Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office June 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Energy (DOE) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance, a proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed collection will allow Department of Energy (DOE) to gather utility bill data in order to manage energy efficiency programs in the Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs (OWIP) effectively. The utility billing data will help DOE determine the impacts and success of these programs in achieving savings, creating jobs, and expanding retrofit markets.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of the decision and order (Case No. DW-005) that grants to BSH Corporation (BSH) a waiver from the DOE dishwasher test procedure for certain basic models containing integrated or built-in water softeners. Under today's decision and order, BSH shall be required to test and rate its dishwashers with integrated water softeners using an alternate test procedure that takes this technology into account when measuring energy and water consumption.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C., App. 2, the U.S. Department of Energy is soliciting nominations for candidates to fill vacancies on the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee (Technical Advisory Committee).

The Department of Energy (DOE) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance a proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed collection will support the Weatherization Assistance Program Evaluation for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Period covering Program Years 2009, 2010, and 2011. A 60-day notice and request for comments was published in the Federal Register on March 11, 2011, 76FR 13398. No comments were received. This subsequent 30-day notice allows public comment on the final version of this information collection request. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Please note that in the final version the estimated burden has increased, primarily due to the collection of utility bill data on multiple instances instead of once as previously planned.

This notice publishes the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Decision and Order in Case No. CAC-029, which grants Daikin AC (Americas) Inc. (Daikin) a waiver from the existing DOE test procedures applicable to commercial package air-source central air conditioners and heat pumps. The waiver is specific to the Daikin VRV III-PB variable refrigerant flow (VRF) multi-split commercial heat pumps. As a condition of this waiver, Daikin must use the alternate test procedure set forth in this notice to test and rate its VRV III-PB variable refrigerant flow (VRF) multi-split commercial heat pumps.

This notice announces receipt of and publishes a petition for waiver from Fujitsu General Limited (Fujitsu). 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 the Fujitsu variable capacity AIRSTAGE V-II (commercial) multi-split heat pumps. Through this document, DOE: (1) Solicits comments, data, and information with respect to the Fujitsu petition; and (2) announces the grant of an interim waiver to Fujitsu from the existing DOE test procedure for the subject commercial multi-split air conditioners and heat pumps.