1

This is a draft document and does not represent a definitive view of the agency on the questions
addressed.

This and other guidance documents are accessible on the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy web site at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/guidance/default.aspx?pid=2&spid=1

.

Gu idance Type: Definitions and Scope of Coverage Category: Residential Products
Product: External Power S upplies
Guidance Version: DRAFT
Issued: November 14, 2014
Comment Period Ends: December 15, 2014

The following is a draft U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) guidance document regarding the scope of the definition for external power supplies. This draft guidance document represents the Department’s interpretation of its existing regulati ons and is exempt from the notice and comment requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act. See 5 U.S.C. § 553(b)(A). Nonetheless, the Department is accepting comments and suggestions from the public until December 15, 2014

. Comments and suggestions sh ould be provided in WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or text file format by sending an email to ExtPowerSupplies2014GUID0052@ee.doe.gov

. Please also include the docket
number http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE

- 2014

- BT

- GUID

- 0052

. Submitted comments are public and may be reviewed at Docket http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE

- 2014

- BT

- GUID

- 0052 on regulations.gov; if you wish to submit confidential business information as part of your comment, please contact DOE at the above
email address. At the en d of the comment period, this draft guidance document may be adopted, revised, or withdrawn.

Q: Are external power supplies that are packaged with and used to operate commercial or industria l equipment covered by the Department of Energy ’s energy conservation standards?

A: The Energy Policy and Conservation Act o f 1975 , as amended (EPCA) , defines an external power supply as an “external power supply circuit that is used to convert household electric current into DC

current or lower‐voltage AC current to operate a consumer product.” 42 U.S.C. 6291(36). See also 10
CFR 430.2. In a final rule issued on February 10, 2014, DOE discussed the applicability of the term "consumer product" in the context of the external power supply d efinition. See 79 Fed. Reg. 7846, 7860 (Feb. 10, 2014). Despite this explanation, DOE continues to receive numerous inquiries about whether external power supplies packaged with and used to operate specific products or equipment need to

meet DOE’s energy conservation standards. In response to these questions, DOE is issuing this draft guidance

.

Consistent with EPCA and DOE’s regulat ions , a ny external power supply that is of a type capable of operating a consumer product would be considered a covered product and possibly subject to DOE’s energy conservation standards

, without regard to whether that external power supply was in fact
distributed in U.S. commerce to operate a consumer product

. Only e xternal power supplies that have identifiable design ch aracteristics that would make them incapable of operating a consumer product
would be considered to not meet EPCA’s definition of external power supply

.2

To be clear, w hile any device that meets the definition of an external power supply would be conside red a covered product, DOE has only established energy conservation standards for certain types of external power supplies. Currently, external power supplies that meet the definition of a “Class A” external power suppl y are required to meet specific ener gy conservation standards articulated at 10. C.F.R

. § 430.32(w)(1)(i). Beginning in 2016, direct operation external power supplie s are also required to meet

energy conservation standards articulated at 10. C.F.R. § 430.32(w)(1)(ii) . These new standards cover
additional external power supplies that may have not previously been required to meet standards and
also increase the stringency of the standards for many types of external power supplies that had previously been required to me et the Class A standards. More information on the current and future external power supply energy conservation standards is available on the DOE’s External Power Supply
website

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