Department of Energy April 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces receipt of and publishes a petition for waiver from Mitsubishi Electric and Electronics USA, Inc. (Mitsubishi). The petition for waiver (hereafter ``petition'') requests a waiver from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) test procedure applicable to commercial package air-source central air conditioners and heat pumps. The petition is specific to additional indoor units of the Mitsubishi variable capacity WR2, WY and S&L Class (commercial) multi-split heat pumps. Through this document, DOE: Solicits comments, data, and information with respect to the Mitsubishi petition; and announces the grant of an interim waiver to Mitsubishi from the existing DOE test procedure for the subject commercial multi-split air conditioners and heat pumps.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of the decision and order (Case No. RF-017) that grants to Electrolux Home Products, Inc. (Electrolux) a waiver from the DOE electric refrigerator and refrigerator-freezer test procedures for certain basic models containing relative humidity sensors and adaptive control anti-sweat heaters. Under today's decision and order, Electrolux 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.

In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A) (2006) (Pub. L. 104-13), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the proposed information collection described below.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is informing the public of its collection of shipment data and creation of spreadsheet models to provide comparisons between actual and benchmark estimate unit sales of five lamp types (i.e., rough service lamps, vibration service lamps, 3- way incandescent lamps, 2,601-3,300 lumen general service incandescent lamps, and shatter-resistant lamps), which are currently exempt from energy conservation standards. As the actual sales do not exceed the forecasted estimate by 100 percent for any lamp type (i.e., the threshold triggering rulemaking for an energy conservation standard for that lamp type has not been exceeded), DOE has determined that no regulatory action is necessary at this time. However, DOE will continue to track sales data for these exempted lamps. Relating to this activity, DOE has prepared and is making available on its Web site a spreadsheet showing the comparisons of anticipated versus actual sales, as well as the model used to generate the original sales estimates. The spreadsheet is available at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ appliancestandards/residential/fivelamptypes.html.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to revise its test procedure for automatic commercial ice makers (ACIM) established under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. This notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) proposes to update the incorporation by reference of industry test procedures to the most current published versions. The current DOE test procedure applies to automatic commercial ice makers that produce cube type ice. This NOPR proposes to expand coverage of the test procedure to all batch type and continuous type ice makers with capacities between 50 and 4,000 pounds of ice per 24 hours. A batch type ice maker is defined as an ice maker with alternate freezing and harvesting periods, including machines that produce cube type ice, tube type ice, and fragmented ice. A continuous type ice maker is defined as an ice maker that continually freezes and harvests ice at the same time. Continuous type ice makers primarily produce flake or nugget ice. DOE also proposes amendments to standardize test results based on ice quality for continuous type ice makers, clarify the test methods and reporting requirements for automatic ice makers designed to be connected to a remote compressor rack, and provide test methods for modulating capacity ice makers. Furthermore, DOE proposes to discontinue the use of a clarified energy use equation. The test procedure applies to automatic commercial ice makers as defined in section 136 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Use of any amended test procedures will be required on the compliance date of any standards developed in the associated energy conservation standard rulemaking. This notice announces a public meeting to discuss and receive comments on the proposed test procedure amendments.