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💼New Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Refrigeration Equipment

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended ("EPCA"), prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers ("commercial refrigeration equipment" or "CRE"). EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") to periodically review its existing standards to determine whether more-stringent standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified and would result in significant energy savings. In this final rule, DOE is adopting new and amended energy conservation standards for CRE. It has determined that the new and amended energy conservation standards for this equipment would result in significant conservation of energy and are technologically feasible and economically justified.

⚡DOE Withdraws Proposed Energy Standards for Battery Chargers

This document withdraws a proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on March 15, 2023. The proposed rule would have established amended energy conservation standards for battery chargers.

⚖️DOE Withdraws Proposed Energy Standards for Consumer Boilers

This document withdraws a proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2023. The proposed rule would have amended energy conservation standards for consumer boilers.

🔧New DOE Regulations on Commercial Warm Air Furnaces

On June 2, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE" or the "Department") published a test procedure final rule which established test procedures for commercial warm air furnaces ("CWAFs"). On August 1, 2023, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute ("AHRI") filed a petition for review of the final rule in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In a February 6, 2024, order, the Fourth Circuit granted a voluntary remand of the final rule to the Department of Energy ("DOE") to determine whether establishment of the test procedure for the thermal efficiency two ("TE2") metric is supported by the specific provisions applicable to CWAFs under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act ("EPCA"). More specifically, DOE agreed in this voluntary remand to not enforce the TE2 test procedure unless and until the Department determines that the TE2 test procedure is consistent with the amended industry test procedure, or determines, supported by clear and convincing evidence, that the amended industry test procedure fails to satisfy the statutory requirements. This document provides DOE's determination that the amended industry test procedure fails to satisfy EPCA's statutory requirements.

⚖️New Compliance Rules for Clothes Washer and Dryer Testing 2024

In this final rule, the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") is amending the test procedures for residential and commercial clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers to update the test cloth specifications. DOE is also reorganizing the test procedures for improved readability. DOE is conducting this rulemaking to address specific issues and to make minor corrections to the current test procedures. This rulemaking does not satisfy the statutory requirement that, at least once every 7 years, DOE review the test procedures for clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers.

♻️Energy Conservation Standards for Portable Electric Spas Announced

The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") is publishing this notice of data availability ("NODA") regarding certain data and analytical results being made available related to DOE's evaluation of potential energy conservation standards for portable electric spas ("PESs").

⚡New Energy Efficiency Testing Rules for General Service Lamps

The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") is adopting clarifications to the test procedures for general service lamps ("GSLs") located in appendix W, appendix BB and appendix DD. Specifically, DOE is clarifying instructions that GSLs must not be tested as colored lamps and that lamps with additional components that do not affect light output must be turned off during testing. The clarifications also specify that non-integrated lamps be tested with a fluorescent lamp ballast, high intensity discharge ("HID") lamp ballast or external light-emitting diode ("LED") driver selected based on compatibility lists and availability; and provide specifications regarding the starting method, ballast factor, and number of lamps. This rulemaking is limited in scope and is providing clarifications to the current test procedures that are required for certification of compliance with existing applicable GSL energy conservation standards. Further, this rulemaking does not satisfy the Energy Policy and Conservation Act ("EPCA") requirement that, at least once every 7 years, DOE review the test procedures for GSLs.

⚡Correction of Energy Conservation Standards for Walk-In Coolers

🏭New Regulations for Energy Efficiency in Central Air Conditioners

This final rule amends the Federal test procedure for central air conditioners and heat pumps ("CAC/HPs") to incorporate by reference the latest versions of the applicable industry standards. Specifically, DOE is incorporating by reference the latest version of the relevant industry consensus test standard, AHRI 210/240-2024 (I-P) for the current test procedure for CAC/HPs ("appendix M1") for measuring the current cooling and heating metrics--seasonal energy efficiency ratio 2 ("SEER2") and heating seasonal performance factor 2 ("HSPF2"). DOE is incorporating by reference the new industry consensus test standard, AHRI 1600-2024 (I-P), for a new test procedure ("appendix M2") for CAC/HPs that adopts two new metrics--seasonal cooling and off-mode rating efficiency ("SCORE") and seasonal heating and off-mode rating efficiency ("SHORE"). Testing to the SCORE and SHORE metrics would not be required until such time as compliance is required with any amended energy conservation standard based on the new metrics. Additionally, DOE is amending certain provisions of DOE's regulations related to representations and enforcement for CAC/HPs.