate to harmonize the two test
procedures by including an additional
test condition for room AC cooling
mode testing (83 °F dry-bulb and 67.5 °F
wet-bulb temperature). Should this
harmonization of test conditions occur,
DOE would also investigate the
applicability of the portable AC energy
metric and determine if any
modifications would be necessary for its
application to room ACs.
As noted in the June 2015 RFI, the
current room AC test procedure
measures only the full-load performance
at outdoor ambient conditions of 95 °F
dry-bulb and 75 °F wet-bulb
temperature. 80 FR 34843, 34848.
Therefore, available technologies that
improve part-load performance, such as
variable-speed compressors and
variable-opening expansion devices, are
not considered in the determination of
the rated performance of a room AC
under the current test procedure. Id.
DOE expects that harmonizing the room
AC test procedure with the portable AC
test procedure by including an
additional cooling mode test condition
potentially would ensure the room AC
efficiency metric is more representative
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2. Installation Heat Transfer and
Leakage
The portable AC test procedure in
appendix CC requires that the test unit
be set up and tested with all
manufacturer-provided materials
(including the ducts, connectors for
attaching the duct(s) to the test unit,
sealing, insulation, and window
mounting fixtures) to ensure that the
performance measured during the test is
reflective of actual installation and
operation. The portable AC test
procedure also accounts for the impacts
of infiltration air, which is caused by
negative pressure in the conditioned
space created by the unit’s operation,
thereby driving unconditioned air into
the space and impacting the overall
cooling provided by the unit to the
conditioned space.
Room ACs are typically installed with
side curtains or other window or wall
mounting installation materials that,
during typical operation, may allow air
to leak through or around the materials
and would impact the cooling provided
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to the conditioned space. However, DOE
notes that when conducting the
calorimeter test prescribed in ANSI/
ASHRAE Standard 16 (as referenced by
the current DOE room AC test
procedure), the test unit is set up so all
air leakage around the unit that would
normally be present in a typical
installation is precluded by means of
sealing.
Considering the requirements of
EPCA for DOE to adopt test procedures
that are representative of an average use
cycle, which would encompass typical
installation and operation, DOE requests
comment on testing in accordance with
the manufacturer-provided installation
materials.
Issue A.2.1 DOE seeks feedback on
the harmonization of the room AC test
set up requirements with those in the
portable AC test procedure, specifically
related to installation with all
manufacturer-provided installation
materials.
Issue A.2.2 DOE requests
information and data related to air and
heat leakage through and around room
AC installation materials, specifically
side curtains and wall sleeves, which
the current room AC test procedure does
not capture. DOE request comment on
whether these losses should be
considered given the requirements of
EPCA.
3. Off-Cycle Mode
In the June 2016 Portable AC Final
Rule, DOE adopted a definition for ‘‘offcycle mode’’ as a mode in which the
portable air conditioner: (1) Has cycled
off its main cooling or heating function
by thermostat or temperature sensor
signal; (2) may or may not operate its
fan or blower; and (3) will reactivate the
main function according to the
thermostat or temperature sensor signal.
81 FR 35242, 35265. DOE notes that this
off-cycle mode definition for portable
ACs is different from an off-cycle mode
definition that DOE proposed on
December 9, 2008, in a NOPR for the
previous room AC test procedure
rulemaking, which explicitly excluded
fan operation from the off-cycle mode.12
12 DOE notes that the definition for off-cycle
mode proposed in the December 2008 NOPR was
not adopted in the June 2011 Final Rule.
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portable AC performance that accounts
for the variability in performance during
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 149 / Friday, August 4, 2017 / Proposed Rules
73 FR 74639, 74645 (Dec. 9, 2008)
(hereinafter the ‘‘December 2008
NOPR’’). By excluding the periods of fan
operation from off-cycle mode that
would be expected for a typical
installation and usage, the definition
proposed in the December 2008 NOPR
excluded potentially significant energy
consumption when compared to the
definition adopted for portable ACs.
DOE also established provisions for
determining the average off-cycle mode
power in the June 2016 Portable AC
Final Rule. 81 FR 35242, 35267. The
portable AC off-cycle mode test is
conducted following the cooling mode
test under the same ambient conditions,
and includes a 5-minute delay prior to
measuring power consumption to allow
for a brief period of fan operation while
the evaporator returns to its non-cooling
state. Because the evaporator is still cool
at the end of compressor operation
following cooling mode, additional
room cooling is possible through
continued fan operation at relatively
low energy consumption. Therefore,
DOE included the 5-minute delay before
the start of off-cycle mode testing to
prevent penalizing manufacturers for
utilizing the cooling potential of the
evaporator following the compressor
cycle.
In the June 2015 RFI, DOE requested
comment on the merits and/or
limitations of accounting for energy
modes not currently included in the
room AC test procedure, including offcycle mode, referencing the definition
proposed in the December 2008 NOPR.
80 FR 34843, 34846. In response to the
June 2015 RFI, DOE received a comment
opposed to the inclusion of off-cycle
mode in the DOE test procedure for
room ACs. However, due to the
significant difference between that
definition and the definition of off-cycle
mode established in the portable AC test
procedure, DOE is requesting feedback
on including provisions for measuring
average off-cycle mode power in the
room AC test procedure, consistent with
the portable AC test procedure.
Issue A.3.1 DOE seeks feedback on
the harmonization of the room AC test
procedure with the portable AC test
procedure, specifically related to the
inclusion of off-cycle mode in the room
AC test procedure.
Issue A.3.2 DOE seeks feedback on
the applicability of the portable AC offcycle mode definition, provisions to
measure average off-cycle mode power,
and the inclusion of off-cycle mode in
the efficiency metric for room ACs.
Issue A.3.3 DOE requests
information and data related to off-cycle
mode, including input power levels, fan
operation, time spent in that mode, etc.
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B. Test Setup and Air Sampling
The current DOE room AC test
procedure references certain sections of
ANSI/AHAM RAC–1 and ANSI/
ASHRAE 16 for the room AC cooling
mode test conditions and test methods.
Section 4.2.7 of ANSI/ASHRAE 16
requires the calorimeter chamber
conditions to be verified by air sampled
from a location that is representative of
the temperatures surrounding the unit
and that simulate the conditions in
which the unit operates in the field.
DOE notes that there is no procedure to
verify if the measured chamber
temperature reading is representative of
conditions at the test unit condenser
and evaporator inlet, which may be
affected by recirculation from the
condenser and evaporator exhaust,
respectively, thereby potentially
reducing test repeatability and
reproducibility. As a result, DOE is
seeking comment on this issue and any
potential modifications to the test
procedure that should be considered as
part of this investigative effort.
Issue B.1 DOE welcomes
information on more specific
requirements for air sampling device
positioning within the calorimeter
chamber to improve test repeatability.
C. Room Air Conditioner Referenced
Test Procedures
1. American National Standards
Institute/Association of Home
Appliance Manufacturers RAC–1
The cooling mode test in appendix F
is conducted in accordance with the
testing conditions, methods, and
calculations in sections 4, 5, 6.1, and 6.5
of the 2008 version of ANSI/AHAM
RAC–1. Since DOE last revised its room
AC test procedure in 2011, ANSI/
AHAM RAC–1 has been updated and
the current standard was released in
2015 (ANSI/AHAM RAC–1–2015,
‘‘Room Air Conditioners’’). Based on
review of the 2015 standard, DOE
believes that the updates to ANSI/
AHAM RAC–1 provide added
specificity, but do not substantively
impact the results of DOE’s cooling
mode test. Accordingly, DOE does not
expect that updating the references to
ANSI/AHAM RAC–1 in the room AC
test procedure at appendix F would
substantively affect testing results. DOE
further notes that the 2015 update to
ANSI/AHAM RAC–1 included
adjustments to section organization, and
DOE would consider updating section
references as necessary if the 2015
version of ANSI/AHAM RAC–1 is
incorporated by reference in the room
AC test procedure at appendix F.
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36353
Issue C.1.1 DOE seeks feedback on
whether the references to ANSI/AHAM
RAC–1–2008 in its test procedure at
appendix F should be updated to certain
sections of the most current version of
ANSI/AHAM RAC–1, ANSI/AHAM
RAC–1–2015.
2. American National Standards
Institute/American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning
Engineers Standard 16
Appendix F currently references in its
provisions for cooling mode test
conditions, methods, and calculations
the 1983 version of ANSI/ASHRAE 16,
which was reaffirmed in 2009. ANSI/
AHAM RAC–1–2015 also references the
1983 version of ANSI/ASHRAE 16
reaffirmed in 2009. A new version of
ANSI/ASHRAE 16 was published in
2016, which includes many significant
updates to the standard, including
heating mode testing and an air
enthalpy test approach as an alternative
to the calorimeter approach, while the
general cooling mode methodology
remains unchanged.
Issue C.2.1 DOE seeks feedback on
the applicability of the recent updates to
ANSI/ASHRAE 16 to the room AC test
procedure in appendix F.
Issue C.2.2 DOE welcomes feedback
on whether the test procedure in
appendix F should continue to reference
the version of ANSI/ASHRAE 16 that
was reaffirmed in 2009, consistent with
the referenced version in both ANSI/
AHAM RAC–1–2008 and ANSI/AHAM
RAC–1–2015, or if appendix F should
reference the 2016 version of ANSI/
ASHRAE 16. If appendix F were to
reference the 2016 version of ANSI/
ASHRAE 16, DOE seeks information on
modified instructions that would be
required in appendix F to continue to
reference certain sections of ANSI/
AHAM RAC–1.
D. Other Test Procedure Topics
In addition to the issues identified
earlier in this document, DOE welcomes
comment on any other aspect of the
existing test procedure for room ACs not
already addressed by the specific areas
identified in this document. DOE
particularly seeks information that
would improve the repeatability,
reproducibility, and consumer
representativeness of the test procedure.
DOE also requests information that
would help DOE create a procedure that
would limit manufacturer test burden
through streamlining or simplifying
testing requirements. Comments
regarding the repeatability and
reproducibility are also welcome.
DOE also requests feedback on any
potential amendments to the existing
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36354
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 149 / Friday, August 4, 2017 / Proposed Rules
test procedure that could be considered
to address impacts on manufacturers,
including small businesses. Regarding
the Federal test method, DOE seeks
comment on the degree to which the
DOE test procedure should consider and
be harmonized with the most recent
relevant industry standards for room
ACs and whether there are any changes
to the Federal test method that would
provide additional benefits to the
public.
Additionally, DOE requests comment
on whether the existing test procedure
limits a manufacturer’s ability to
provide additional features to
consumers on room ACs. DOE
particularly seeks information on how
the test procedure could be amended to
reduce the cost of new or additional
features and make it more likely that
such features are included on room ACs.
III. Submission of Comments
DOE invites all interested parties to
submit in writing by September 5, 2017,
comments and information on matters
addressed in this RFI and on other
matters relevant to DOE’s test procedure
for room ACs. These comments and
information will aid in the development
of a test procedure NOPR for room ACs
if DOE determines that amended test
procedures may be appropriate for these
products.
Submitting comments via http://
www.regulations.gov. The http://
www.regulations.gov Web page will
require you to provide your name and
contact information. Your contact
information will be viewable to DOE
Building Technologies staff only. Your
contact information will not be publicly
viewable except for your first and last
names, organization name (if any), and
submitter representative name (if any).
If your comment is not processed
properly because of technical
difficulties, DOE will use this
information to contact you. If DOE
cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact
you for clarification, DOE may not be
able to consider your comment.
However, your contact information
will be publicly viewable if you include
it in the comment or in any documents
attached to your comment. Any
information that you do not want to be
publicly viewable should not be
included in your comment, nor in any
document attached to your comment.
Persons viewing comments will see only
first and last names, organization
names, correspondence containing
comments, and any documents
submitted with the comments.
Do not submit to http://
www.regulations.gov information for
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which disclosure is restricted by statute,
such as trade secrets and commercial or
financial information (hereinafter
referred to as Confidential Business
Information (‘‘CBI’’)). Comments
submitted through http://
www.regulations.gov cannot be claimed
as CBI. Comments received through the
Web site will waive any CBI claims for
the information submitted. For
information on submitting CBI, see the
Confidential Business Information
section.
DOE processes submissions made
through http://www.regulations.gov
before posting. Normally, comments
will be posted within a few days of
being submitted. However, if large
volumes of comments are being
processed simultaneously, your
comment may not be viewable for up to
several weeks. Please keep the comment
tracking number that http://
www.regulations.gov provides after you
have successfully uploaded your
comment.
Submitting comments via email, hand
delivery, or mail. Comments and
documents submitted via email, hand
delivery, or mail also will be posted to
http://www.regulations.gov. If you do
not want your personal contact
information to be publicly viewable, do
not include it in your comment or any
accompanying documents. Instead,
provide your contact information on a
cover letter. Include your first and last
names, email address, telephone
number, and optional mailing address.
The cover letter will not be publicly
viewable as long as it does not include
any comments.
Include contact information each time
you submit comments, data, documents,
and other information to DOE. If you
submit via mail or hand delivery, please
provide all items on a CD, if feasible. It
is not necessary to submit printed
copies. No facsimiles (faxes) will be
accepted.
Comments, data, and other
information submitted to DOE
electronically should be provided in
PDF (preferred), Microsoft Word or
Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file
format. Provide documents that are not
secured, written in English and free of
any defects or viruses. Documents
should not contain special characters or
any form of encryption and, if possible,
they should carry the electronic
signature of the author.
Campaign form letters. Please submit
campaign form letters by the originating
organization in batches of between 50 to
500 form letters per PDF or as one form
letter with a list of supporters’ names
compiled into one or more PDFs. This
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reduces comment processing and
posting time.
Confidential Business Information.
According to 10 CFR 1004.11, any
person submitting information that he
or she believes to be confidential and
exempt by law from public disclosure
should submit via email, postal mail, or
hand delivery two well-marked copies:
one copy of the document marked
confidential including all the
information believed to be confidential,
and one copy of the document marked
‘‘non-confidential’’ with the information
believed to be confidential deleted.
Submit these documents via email or on
a CD, if feasible. DOE will make its own
determination about the confidential
status of the information and treat it
according to its determination.
Factors of interest to DOE when
evaluating requests to treat submitted
information as confidential include (1) a
description of the items, (2) whether
and why such items are customarily
treated as confidential within the
industry, (3) whether the information is
generally known by or available from
other sources, (4) whether the
information has previously been made
available to others without obligation
concerning its confidentiality, (5) an
explanation of the competitive injury to
the submitting person which would
result from public disclosure, (6) when
such information might lose its
confidential character due to the
passage of time, and (7) why disclosure
of the information would be contrary to
the public interest.
It is DOE’s policy that all comments
may be included in the public docket,
without change and as received,
including any personal information
provided in the comments (except
information deemed to be exempt from
public disclosure).
DOE considers public participation to
be a very important part of the process
for developing test procedures. DOE
actively encourages the participation
and interaction of the public during the
comment period in each stage of the
rulemaking process. Interactions with
and between members of the public
provide a balanced discussion of the
issues and assist DOE in the rulemaking
process. Anyone who wishes to be
added to the DOE mailing list to receive
future notices and information about
this process or would like to request a
public meeting should contact
Appliance and Equipment Standards
Program staff at (202) 586–6636 or via
email at
ApplianceStandardsQuestions@
ee.doe.gov.
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 149 / Friday, August 4, 2017 / Proposed Rules
Issued in Washington, DC, on July 27,
2017.
Kathleen Hogan, Ph.D.,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy
Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy.
[FR Doc. 2017–16441 Filed 8–3–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE –P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 149 (Friday, August 4, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 36349-36355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16441]
========================================================================
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 149 / Friday, August 4, 2017 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 36349]]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
10 CFR Part 430
[EERE-2017-BT-TP-0012]
Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Room Air
Conditioners
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Request for information (RFI).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') is initiating a data
collection process through this request for information to consider
whether to amend DOE's test procedure for room air conditioners (``room
ACs''). To inform interested parties and to facilitate this process,
DOE has gathered data, identifying several issues associated with the
currently applicable test procedure on which DOE is interested in
receiving comment. The issues outlined in this document mainly concern
issues initially identified in an RFI issued in 2015 considering
amendments to the current energy conservation standards and test
procedure for room ACs; harmonization with the recently established
portable air conditioner (``portable AC'') test procedure;
clarification of the test setup and testing conditions; updated
industry test procedures for room ACs; and any additional topics that
may inform DOE's decisions in a future test procedure rulemaking,
including methods to reduce regulatory burden while ensuring the
procedure's accuracy. DOE welcomes written comments from the public on
any subject within the scope of this document (including topics not
raised in this RFI).
DATES: Written comments and information are requested on or before
September 5, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments using
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments. Alternatively, interested
persons may submit comments, identified by docket number EERE-2017-BT-
TP-0012, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Email: RoomAC2017TP0012@ee.doe.gov. Include the docket
number EERE-2017-BT-TP-0012 in the subject line of the message.
Postal Mail: Appliance and Equipment Standards Program,
U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, Mailstop EE-
5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. If
possible, please submit all items on a compact disc (``CD''), in which
case it is not necessary to include printed copies.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Appliance and Equipment Standards
Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, 950
L'Enfant Plaza SW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202)
586-6636. If possible, please submit all items on a CD, in which case
it is not necessary to include printed copies.
No telefacsimilies (faxes) will be accepted. For detailed
instructions on submitting comments and additional information on this
process, see section III of this document.
Docket: The docket for this activity, which includes Federal
Register notices, comments, and other supporting documents/materials,
is available for review at http://www.regulations.gov. All documents in
the docket are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index. However,
some documents listed in the index, such as those containing
information that is exempt from public disclosure, may not be publicly
available.
The docket Web page can be found at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EERE-2017-BT-TP-0012. The docket Web page will contain simple
instructions on how to access all documents, including public comments,
in the docket. See section III for information on how to submit
comments through http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Office, EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington,
DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-0371. Email:
ApplianceStandardsQuestions@ee.doe.gov.
Ms. Sarah Butler, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General
Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-
0121. Telephone: (202) 586-1777. Email: Sarah.Butler@hq.doe.gov.
For further information on how to submit a comment or review other
public comments and the docket, contact the Appliance and Equipment
Standards Program staff at (202) 586-6636 or by email:
ApplianceStandardsQuestions@ee.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
A. Authority and Background
B. Rulemaking History
1. The January 2011 Final Rule
2. The June 2015 Request for Information
II. Request for Information and Comments
A. Harmonization with the Portable Air Conditioners Test
Procedure
1. Test Conditions
2. Installation Heat Transfer and Leakage
3. Off-Cycle Mode
B. Test Setup and Air Sampling
C. Room Air Conditioner Referenced Test Procedures
1. American National Standards Institute/Association of Home
Appliance Manufacturers RAC-1
2. American National Standards Institute/American Society of
Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers Standard 16
D. Other Test Procedure Topics
III. Submission of Comments
I. Introduction
Room ACs are included in the list of ``covered products'' for which
DOE is authorized to establish and amend energy conservation standards
and test procedures. (42 U.S.C. 6292(a)(2)) DOE's test procedure for
room ACs appears at title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(``CFR'') part 430, subpart B, appendix F (``appendix F''). The
following sections discuss DOE's authority to establish and amend the
test procedure for room ACs, as well as relevant background information
regarding DOE's consideration of test procedures for this product.
[[Page 36350]]
A. Authority and Background
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (``EPCA'' or ``the
Act''),\1\ Public Law 94-163 (42 U.S.C. 6291-6317, as codified), among
other things, authorizes DOE to regulate the energy efficiency of a
number of consumer products and industrial equipment. Title III, Part B
\2\ of EPCA established the Energy Conservation Program for Consumer
Products Other Than Automobiles, which sets forth a variety of
provisions designed to improve energy efficiency. These products
include room ACs, the subject of this RFI. (42 U.S.C. 6292(a)(2))
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ All references to EPCA in this document refer to the statute
as amended through the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015
(EEIA 2015), Public Law 114-11 (April 30, 2015).
\2\ For editorial reasons, upon codification in the U.S. Code,
Part B was redesignated Part A.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under EPCA, DOE's energy conservation program consists essentially
of four parts: (1) Testing, (2) labeling, (3) Federal energy
conservation standards, and (4) certification and enforcement
procedures. Relevant provisions of the Act specifically include
definitions (42 U.S.C. 6291), energy conservation standards (42 U.S.C.
6295), test procedures (42 U.S.C. 6293), labeling provisions (42 U.S.C.
6294), and the authority to require information and reports from
manufacturers (42 U.S.C. 6296).
Federal energy efficiency requirements for covered products
established under EPCA generally supersede State laws and regulations
concerning energy conservation testing, labeling, and standards. (See
42 U.S.C. 6297) DOE may, however, grant waivers of Federal preemption
for particular State laws or regulations, in accordance with the
procedures and other provisions of EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 6297(d))
The Federal testing requirements consist of test procedures that
manufacturers of covered products must use as the basis for: (1)
Certifying to DOE that their products comply with the applicable energy
conservation standards adopted pursuant to EPCA (42 U.S.C. 6295(s)),
and (2) making representations about the efficiency of those consumer
products (42 U.S.C. 6293(c)). Similarly, DOE must use these test
procedures to determine whether the products comply with relevant
standards promulgated under EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 6295(s))
Under 42 U.S.C. 6293, EPCA sets forth the criteria and procedures
DOE must follow when prescribing or amending test procedures for
covered products. EPCA requires that any test procedures prescribed or
amended under this section shall be reasonably designed to produce test
results which measure energy efficiency, energy use or estimated annual
operating cost of a covered product during a representative average use
cycle or period of use and shall not be unduly burdensome to conduct.
(42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3))
In addition, if DOE determines that a test procedure amendment is
warranted, it must publish a proposed test procedure and offer the
public an opportunity to present oral and written comments on them. (42
U.S.C. 6293(b)(2))
EPCA also requires that, at least once every 7 years, DOE evaluate
test procedures for each type of covered equipment, including room ACs,
to determine whether amended test procedures would more accurately or
fully comply with the requirements for the test procedures to not be
unduly burdensome to conduct and be reasonably designed to produce test
results that reflect energy efficiency, energy use, and estimated
operating costs during a representative average use cycle. (42 U.S.C.
6293(b)(1)(A)) If amended test procedures are appropriate, DOE must
publish a final rule to incorporate the amendments. If DOE determines
that test procedure revisions are not appropriate, DOE must publish its
determination not to amend the test procedures. DOE is publishing this
RFI to collect data and information to inform a potential test
procedure rulemaking to satisfy the 7-year review requirement specified
in EPCA, which requires that DOE publish, by January 6, 2018, either a
final rule amending the test procedures or a determination that amended
test procedures are not required. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(1)(A))
B. Rulemaking History
DOE's current test procedures for room ACs are codified at appendix
F and the room AC performance metric calculations are codified at 10
CFR 430.23(f). Test procedures for room ACs were established on June 1,
1977, and were subsequently redesignated and editorially amended on
June 29, 1979. 42 FR 27898 (June 1, 1977); 44 FR 37938 (June 29, 1979).
1. The January 2011 Final Rule
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (``EISA 2007'')
amended EPCA, directing DOE to amend its energy efficiency test
procedures for all covered products to include measures of standby mode
and off mode energy consumption. (42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(2)(A)) In
compliance with the EISA 2007 requirements, on January 6, 2011, DOE
published a final rule amending the room AC test procedure to include
measurements of standby mode and off mode energy consumption and to
introduce a new combined efficiency metric, Combined Energy Efficiency
Ratio (``CEER''), that accounts for energy consumption in active mode,
standby mode, and off mode. 76 FR 972. DOE also incorporated a new
standard, International Electrotechnical Commission (``IEC'') Standard
62301, to measure the standby and off mode energy consumption. Id. In
addition to IEC Standard 62301, the final rule updated the references
to standards developed by the American National Standards Institute
(``ANSI''), the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (``AHAM''),
and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-
Conditioning Engineers (``ASHRAE''). Id. In sum, the current room AC
test procedure incorporates by reference three industry test standards:
(1) ANSI/AHAM RAC-1-2008, ``Room Air Conditioners'' (``ANSI/AHAM RAC-
1''); \3\ (2) ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 16-1983 (RA 2009), ``Method of
Testing for Rating Room Air Conditioners and Packaged Terminal Air
Conditioners'' (``ANSI/ASHRAE 16''); \4\ and (3) IEC Standard 62301,
``Household electrical appliances--Measurement of standby power (first
edition June 2005)''.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Copies can be purchased from http://webstore.ansi.org.
\4\ Copies can be purchased from http://www.techstreet.com.
\5\ Copies can be purchased from http://webstore.iec.ch.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. The June 2015 Request for Information
DOE published an RFI (hereinafter the ``June 2015 RFI'') regarding
the energy conservation standards and the test procedures for room ACs.
80 FR 34843 (June 18, 2015). In addition to soliciting information
regarding the energy conservations standards, the June 2015 RFI
discussed and sought comment on the following test procedure related
items: (1) Potential updates to the energy efficiency metric that would
address performance in additional operating modes; (2) alternate
methods for measuring cooling mode performance; (3) addressing heating
mode performance and any relevant test methods, existing industry
standards, operating conditions, and associated test burden; (4)
methods for measuring part-load performance and the prevalence of units
on the market with components optimized for efficient part-load
operation; (5) testing and certification of units that can operate on
multiple voltages; and (6) the energy usage
[[Page 36351]]
associated with connected functionality. 80 FR 34843, 34846 34848. DOE
received comments from interested parties pertaining to the test
procedure in response to the June 2015 RFI.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ All public comments are located in the energy conservation
standards docket: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-
2014-BT-STD-0059.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
II. Request for Information and Comments
In the following sections, DOE has identified a variety of issues
on which it seeks input to aid in the development of the technical and
economic analyses regarding whether amended test procedures for room
ACs may be warranted. Specifically, DOE is requesting comment on any
opportunities to streamline and simplify testing requirements for room
ACs.
Additionally, DOE welcomes comments on other issues relevant to the
conduct of this process that may not specifically be identified in this
document. In particular, DOE notes that under Executive Order 13771,
``Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs,'' Executive
Branch agencies such as DOE are directed to manage the costs associated
with the imposition of expenditures required to comply with Federal
regulations. See 82 FR 9339 (Feb. 3, 2017). Pursuant to that Executive
Order, DOE encourages the public to provide input on measures DOE could
take to lower the cost of its regulations applicable to room ACs
consistent with the requirements of EPCA. DOE also requests comment on
the benefits and burdens of adopting any industry/voluntary consensus-
based or other appropriate test procedure, without modification.
A. Harmonization With the Portable Air Conditioners Test Procedure
As discussed in the June 2015 RFI, DOE believes that consumers
regard portable ACs and room ACs as similar products with similar
function and consumer utility, because both are self-encased products
powered by single-phase electric current that utilize refrigerant to
provide cooling to defined spaces, and their product usage is broadly
similar. See 80 FR 34843, 34845. Consequently, DOE believes that
consumers are inclined to compare the two products based on their rated
capacity and efficiency. Thus, harmonizing the test conditions for room
ACs and portable ACs may allow consumers to make a more accurate
comparison of the energy use or efficiency of the two products.
DOE published a test procedure final rule for portable ACs on June
1, 2016 (hereinafter the ``June 2016 Portable AC Final Rule''), in
which DOE established test procedures for portable ACs in 10 CFR part
430, subpart B, appendix CC (``appendix CC''). 81 FR 35242. DOE
assessed both the new portable AC test procedure and the room AC test
procedure to determine whether any significant differences would impede
an accurate consumer comparison of measured performance of the two
covered products. DOE notes that the portable AC test procedure
differentiates between single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs, which
require different test conditions. For the purposes of the comparison
with room ACs, DOE specifically considered the dual-duct testing
provisions in the portable AC test procedure, because dual-duct
portable ACs are most similar to room ACs in that the condenser inlet
air is drawn from the unconditioned space, unlike single-duct portable
ACs that draw condenser inlet air from the conditioned space. DOE
identified several key differences between the test procedures in
appendix F and appendix CC that lead to incomparable results.
Specifically, the portable AC test procedure includes (1) two sets of
test conditions for dual-duct portable ACs, one at 95 degrees
Fahrenheit (``[deg]F'') dry-bulb and 75 [deg]F wet-bulb outdoor
temperature (identical to the room AC test procedure) and the other at
83 [deg]F dry-bulb and 67.5 [deg]F wet-bulb outdoor temperature; \7\
(2) a requirement that the test unit be set up and tested with all
manufacturer-provided materials and the associated heat losses be
accounted for in the energy efficiency metric; and (3) the
consideration of energy consumption in off-cycle mode (as defined in
appendix CC). In light of these differences, DOE is requesting feedback
in this RFI on whether amendments to the room AC test procedure are
warranted to harmonize the two test procedures in order to enable a
more accurate comparison of portable AC and room AC performance. In the
following subsections, DOE describes the differences between the two
test procedures in greater detail and requests information on key
topics related to their harmonization.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ For single-duct portable ACs, testing is only required at
the 95 [deg]F dry-bulb and 75 [deg]F wet-bulb outdoor test
condition. Single-duct portable ACs do not intake air from the
unconditioned space and therefore performance of the unit while
testing would be unchanged by the adjustment in outdoor test
conditions. Thus, DOE requires numerical adjustments for the 83
[deg]F dry-bulb and 67.5 [deg]F wet-bulb outdoor condition when
determining the seasonally adjusted cooling capacity and CEER for
single-duct portable ACs. This approach minimizes test burden yet
ensures that the performance of a single-duct and dual-duct portable
AC can be compared.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Test Conditions
In a portable AC test procedure supplemental notice of proposed
rulemaking (``SNOPR''), published on November 27, 2015 (hereinafter the
``November 2015 Portable AC SNOPR''), DOE developed a climate analysis
to determine the ideal cooling mode test conditions for portable ACs.
80 FR 74020, 74026. DOE considered 2012 climate data from the National
Centers for Environmental Information (``NCEI'') \8\ of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (``NOAA'') to determine the
average dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity associated with the
hottest 750 hours of the year in each state for which data were
available.\9\ DOE then reviewed room AC ownership data from the 2009
Residential Energy Consumption Survey (``RECS'') \10\ to identify room
AC ownership by geographic region, as a proxy for portable AC
ownership.\11\ Based on these data, DOE used a weighted-average
approach to combine the average temperature and humidity for each state
to determine a national average test condition representative of the
hottest 750 hours of the year. DOE found that the national average dry-
bulb temperature and relative humidity associated with the hottest 750
hours are 83 [deg]F and 45 percent, respectively. DOE then proposed two
cooling mode test conditions for dual-duct portable ACs in the November
2015 Portable AC SNOPR: (1) A higher outdoor temperature condition
based on AHAM PAC-1-2015, ``Portable Air Conditioners'' (95 [deg]F dry-
bulb and 75 [deg]F wet-bulb temperature), representing high-temperature
conditions when cooling is most needed; and (2) the lower outdoor
temperature condition based on the weighted-average temperature and
humidity observed during the hottest 750 hours (83 [deg]F dry-bulb and
67.5 [deg]F wet-bulb temperature). Id. In the June 2016 Portable AC
Final Rule, DOE adopted in appendix CC the cooling mode test conditions
proposed in the November 2015 Portable AC SNOPR. 81 FR 35242, 35249-
35251.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ The NCEI was formerly known as the National Climate Data
Center.
\9\ NCEI climate data are available online at: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/crn/qcdatasets.html.
\10\ RECS data are available online at: http://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/data/2009/.
\11\ DOE utilized RECS data for room ACs because such data were
not available for portable ACs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the June 2016 Portable AC Final Rule, DOE also established an
energy efficiency metric, CEER, which provides a representative measure
of overall
[[Page 36352]]
portable AC performance that accounts for the variability in
performance during the cooling season. CEER for dual-duct portable ACs
is calculated as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP04AU17.018
Where:
ACC95 = adjusted cooling capacity measured at an outdoor
temperature of 95 [deg]F in British thermal units per hour (Btu/h);
ACC83 = adjusted cooling capacity measured at an outdoor
temperature of 83 [deg]F in Btu/h;
AEC95 = total annual energy consumption in cooling mode
at an outdoor temperature of 95 [deg]F in kilowatt-hours per hear
(kWh/year);
AEC83 = total annual energy consumption in cooling mode
at an outdoor temperature of 83 [deg]F in kWh/year;
k = 0.001 kWh/Wh conversion factor for watt-hours to kilowatt-hours;
t = number of hours per year, 8,760.
81 FR 35242, 35268.
Room ACs are currently tested with a single outdoor test condition,
95 [deg]F dry-bulb and 75 [deg]F wet-bulb temperature, which aligns
with only one of the two cooling mode test conditions for dual-duct
portable ACs. Considering the similarities between the two products
(i.e., consumer utility, internal components, etc.) and the potential
for consumers to compare the energy use or efficiency of both products,
DOE seeks comment on whether it would be appropriate to harmonize the
two test procedures by including an additional test condition for room
AC cooling mode testing (83 [deg]F dry-bulb and 67.5 [deg]F wet-bulb
temperature). Should this harmonization of test conditions occur, DOE
would also investigate the applicability of the portable AC energy
metric and determine if any modifications would be necessary for its
application to room ACs.
As noted in the June 2015 RFI, the current room AC test procedure
measures only the full-load performance at outdoor ambient conditions
of 95 [deg]F dry-bulb and 75 [deg]F wet-bulb temperature. 80 FR 34843,
34848. Therefore, available technologies that improve part-load
performance, such as variable-speed compressors and variable-opening
expansion devices, are not considered in the determination of the rated
performance of a room AC under the current test procedure. Id. DOE
expects that harmonizing the room AC test procedure with the portable
AC test procedure by including an additional cooling mode test
condition potentially would ensure the room AC efficiency metric is
more representative of actual use, and it will capture benefits
associated with variable-speed compressors and other components that
improve part-load performance.
Issue A.1.1 DOE seeks feedback on the harmonization of the room AC
test procedure with the DOE test procedure for dual-duct portable ACs,
specifically related to the inclusion of an additional cooling mode
test condition.
Issue A.1.2 DOE seeks information on the test burden and other
potential impacts associated with the inclusion of an additional
cooling mode test condition in the room AC test procedure.
Issue A.1.3 DOE seeks information on the merits and limitations of
utilizing the CEER efficiency metric adopted for dual-duct portable ACs
for the purposes of rating room ACs.
Issue A.1.4 DOE seeks information on the implementation and
operation of variable-speed compressors and other components that will
improve part-load performance for room ACs, and whether the dual rating
conditions specified for testing of dual-duct portable ACs would
capture benefits of these technologies for room ACs and be included in
the revised test procedure.
2. Installation Heat Transfer and Leakage
The portable AC test procedure in appendix CC requires that the
test unit be set up and tested with all manufacturer-provided materials
(including the ducts, connectors for attaching the duct(s) to the test
unit, sealing, insulation, and window mounting fixtures) to ensure that
the performance measured during the test is reflective of actual
installation and operation. The portable AC test procedure also
accounts for the impacts of infiltration air, which is caused by
negative pressure in the conditioned space created by the unit's
operation, thereby driving unconditioned air into the space and
impacting the overall cooling provided by the unit to the conditioned
space.
Room ACs are typically installed with side curtains or other window
or wall mounting installation materials that, during typical operation,
may allow air to leak through or around the materials and would impact
the cooling provided to the conditioned space. However, DOE notes that
when conducting the calorimeter test prescribed in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard
16 (as referenced by the current DOE room AC test procedure), the test
unit is set up so all air leakage around the unit that would normally
be present in a typical installation is precluded by means of sealing.
Considering the requirements of EPCA for DOE to adopt test
procedures that are representative of an average use cycle, which would
encompass typical installation and operation, DOE requests comment on
testing in accordance with the manufacturer-provided installation
materials.
Issue A.2.1 DOE seeks feedback on the harmonization of the room AC
test set up requirements with those in the portable AC test procedure,
specifically related to installation with all manufacturer-provided
installation materials.
Issue A.2.2 DOE requests information and data related to air and
heat leakage through and around room AC installation materials,
specifically side curtains and wall sleeves, which the current room AC
test procedure does not capture. DOE request comment on whether these
losses should be considered given the requirements of EPCA.
3. Off-Cycle Mode
In the June 2016 Portable AC Final Rule, DOE adopted a definition
for ``off-cycle mode'' as a mode in which the portable air conditioner:
(1) Has cycled off its main cooling or heating function by thermostat
or temperature sensor signal; (2) may or may not operate its fan or
blower; and (3) will reactivate the main function according to the
thermostat or temperature sensor signal. 81 FR 35242, 35265. DOE notes
that this off-cycle mode definition for portable ACs is different from
an off-cycle mode definition that DOE proposed on December 9, 2008, in
a NOPR for the previous room AC test procedure rulemaking, which
explicitly excluded fan operation from the off-cycle mode.\12\
[[Page 36353]]
73 FR 74639, 74645 (Dec. 9, 2008) (hereinafter the ``December 2008
NOPR''). By excluding the periods of fan operation from off-cycle mode
that would be expected for a typical installation and usage, the
definition proposed in the December 2008 NOPR excluded potentially
significant energy consumption when compared to the definition adopted
for portable ACs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ DOE notes that the definition for off-cycle mode proposed
in the December 2008 NOPR was not adopted in the June 2011 Final
Rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOE also established provisions for determining the average off-
cycle mode power in the June 2016 Portable AC Final Rule. 81 FR 35242,
35267. The portable AC off-cycle mode test is conducted following the
cooling mode test under the same ambient conditions, and includes a 5-
minute delay prior to measuring power consumption to allow for a brief
period of fan operation while the evaporator returns to its non-cooling
state. Because the evaporator is still cool at the end of compressor
operation following cooling mode, additional room cooling is possible
through continued fan operation at relatively low energy consumption.
Therefore, DOE included the 5-minute delay before the start of off-
cycle mode testing to prevent penalizing manufacturers for utilizing
the cooling potential of the evaporator following the compressor cycle.
In the June 2015 RFI, DOE requested comment on the merits and/or
limitations of accounting for energy modes not currently included in
the room AC test procedure, including off-cycle mode, referencing the
definition proposed in the December 2008 NOPR. 80 FR 34843, 34846. In
response to the June 2015 RFI, DOE received a comment opposed to the
inclusion of off-cycle mode in the DOE test procedure for room ACs.
However, due to the significant difference between that definition and
the definition of off-cycle mode established in the portable AC test
procedure, DOE is requesting feedback on including provisions for
measuring average off-cycle mode power in the room AC test procedure,
consistent with the portable AC test procedure.
Issue A.3.1 DOE seeks feedback on the harmonization of the room AC
test procedure with the portable AC test procedure, specifically
related to the inclusion of off-cycle mode in the room AC test
procedure.
Issue A.3.2 DOE seeks feedback on the applicability of the portable
AC off-cycle mode definition, provisions to measure average off-cycle
mode power, and the inclusion of off-cycle mode in the efficiency
metric for room ACs.
Issue A.3.3 DOE requests information and data related to off-cycle
mode, including input power levels, fan operation, time spent in that
mode, etc.
B. Test Setup and Air Sampling
The current DOE room AC test procedure references certain sections
of ANSI/AHAM RAC-1 and ANSI/ASHRAE 16 for the room AC cooling mode test
conditions and test methods. Section 4.2.7 of ANSI/ASHRAE 16 requires
the calorimeter chamber conditions to be verified by air sampled from a
location that is representative of the temperatures surrounding the
unit and that simulate the conditions in which the unit operates in the
field. DOE notes that there is no procedure to verify if the measured
chamber temperature reading is representative of conditions at the test
unit condenser and evaporator inlet, which may be affected by
recirculation from the condenser and evaporator exhaust, respectively,
thereby potentially reducing test repeatability and reproducibility. As
a result, DOE is seeking comment on this issue and any potential
modifications to the test procedure that should be considered as part
of this investigative effort.
Issue B.1 DOE welcomes information on more specific requirements
for air sampling device positioning within the calorimeter chamber to
improve test repeatability.
C. Room Air Conditioner Referenced Test Procedures
1. American National Standards Institute/Association of Home Appliance
Manufacturers RAC-1
The cooling mode test in appendix F is conducted in accordance with
the testing conditions, methods, and calculations in sections 4, 5,
6.1, and 6.5 of the 2008 version of ANSI/AHAM RAC-1. Since DOE last
revised its room AC test procedure in 2011, ANSI/AHAM RAC-1 has been
updated and the current standard was released in 2015 (ANSI/AHAM RAC-1-
2015, ``Room Air Conditioners''). Based on review of the 2015 standard,
DOE believes that the updates to ANSI/AHAM RAC-1 provide added
specificity, but do not substantively impact the results of DOE's
cooling mode test. Accordingly, DOE does not expect that updating the
references to ANSI/AHAM RAC-1 in the room AC test procedure at appendix
F would substantively affect testing results. DOE further notes that
the 2015 update to ANSI/AHAM RAC-1 included adjustments to section
organization, and DOE would consider updating section references as
necessary if the 2015 version of ANSI/AHAM RAC-1 is incorporated by
reference in the room AC test procedure at appendix F.
Issue C.1.1 DOE seeks feedback on whether the references to ANSI/
AHAM RAC-1-2008 in its test procedure at appendix F should be updated
to certain sections of the most current version of ANSI/AHAM RAC-1,
ANSI/AHAM RAC-1-2015.
2. American National Standards Institute/American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers Standard 16
Appendix F currently references in its provisions for cooling mode
test conditions, methods, and calculations the 1983 version of ANSI/
ASHRAE 16, which was reaffirmed in 2009. ANSI/AHAM RAC-1-2015 also
references the 1983 version of ANSI/ASHRAE 16 reaffirmed in 2009. A new
version of ANSI/ASHRAE 16 was published in 2016, which includes many
significant updates to the standard, including heating mode testing and
an air enthalpy test approach as an alternative to the calorimeter
approach, while the general cooling mode methodology remains unchanged.
Issue C.2.1 DOE seeks feedback on the applicability of the recent
updates to ANSI/ASHRAE 16 to the room AC test procedure in appendix F.
Issue C.2.2 DOE welcomes feedback on whether the test procedure in
appendix F should continue to reference the version of ANSI/ASHRAE 16
that was reaffirmed in 2009, consistent with the referenced version in
both ANSI/AHAM RAC-1-2008 and ANSI/AHAM RAC-1-2015, or if appendix F
should reference the 2016 version of ANSI/ASHRAE 16. If appendix F were
to reference the 2016 version of ANSI/ASHRAE 16, DOE seeks information
on modified instructions that would be required in appendix F to
continue to reference certain sections of ANSI/AHAM RAC-1.
D. Other Test Procedure Topics
In addition to the issues identified earlier in this document, DOE
welcomes comment on any other aspect of the existing test procedure for
room ACs not already addressed by the specific areas identified in this
document. DOE particularly seeks information that would improve the
repeatability, reproducibility, and consumer representativeness of the
test procedure. DOE also requests information that would help DOE
create a procedure that would limit manufacturer test burden through
streamlining or simplifying testing requirements. Comments regarding
the repeatability and reproducibility are also welcome.
DOE also requests feedback on any potential amendments to the
existing
[[Page 36354]]
test procedure that could be considered to address impacts on
manufacturers, including small businesses. Regarding the Federal test
method, DOE seeks comment on the degree to which the DOE test procedure
should consider and be harmonized with the most recent relevant
industry standards for room ACs and whether there are any changes to
the Federal test method that would provide additional benefits to the
public.
Additionally, DOE requests comment on whether the existing test
procedure limits a manufacturer's ability to provide additional
features to consumers on room ACs. DOE particularly seeks information
on how the test procedure could be amended to reduce the cost of new or
additional features and make it more likely that such features are
included on room ACs.
III. Submission of Comments
DOE invites all interested parties to submit in writing by
September 5, 2017, comments and information on matters addressed in
this RFI and on other matters relevant to DOE's test procedure for room
ACs. These comments and information will aid in the development of a
test procedure NOPR for room ACs if DOE determines that amended test
procedures may be appropriate for these products.
Submitting comments via http://www.regulations.gov. The http://www.regulations.gov Web page will require you to provide your name and
contact information. Your contact information will be viewable to DOE
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name (if any), and submitter representative name (if any). If your
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DOE will use this information to contact you. If DOE cannot read your
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However, your contact information will be publicly viewable if you
include it in the comment or in any documents attached to your comment.
Any information that you do not want to be publicly viewable should not
be included in your comment, nor in any document attached to your
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Do not submit to http://www.regulations.gov information for which
disclosure is restricted by statute, such as trade secrets and
commercial or financial information (hereinafter referred to as
Confidential Business Information (``CBI'')). Comments submitted
through http://www.regulations.gov cannot be claimed as CBI. Comments
received through the Web site will waive any CBI claims for the
information submitted. For information on submitting CBI, see the
Confidential Business Information section.
DOE processes submissions made through http://www.regulations.gov
before posting. Normally, comments will be posted within a few days of
being submitted. However, if large volumes of comments are being
processed simultaneously, your comment may not be viewable for up to
several weeks. Please keep the comment tracking number that http://www.regulations.gov provides after you have successfully uploaded your
comment.
Submitting comments via email, hand delivery, or mail. Comments and
documents submitted via email, hand delivery, or mail also will be
posted to http://www.regulations.gov. If you do not want your personal
contact information to be publicly viewable, do not include it in your
comment or any accompanying documents. Instead, provide your contact
information on a cover letter. Include your first and last names, email
address, telephone number, and optional mailing address. The cover
letter will not be publicly viewable as long as it does not include any
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Include contact information each time you submit comments, data,
documents, and other information to DOE. If you submit via mail or hand
delivery, please provide all items on a CD, if feasible. It is not
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accepted.
Comments, data, and other information submitted to DOE
electronically should be provided in PDF (preferred), Microsoft Word or
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Documents should not contain special characters or any form of
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Campaign form letters. Please submit campaign form letters by the
originating organization in batches of between 50 to 500 form letters
per PDF or as one form letter with a list of supporters' names compiled
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Confidential Business Information. According to 10 CFR 1004.11, any
person submitting information that he or she believes to be
confidential and exempt by law from public disclosure should submit via
email, postal mail, or hand delivery two well-marked copies: one copy
of the document marked confidential including all the information
believed to be confidential, and one copy of the document marked ``non-
confidential'' with the information believed to be confidential
deleted. Submit these documents via email or on a CD, if feasible. DOE
will make its own determination about the confidential status of the
information and treat it according to its determination.
Factors of interest to DOE when evaluating requests to treat
submitted information as confidential include (1) a description of the
items, (2) whether and why such items are customarily treated as
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disclosure of the information would be contrary to the public interest.
It is DOE's policy that all comments may be included in the public
docket, without change and as received, including any personal
information provided in the comments (except information deemed to be
exempt from public disclosure).
DOE considers public participation to be a very important part of
the process for developing test procedures. DOE actively encourages the
participation and interaction of the public during the comment period
in each stage of the rulemaking process. Interactions with and between
members of the public provide a balanced discussion of the issues and
assist DOE in the rulemaking process. Anyone who wishes to be added to
the DOE mailing list to receive future notices and information about
this process or would like to request a public meeting should contact
Appliance and Equipment Standards Program staff at (202) 586-6636 or
via email at ApplianceStandardsQuestions@ee.doe.gov.
[[Page 36355]]
Issued in Washington, DC, on July 27, 2017.
Kathleen Hogan, Ph.D.,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2017-16441 Filed 8-3-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE -P