[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 240 (Tuesday, December 15, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 77589-77591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31566]
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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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 240 / Tuesday, December 15, 2015 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 77589]]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket Number EERE-2011-BT-STD-0043]
RIN 1904-AC51
Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedure for
Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products: Notice of Data Availability;
Request for Information
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of data availability (NODA); request for information
(RFI).
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is currently weighing
whether and how to regulate the energy efficiency of certain
refrigeration products such as wine chillers and beverage centers
(collectively, ``coolers''). These ``miscellaneous refrigeration
products'' (``MREFs'') include coolers that do not operate using a
conventional compressor/condenser-based system, particularly those
products that use a thermoelectric-based refrigeration system. In
support of this effort, DOE has collected and analyzed a variety of
data to better understand the composition of the MREF industry and its
products. To ensure its understanding of this market and its products,
DOE is requesting additional information from the public related to the
manufacturers of thermoelectric-based MREFs.
DATES: DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding the
NODA no later than January 14, 2016. Details regarding the data
referenced in this document are provided in docket EERE-2011-BT-STD-
0043, available at www.regulations.gov.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted to the addresses provided in
section IV. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
The docket, EERE-2011-BT-STD-0043, is available for review at
www.regulations.gov, including Federal Register notices, comments, and
other supporting documents or materials. All documents in the docket
are listed in the www.regulations.gov index. However, not all documents
listed in the index may be publicly available, such as information that
is exempt from public disclosure.
A link to the docket Web page can be found at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2011-BT-STD-0043. The
regulations.gov Web page contains instructions on how to access all
documents in the docket, including public comments. For further
information on how to review the docket, contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at
(202) 586-2945 or by email: [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional
information may be sent to Mr. Joseph Hagerman, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Program, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington,
DC 20585-0121. Telephone: 202-586-4549. Email:
[email protected].
In the office of the General Counsel, contact Mr. Michael Kido,
Esq., U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General Counsel, GC-33, 1000
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-8145,
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products--Background
II. Results and Analyses Summary
III. Request for Information and Specific Issues for Which DOE Is
Seeking Comment
IV. Public Participation
I. Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products--Background
In November 2011, the Department of Energy (``DOE'') began a
process to consider whether to include as covered products and
establish energy conservation standards for certain types of
refrigeration products that largely fall outside of DOE's regulations
pertaining to refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers.\1\
See 76 FR 69147 (November 8, 2011) (Notice of Proposed Determination)
and 10 CFR 430.32(a) (setting out energy conservation standards for
each class of refrigerator, refrigerator-freezer, and freezer currently
regulated by DOE). Chief among the products garnering DOE's attention
were products such as wine chillers (``coolers'')--which typically
provide storage temperatures exceeding those used in those products
already addressed by DOE's regulations. Cooling the storage areas of
these products can be accomplished using different methods. One method
is to use a conventional compressor/condenser-based system that feeds
cold air into the internal storage compartment of the product. Another
method--thermoelectric-based cooling--relies on the use of a solid-
state heat pump that creates a cooling effect when electric current
passes through two conductors. Under this approach, a temperature
difference is created between the junction of two different types of
materials as voltage is applied to the free ends of each material. Both
of these technologies were considered in DOE's approach to regulating
miscellaneous refrigeration equipment.
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\1\ For a narrow sliver of products that combined a wine storage
compartment with a fresh food or freezer compartment (``combination
coolers''), DOE had previously issued guidance indicating that these
products may fall within the electric refrigerator and electric
refrigerator-freezer definitions. See Refrigerators and Freezers
Guidance (February 10, 2011) (discussing the treatment of ``hybrid''
refrigeration products--i.e., cominbation coolers).
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Pursuant to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, as
amended (``EPCA''), DOE may add a new product to its scope of
regulatory coverage when certain criteria are met. See 42 U.S.C.
6292(b) (laying out specific criteria to satisfy when classifying a
consumer product not already statutorily-covered as a covered product).
Similarly, DOE may set energy conservation standards for those newly
covered products if additional criteria are met. See 42 U.S.C. 6295(l)
(detailing additional requirements to meet prior to prescribing
standards for newly covered products). As part of its continuing
efforts to improve consumer product and industrial equipment energy
efficiency, DOE is considering including miscellaneous refrigeration
products (``MREFs''), such as coolers that do not use a compressor/
condenser-based system, to its list of products for
[[Page 77590]]
regulatory coverage authority and to set energy conservation standards
for them.
To help better inform its potential regulation of these items, DOE
announced its intention to establish a negotiated rulemaking working
group that would operate under the Appliance Standards and Rulemaking
Federal Advisory Committee (``ASRAC'') with the purpose of exploring
possible energy efficiency requirements for MREFs. See 80 FR 17355
(April 1, 2015). DOE solicited the public for participants to help
serve on the MREF Working Group and identified various groups who would
be significantly affected by a rulemaking that would address MREF
energy efficiency. See id. at 17357. The Working Group ultimately
reached consensus among its members on a variety of issues, including
the potential scope of coverage, applicable definitions, test procedure
details, and energy conservation standards that would apply to these
products. This effort, which was conducted in accordance with the
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2) and the Negotiated
Rulemaking Act (5 U.S.C. 561-570), produced a consensus agreement
addressing the above issues.
II. Results and Analyses Summary
The consensus agreement reached by the various participating
parties was based on research and testing data related to MREF
products. The data from this effort were used to create a comprehensive
technical analysis that the Working Group used to develop the
recommendations in its consensus agreement. The agreement was prepared
for submission to ASRAC, which would then weigh its merits for approval
for further consideration by DOE.
Among the issues considered by the Working Group were the potential
impacts related to manufacturers of thermoelectric-based MREF products.
While DOE believes that the MREF Working Group, which included one
manufacturer who currently sells thermoelectric-based products and
other manufacturers who have sold thermoelectric coolers in the past,
comprised a group of persons that are fairly representative of relevant
points of view, including manufacturers of thermoelectric-based MREF
products, DOE is seeking comment and any additional information
regarding the nature of these manufacturers, and the marketing nuances
and other issues specifically facing the manufacturers of
thermoelectric-based MREF products.
III. Request for Information and Specific Issues for Which DOE Is
Seeking Comment
DOE welcomes comments on all aspects of this notice of data
availability and request for information. DOE is particularly
interested in receiving comments from interested parties on the
following data and questions related to the manufacturers of
thermoelectric-based MREF products:
(1) The number, location, size, product offering, and business
structure of the original equipment manufacturers (``OEMs'') producing
thermoelectric coolers for sale in the U.S. market.
(2) The sales channels of the thermoelectric cooler OEMs serving
the U.S. market. Which of these OEMs sell products directly to the U.S.
market and which serve the U.S. market indirectly through private
labelers?
(3) The U.S. market shares (in terms of total shipments) of both
the thermoelectric cooler private labelers and OEMs.
(4) Using a database of models generated from publicly available
information (including existing product databases and manufacturer and
vendor Web sites), DOE identified over 30 brands of cooler models
offered for sale in the U.S. that utilize thermoelectric refrigeration
systems--all of which appear to be manufactured overseas. In DOE's
view, the current market is competitive with no one dominant player and
includes such private labelers as Vinotemp, Wine Enthusiast, Koolatron,
and Haier. DOE seeks comment on whether this description of the
thermoelectric cooler market is accruate and whether using the number
of cooler models available on the U.S. market can be used as a proxy
for market share for the cooler industry.DOE considered thermoelectric
coolers when generating engineering analysis information included in
the preliminary analysis (79 FR 71705 (Dec. 3, 2014)) and updated its
analysis documents based on the Working Group discussions. (DOE's
engineering analysis documents developed in support of the Working
Group meetings are available at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket ID
EERE-2011-BT-STD-0043.) These analyses indicated that thermoelectric
cooler energy efficiency performance could be improved to a level that
would be on-par (or exceed) the efficiency levels recommended by the
Working Group by using a variety of options including, but not limited
to, adding cabinet insulation, incorporating heat pipes, using solid
rather than glass doors, or using glass or other translucent door
material with higher insulating values. DOE requests comment on these
engineering results and related estimates.
(5) DOE seeks comment as to whether there are any substantive
issues with relying on information furnished by private labelers who
purchase thermoelectric-based MREFs for purposes of DOE's manufacturer
impacts analysis. If there are no issues with relying on this
information (or its source), please so state.
(6) DOE also seeks any additional feedback relating to its analyses
that it is making available as part of this NODA as it relates to
thermoelectric manufacturers.
IV. Public Participation
Submission of Comments
DOE welcomes comments on all aspects of this NODA and on other
relevant issues that participants believe would affect the eventual
test procedures and energy conservation standards applicable to MREF
products. 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-2011-BT-
STD-0043, by any of the following methods:
Email: To [email protected]. Include
EERE-2011-BT-STD-0043 in the subject line of the message.
Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy,
Building Technologies Office, Mailstop EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Phone: (202) 586-2945. Please submit
one signed paper original.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department
of Energy, Building Technologies Program, 6th Floor, 950 L'Enfant Plaza
SW., Washington, DC 20024. Phone: (202) 586-2945. Please submit one
signed paper original.
All submissions received must include the agency name and docket
number or RIN for this rulemaking.
After the close of the comment period, DOE will begin reviewing the
public comments and making any necessary adjustments to its standards
analysis supporting its rulemaking proceeding concerning potential
energy conservation standards for MREF products.
DOE considers public participation to be a very important part of
the process for developing test procedures and
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energy conservation standards. 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 rulemaking should contact Mr. Joseph Hagerman at (202) 586-4549,
or via e-mail at [email protected].
Issued in Washington, DC, on December 4, 2015.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2015-31566 Filed 12-14-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P