Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY <CFR>10 CFR Part 430</CFR> <DEPDOC>[EERE-2020-BT-STD-0039]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 1904-AF62</RIN> <SUBJECT>Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Direct final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (“EPCA”), prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including miscellaneous refrigeration products. In this direct final rule, the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) is adopting amended energy conservation standards for miscellaneous refrigeration products. DOE has determined that the amended energy conservation standards for these products would result in significant conservation of energy, and are technologically feasible and economically justified. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> The effective date of this rule is September 4, 2024. If adverse comments are received by August 26, 2024 and DOE determines that such comments may provide a reasonable basis for withdrawal of the direct final rule under 42 U.S.C. 6295(o), a timely withdrawal of this rule will be published in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> . If no such adverse comments are received, compliance with the amended standards established for miscellaneous refrigeration products in this direct final rule is required on and after January 31, 2029. Comments regarding the likely competitive impact of the standards contained in this direct final rule should be sent to the Department of Justice contact listed in the <E T="02">ADDRESSES</E> section on or before June 6, 2024. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> The docket for this rulemaking, which includes <E T="04">Federal Register</E> notices, public meeting attendee lists and transcripts, comments, and other supporting documents/materials, is available for review at <E T="03">www.regulations.gov.</E> All documents in the docket are listed in the <E T="03">www.regulations.gov</E> index. However, not all documents listed in the index may be publicly available, such as information that is exempt from public disclosure. The docket web page can be found at <E T="03">www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE-2020-BT-STD-0039.</E> The docket web page contains instructions on how to access all documents, including public comments, in the docket. For further information on how to submit a comment or review other public comments and the docket, contact the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program staff at (202) 287-1445 or by email: <E T="03">ApplianceStandardsQuestions@ee.doe.gov.</E> The U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division invites input from market participants and other interested persons with views on the likely competitive impact of the standards contained in this direct final rule. Interested persons may contact the Antitrust Division at <E T="03">www.energy.standards@usdoj.gov</E> on or before the date specified in the <E T="02">DATES</E> section. Please indicate in the “Subject” line of your email the title and Docket Number of this direct final rule. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Mr. Lucas Adin, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Office, EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 287-5904. Email: <E T="03">ApplianceStandardsQuestions@ee.doe.gov.</E> Ms. Kristin Koernig, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (240) 243-3383. Email: <E T="03">kristin.koernig@hq.doe.gov.</E> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Synopsis of the Direct Final Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Benefits and Costs to Consumers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Impact on Manufacturers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. National Benefits and Costs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Conclusion</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Introduction</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Authority</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Current Standards</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Current Test Procedures</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. History of Standards Rulemaking for MREFs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. The Joint Agreement</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. General Discussion</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Scope of Coverage</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Fairly Representative of Relevant Point of View</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Technological Feasibility</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. General</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Maximum Technologically Feasible Levels</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Energy Savings</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Determination of Savings</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Significance of Savings</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Economic Justification</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Specific Criteria</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Economic Impact on Manufacturers and Consumers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Savings in Operating Costs Compared To Increase in Price (LCC and PBP)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Energy Savings</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">d. Lessening of Utility or Performance of Products</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">e. Impact of Any Lessening of Competition</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">f. Need for National Energy Conservation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">g. Other Factors</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Rebuttable Presumption</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Methodology and Discussion of Related Comments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Market and Technology Assessment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Product Classes</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Product Classes With Automatic Icemakers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Addition of Product Class C-5-BI</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Technology Options</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Screening Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Screened-Out Technologies</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Remaining Technologies</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Engineering Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Efficiency Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Built-In Classes</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Baseline Efficiency/Energy Use</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Higher Efficiency Levels</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">d. Variable-Speed Compressor Supply Chain</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Cost Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Cost-Efficiency Results</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Markups Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Energy Use Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Product Cost</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Installation Cost</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Annual Energy Consumption</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Energy Prices</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">5. Maintenance and Repair Costs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">6. Product Lifetime</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">7. Discount Rates</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">8. Energy Efficiency Distribution in the No-New-Standards Case</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">9. Payback Period Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Shipments Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. National Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Product Efficiency Trends</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. National Energy Savings</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Net Present Value Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. Consumer Subgroup Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">J. Manufacturer Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Overview</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Government Regulatory Impact Model and Key Inputs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Manufacturer Production Costs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Shipments Projections</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Product and Capital Conversion Costs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">d. Manufacturer Markup Scenarios</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Discussion of MIA Comments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">K. Emissions Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Air Quality Regulations Incorporated in DOE's Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">L. Monetizing Emissions Impacts</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Monetization of Greenhouse Gas Emissions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Social Cost of Carbon</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Social Cost of Methane and Nitrous Oxide</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Sensitivity Analysis Using Updated 2023 SC-GHG Estimates</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Monetization of Other Emissions Impacts</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">M. Utility Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">N. Employment Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">O. Other Comments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Analytical Results and Conclusions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2"> A. Trial Standard Levels </FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Economic Justification and Energy Savings</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Economic Impacts on Individual Consumers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Consumer Subgroup Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Rebuttable Presumption Payback</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Economic Impacts on Manufacturers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Industry Cash Flow Analysis Results</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Direct Impacts on Employment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Impacts on Manufacturing Capacity</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">d. Impacts on Subgroups of Manufacturers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">e. Cumulative Regulatory Burden</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. National Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Significance of Energy Savings</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Net Present Value of Consumer Costs and Benefits</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Indirect Impacts on Employment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Impact on Utility or Performance of Products</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">5. Impact of Any Lessening of Competition</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">6. Need of the ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 328k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━