Department of Energy October 21, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to amend its test procedures for fluorescent lamp ballasts. Proposed changes include adopting text at its regulations concerning test procedures for the measurement of energy and water consumption to clarify the requirement to use the test procedures in Appendix Q1 to demonstrate compliance with the new and revised energy conservation standards that apply to fluorescent lamp ballasts manufactured on or after November 14, 2014. These revisions follow the intent of the fluorescent lamp ballast test procedure final rule to support any new or revised energy conservation standards at the time those standards require compliance. This notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) would also correct the formula for power factor, which contained a mathematical error as adopted in that final rule.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is initiating a rulemaking to consider amended energy conservation standards for commercial water heaters, hot water supply boilers, and unfired hot water storage tanks (commercial water heating equipment). Once completed, this rulemaking will fulfill DOE's statutory obligation to either propose amended energy conservation standards for commercial water heating equipment or to determine that the existing standards do not need to be amended. This notice seeks to solicit information to help DOE determine whether national standards more stringent than those currently in place would result in a significant amount of additional energy savings and whether such amended national standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified. In overview, this document presents a brief description of the analysis DOE plans to perform for this rulemaking and requests comment on various issues relating to each of the analyses (e.g., market assessment, engineering analysis, energy use analysis, life-cycle cost and payback period analysis, and national impact analysis). Although this document contains several specific topics on which DOE is particularly interested in receiving written comment, DOE welcomes suggestions and information from the public on any subject within the scope of this rulemaking, including topics not raised in this RFI.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is requesting comments, data, and information related to solar-thermal water heating systems where solar components are paired with electric and/or fossil fuel- fired water heaters, which are utilized as secondary heat sources. Although this document contains several specific topics on which DOE is particularly interested in receiving written comment, DOE welcomes suggestions and information from the public on any subject related to solar water heaters.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has submitted an information collection request to the OMB for extension under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection requests a three-year extension of its Procurement Collection, OMB Control Number 1910-4100. This information collection request covers information necessary to administer and manage DOE's procurement and acquisition programs.