Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Refrigerators, Freezers, and Refrigerator-Freezers

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY <CFR>10 CFR Part 431</CFR> <DEPDOC>[EERE-2017-BT-STD-0007]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 1904-AD82</RIN> <SUBJECT>Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Refrigerators, Freezers, and Refrigerator-Freezers</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Notification of data availability and request for comment. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> On October 10, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (“NOPR”), in which DOE proposed new and amended energy conservation standards for commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers. In this notification of data availability (“NODA”), DOE is providing updated analytical results that reflect updates to the analysis that DOE is considering based on feedback received in response to the October 10, 2023, NOPR. DOE requests comments, data, and information regarding the updated analyses. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this NODA no later than September 27, 2024. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at <E T="03">www.regulations.gov</E> under docket number EERE-2017-BT-STD-0007. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Alternatively, interested persons may submit comments, identified by docket number EERE-2017-BT-STD-0007, by any of the following methods: (1) <E T="03">Email: CRE2017STD0007@ee.doe.gov.</E> Include the docket number EERE-2017-BT-STD-0007 in the subject line of the message. (2) <E T="03">Postal Mail:</E> Appliance and Equipment Standards Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, Mailstop EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 287-1445. If possible, please submit all items on a compact disc (“CD”), in which case it is not necessary to include printed copies. (3) <E T="03">Hand Delivery/Courier:</E> Appliance and Equipment Standards Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, 950 L'Enfant Plaza SW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 287-1445. If possible, please submit all items on a CD, in which case it is not necessary to include printed copies. No telefacsimiles (“faxes”) will be accepted. For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional information on this process, see section IV of this document. <E T="03">Docket:</E> The docket for this activity, which includes <E T="04">Federal Register</E> notices, 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-2017-BT-STD-0007.</E> The docket web page contains instructions on how to access all documents, including public comments, in the docket. See section IV of this document for information on how to submit comments through <E T="03">www.regulations.gov.</E> <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Mr. Jeremy Dommu, 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) 586-9870. 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: (202) 586-4798. Email: <E T="03">Kristin.Koernig@hq.doe.gov.</E> 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> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Introduction</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Discussion</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Engineering Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Representative Units</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Baseline Energy Use Estimates</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Baseline Design Components</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Higher Efficiency Level Design Options</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">a. Evaporator Fan Control</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">b. Microchannel Condensers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">c. Variable-Speed Compressors</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">5. Compressor Energy Use Adjustment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">6. Revised Cost Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">7. Equipment With Features That Affect Energy Use</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Energy Use Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Energy Prices</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Repair and Maintenance Costs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Residual Value for Refurbished CRE</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Energy Efficiency Distribution in the No-New-Standards Case</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Shipments Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. National Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Sensitivity Analysis for Equipment With Unique Energy Use Characteristics</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Manufacturer Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Manufacturer Production Costs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Shipments Projections</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Product and Capital Conversion Costs</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Refrigerant Transition Investments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">5. Manufacturer Markup Scenarios</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Emissions Analysis, and Monetizing Emissions Impacts</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. Analytical Results</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Compliance Period</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Remote-Condensing Units</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Self-Contained Condensing Units (Non-Large)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">3. Self-Contained Condensing Units (Large)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">4. Consumer Subgroup Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">5. Rebuttable Presumption Payback</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Economic Impacts on Manufacturers</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. Industry Cashflow Analysis Results</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Direct Impacts on Employment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. National Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">1. National Energy Savings</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">2. Net Present Value of Consumer Costs and Benefits</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Need of the Nation To Conserve Energy</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Public Participation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Approval of the Office of the Secretary</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Introduction</HD> EPCA authorizes DOE to regulate the energy efficiency of a number of consumer equipment and certain industrial equipment. (42 U.S.C. 6291-6317, as codified) Title III, Part C of EPCA, <SU>1</SU> <FTREF/> added by Public Law 95-619, Title IV, section 441(a), established the Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial Equipment, which sets forth a variety of provisions designed to improve energy efficiency. (42 U.S.C. 6311-6317) This equipment includes commercial refrigerators, freezers, or refrigerator-freezers (“CRE”), the subject of this document. (42 U.S.C. 6311(1)(E)) <FTNT> <SU>1</SU>  For editorial reasons, upon codification in the U.S. Code, part C was redesignated part A-1. </FTNT> DOE defines a “commercial refrigerator, freezer, or refrigerator-freezer,” consistent with EPCA's definition at 42 U.S.C. 6311(9) and codified at title 10 Code of Federal Regulations (“CFR”) 431.62, as refrigeration equipment that is not a consumer product (as defined in 10 CFR 430.2); is not designed and marketed exclusively for medical, scientific, or research purposes; operates at a chilled, frozen, combination chilled and frozen, or variable temperature; displays or stores merchandise and other perishable materials horizontally, semi-vertically, or vertically; has transparent or solid doors, sliding or hinged doors, a combination of hinged, sliding, transparent, or solid doors, or no doors; is designed for pull-down temperature applications or holding temperature applications; and is connected to a self-contained condensing unit or to a remote condensing unit. On March 28, 2014, DOE published a final rule in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> that prescribed the current energy conservation standards for CRE manufactured on and after March 27, 2017 (“March 2014 Final Rule”). 79 FR 17725. DOE initiated a rulemaking to consider amending energy conservation standards for CRE by publishing a request for information in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> on July 16, 2021. 86 FR 37708. DOE subsequently published a notification of the availability of a preliminary technical support document for CRE in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> on June 28, 2022 (“June 2022 Preliminary Analysis”). 87 FR 38296. In the June 2022 Preliminary Analysis, DOE sought comment on the analytical framework, models, and tools that DOE used to evaluate potential standards for CRE, the results of preliminary analyses performed, and the potential energy conservation standard levels derived from these analyses, which DOE presented in the accompanying Preliminary Technical Support Document (“TSD”) (“June 2022 Preliminary TSD”). <FTREF/> <SU>2</SU> <E T="03">Id.</E> DOE held a public meeting related to the June 2022 Preliminary Analysis on August 8, 2022. <FTNT> <SU>2</SU>  The June 2022 Preliminary TSD is available in the docket for this rulemaking at <E T="03">www.regulations.gov/document/EERE-2017-BT-STD-0007 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 99k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━