🏡Energy Efficiency Standards Compliance Dates Extended for USDA Housing
On April 26, 2024, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the "Final Determination: Adoption of Energy Efficiency Standards for New Construction of HUD- and USDA-Financed Housing" notice (Final Determination) in the Federal Register. The Final Determination provides compliance dates for HUD and USDA programs covered by the Final Determination. This notice delays compliance dates by six months over the published compliance dates for covered projects in the following USDA programs: Section 502 (Guaranteed Loans, Direct Loans) and Section 523 (Self Help Loans).
Learn More🏠Energy Efficiency Standards Compliance Dates Extended by HUD
On April 26, 2024, HUD and the U.S. Department of Agriculture published the "Final Determination: Adoption of Energy Efficiency Standards for New Construction of HUD- and USDA-Financed Housing" Notice (Final Determination) in the Federal Register. The Final Determination provides compliance dates for HUD programs covered by the Final Determination. This notice delays compliance dates by six months over the published compliance dates for covered projects in the following programs: Federal Housing Administration-Insured (FHA- Insured) Multifamily, FHA-Insured Single Family, Public Housing Capital Fund, and Competitive Grants (Choice Neighborhoods, Section 202, Section 811). This notice delays the compliance date for Section 8 Project Based Vouchers (PBV) until April, 2026.
Learn More⚙️Delay of Effective Date for Compressor Test Procedures
This document delays the effective date of a recently published final rule amending the test procedures for compressors. DOE also seeks comment on any further delay of the effective date, including the impacts of such delay, as well as comment on the legal, factual, or policy issues raised by the rule.
Learn More🌍Notice of Postponed Meeting
The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee (REEEAC) in-person meeting scheduled for Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at the Department of Commerce in Washington, DC has been postponed. A rescheduled date and time for the REEEAC meeting will be announced through the Federal Register as well as on the REEEAC website, https:// trade.gov/reeeac.
Learn More🌱Meeting Notice for Renewable Energy Advisory Committee - February 2025
The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee (REEEAC or the Committee) will hold an in-person meeting, accessible to the public in-person and online, on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC. Registration instructions for the public to attend either in-person or online are provided below. The meeting has a limited number of spaces for members of the public to attend in-person. Requests to attend in-person will be considered on a first-come first-served basis.
Learn More⚙️DOE Amendments to Compressor Test Procedures
The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") is amending the test procedure for compressors to correct an error and to ensure that pressure ratio is expressed in terms of absolute pressure. DOE is also correcting the formula for isentropic efficiency and specific energy consumption of the packaged compressor by incorporating a K<INF>6</INF> correction factor to correct for differences in pressure ratio when testing at differing elevations. Finally, DOE is amending the definition of "air compressor" to include a minor clarification and revise a typographical error.
Learn More⚖️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.
Learn More⚡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.
Learn More📊DOE Notice on Information Collection for Greenhouse Gas Value Analysis
The Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on a proposed collection of information that DOE is developing for submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
Learn More🏭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.
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