Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy June 27, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces receipt of a petition for waiver from AGA Marvel seeking an exemption from specified portions of the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') test procedure for determining the energy consumption of electric refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers. AGA Marvel seeks to apply an alternative test procedure for measuring the energy usage of combination cooler-refrigerator basic models. DOE has reviewed AGA Marvel's alternate procedure. Rather than permit the use of this alternative procedure, which would effectively alter both the test procedure and the standard that AGA Marvel's products would need to meet, DOE has tentatively concluded that it is more appropriate to apply the alternative procedure that other manufacturers of similar products have been permitted to use in prior waivers granted by DOE. This approach would allow AGA Marvel to measure the energy use of its products while alleviating the testing problems that prompted AGA Marvel's request. Accordingly, DOE is granting to AGA Marvel an interim waiver to permit it to use this alternative testing method to measure the energy usage of its combination cooler-refrigerator basic models. DOE notes that the method detailed in this interim waiver is consistent with the most recent approach that DOE outlined in an interim waiver issued earlier this year for other similar products. DOE solicits comments, data, and information concerning AGA Marvel's petition and suggestions on the alternate test procedure DOE is permitting AGA Marvel to use as a condition of its interim waiver.