This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

51423 

Vol. 75, No. 161 

Friday, August 20, 2010 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

10 CFR Part 431 

[Docket No (EERE–2010–BT–NOA–0028)] 

RIN 1904–AC24 

Energy Conservation Program for 

Consumer Products and Certain 

Commercial and Industrial Equipment: 

Public Meeting and Availability of 

Statement of Policy for Adopting FullFuel-Cycle Analyses Into Energy 

Conservation Standards Program 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed policy and 

public meeting. 

SUMMARY: In its effort to adopt several 

National Academy of Sciences (the 

Academy) recommendations, the U.S. 

Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to 

modify the methods it uses to estimate 

the likely impacts of energy 

conservation standards for covered 

products and covered equipment on 

energy use and emissions and to expand 

the energy use and emissions 

information made available to 

consumers. Specifically, DOE proposes 

to use full-fuel-cycle (FFC) measures of 

energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) 

emissions, rather than the primary 

energy measures it currently uses. 

Additionally, DOE proposes to work 

collaboratively with the Federal Trade 

Commission (FTC) to make FFC energy 

and GHG emissions data available to the 

public to enable consumers to make 

cross-class comparisons. DOE will hold 

an informal public meeting to discuss 

and receive comments on its planned 

approach. DOE welcomes written 

comments from the public on any 

subject within the scope of this policy 

document. 

DATES: DOE will hold a public meeting 

on Thursday, October 7, 2010, from 9 

a.m. to 4 p.m. in Washington, DC. DOE 

must receive requests to speak at the 

public meeting before 4 p.m., Thursday, 

September 23, 2010. DOE must receive 

an electronic copy of the statement with 

the name and, if appropriate, the 

organization of the presenter to be given 

at the public meeting before 4 p.m., 

Thursday, September 30, 2010. DOE 

will accept written comments, data, and 

information regarding this 

announcement before and after the 

public meeting, but no later than 

October 19, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be 

held at the U.S. Department of Energy, 

Forrestal Building, Room 1E–245, 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. Please 

note that foreign nationals planning to 

participate in the public meeting are 

subject to advance security screening 

procedures. If a foreign national wishes 

to participate in the public meeting, 

please inform DOE of this fact as soon 

as possible by contacting Ms. Brenda 

Edwards at (202) 586–2945 so that the 

necessary procedures can be completed. 

Interested parties are encouraged to 

submit comments by e-mail to the 

following address: FFC-2010-NOA0028@ee.doe.gov. Include docket 

number EERE–2010–BT–NOA–0028 

and/or RIN 1904–AC24] in the subject 

line of the message. DOE encourages all 

written comments, data, and 

information to be submitted 

electronically in commonly used 

searchable text formats (e.g. Adobe 

Acrobat PDF, Microsoft Word, etc). All 

comments should clearly identify the 

name, address and, if appropriate, 

organization of the commenter. 

Alternatively, interested parties may 

submit comments by any of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Building 

Technologies Program, Mailstop EE–2J, 

Notice of Proposed Policy for Full-FuelCycle Analysis Docket No. EERE–2010– 

BT–NOA–0028 and/or RIN 1904–AC24, 

1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. Due to the 

potential delays in DOE’s receipt and 

processing of mail sent through the U.S. 

Postal Service, DOE encourages 

respondents to submit comments 

electronically to ensure timely receipt. 

• Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda 

Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, 

Building Technologies Program, Sixth 

Floor, 950 L’Enfant Plaza, SW., 

Washington, DC 20024. 

Docket: For access to the docket to 

read background documents or 

comments received, visit the U.S. 

Department of Energy, Resource Room 

of the Building Technologies Program, 

950 L’Enfant Plaza, SW., 6th Floor, 

Washington, DC 20024, (202) 586–2945, 

between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

Please call Ms. Brenda Edwards at the 

above telephone number for additional 

information regarding visiting the 

Resource Room. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Anthoney Perkins, U.S. Department of 

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Building 

Technologies, EE–2J, 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. 

Telephone: (202) 287–1846. E-mail: 

Anthoney.Perkins@ee.doe.gov. 

Ms. Ami Grace-Tardy, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Office of the 

General Counsel, GC–71, 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. 

Telephone: (202) 586–5709. E-mail: 

Ami.Grace-Tardy@hq.doe.gov. 

For information on how to submit or 

review public comments, contact Ms. 

Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of 

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, Building 

Technologies Program, EE–2J, 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. 

Telephone (202) 586–2945. E-mail: 

Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

DOE’s energy conservation program 

for consumer products and certain 

commercial and industrial equipment 

sets energy conservation standards to 

reduce U.S. energy consumption in 

residential and commercial buildings. 

DOE separates covered products and 

covered equipment into classes 

differentiated by energy source, 

technology, and capacity. The Energy 

Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) 

requires DOE to set standards for 

covered products and covered 

equipment based on energy 

consumption at the point-of-use. 

(42 U.S.C. 6291(4), 6311(4)). 

The point-of-use method for 

measuring energy consumption 


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51424 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 161 / Friday, August 20, 2010 / Proposed Rules 

1Available at http://www.transportation.anl.gov/ 

modeling_simulation/GREET/index.html. 

considers the use of electricity, natural 

gas, propane, and/or fuel oil by an 

appliance at the site where the 

appliance is operated. DOE uses pointof-use measures of energy consumption, 

usually presented in the physical units 

typically used for the relevant fuel (or 

electricity), for setting energy 

conservation standards. Before choosing 

an energy conservation standard, 

however, DOE performs several analyses 

to estimate the likely impacts of 

candidate standard levels. DOE 

currently uses primary energy measures 

of energy consumption in several of 

these analyses. Primary energy includes 

energy consumed on-site, plus energy 

losses that occur in the generation, 

transmission, and distribution of 

electricity. 

DOE impact analyses include a: Lifecycle cost analysis, manufacturer impact 

analysis, national impact analysis, 

engineering analysis, screening analysis, 

environmental assessment, utility 

impact assessment, and employment 

impact assessment. DOE utilizes 

primary energy consumption in several 

analyses, including the national impact 

analysis and the environmental 

assessment, to estimate the total 

projected amount of energy savings and 

emissions likely to result from the 

imposition of a candidate standard. 

Based on the results of these various 

analyses, DOE then proposes (and, 

ultimately, adopts) the energy 

conservation standard that it determines 

achieves the maximum energy 

efficiency improvement that is 

technologically feasible and 

economically justified as required by 

EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(A)). 

Additionally, DOE must determine that 

the establishment of a new or amended 

energy conservation standard will result 

in significant energy conservation. 

(42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(3)(B)). 

Section 1802 of the Energy Policy Act 

of 2005 (EPACT 2005) directed DOE to 

contract a study with the National 

Academy of Science (the Academy) to 

examine whether the goals of energy 

efficiency standards are best served by 

measurement of energy consumed, and 

efficiency improvements, at the actual 

point-of-use or through the use of FFC, 

beginning at the source of energy 

production. (Pub. L. 109–58). The FFC 

measure includes point-of-use energy 

plus the energy consumed in extracting, 

processing, and transporting primary 

fuels and the energy losses associated 

with generation, transmission, and 

distribution of electricity. The study, 

‘‘Review of Site (Point-of-Use) and FullFuel-Cycle Measurement Approaches to 

DOE/EERE Building Appliance EnergyEfficiency Standards,’’ was completed in 

May 2009 and provided five 

recommendations. A free copy of the 

study can be downloaded at: http:// 

www.nap.edu/ 

catalog.php?record_id=12670. 

The Academy’s primary 

recommendation is that ‘‘DOE consider 

moving over time to use of a FFC 

measure of energy consumption for 

assessment of national and 

environmental impact, especially levels 

of greenhouse gas emissions, and to 

providing more comprehensive 

information to the public through labels 

and other means, such as an enhanced 

Web site.’’ The Academy further 

recommended that DOE work with the 

FTC to consider options for making 

product-specific GHG emissions 

estimates available to enable consumers 

to make cross-class product 

comparisons. DOE is taking numerous 

steps to implement these 

recommendations, including proposing 

this Statement of Policy. 

More specifically, the Academy 

recommends that DOE use the FFC 

measure of energy consumption for the 

environmental assessment and national 

impact analyses used in energy 

conservation standards rulemakings. 

The FFC measure would provide more 

complete information about the total 

energy use and GHG emissions 

associated with operating an appliance 

than the primary energy measure 

currently used by DOE. Utilizing the 

FFC measure for environmental 

assessments and national impact 

analyses would not require alteration of 

the measures used to determine the 

energy efficiency of covered products 

and covered equipment as existing law 

still requires such measures to be based 

solely on the energy consumed at the 

point of use. (42 U.S.C. 6291(4), 

6311(4)). However, using the FFC 

measure in lieu of primary energy in 

environmental assessments and national 

impact analyses could affect DOE’s 

consideration of future alternative 

standard levels. A shift to considering 

FFC impacts would increase the energy 

and emission reductions estimated to 

result from specific efficiency standard 

levels. This shift would, consequently, 

increase some of the estimated benefits 

of such standards. 

DOE proposes to use FFC measures of 

energy and GHG and other emissions in 

the national impact analyses and 

environmental assessments included in 

future energy conservation standards 

rulemakings. DOE solicits public 

comment on its proposal to use FFC 

measures of energy use and emissions in 

these analyses. 

DOE currently measures primary 

energy consumption for national impact 

analyses and environmental 

assessments using the National Energy 

Modeling System (NEMS) developed by 

DOE’s Energy Information 

Administration (EIA). Similarly, DOE 

must have an appropriate model(s) of 

FFC energy use and emissions in order 

to employ FFC measures. 

DOE believes that the Greenhouse 

Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy 

Use in Transportation (GREET) model 

developed for DOE by Argonne National 

Laboratory is a model of FFC energy use 

and emissions that would be 

appropriate for this purpose. The 

GREET model is built in Microsoft Excel 

with graphic user interfaces, generates 

FFC results in tables that can be readily 

exported into other table formats, and is 

available to the public online at no 

cost.1 The model uses energy efficiency 

and emissions information available 

through the EIA and the Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA). GREET was 

designed to enable users to easily 

compare the total energy use and GHG 

emissions of vehicle technologies and 

different fuels. Since fuel products such 

as electricity, oil, natural gas, propane, 

coal, and biomass are already simulated 

in GREET for their FFC effects, the 

model can be used to estimate FFC 

energy use and emissions associated 

with different fuels used in appliances 

as well. DOE also solicits public 

comment on its proposal to use the 

GREET model to estimate FFC energy 

use and emissions. 

Methodology for Estimating Full-FuelCycle Energy Impacts 

DOE intends to use the GREET model 

in energy conservation standards 

rulemakings to convert primary energy 

impacts to FFC energy impacts. First, for 

each alternative energy conservation 

standard under consideration, DOE will 

estimate primary energy impacts by 

using NEMS projections that include the 

use of individual fuels in power plants 

as well as in home appliances such as 

water heaters. Second, for each 

alternative energy conservation standard 

under consideration, DOE will use the 

energy conversion factors that are 

generated using the GREET model to 

convert primary energy use and 

emission impacts to FFC energy use and 

emission impacts. 

Preliminary estimates of the current 

and projected primary energy to FFC 

energy conversion factors for on-site 

fuel and power plant use developed 

using the GREET model can be found in 

Tables 1 and 2. Table 1 lists the 

preliminary factors to be used to convert 


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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 161 / Friday, August 20, 2010 / Proposed Rules 51425 

primary energy to FFC energy for 

natural gas and fuel oil used in home 

appliances. Similarly, Table 2 lists the 

preliminary factors to use to convert 

primary energy to FFC energy for 

natural gas, fuel oil, coal, biomass, and 

nuclear energy used for electricity 

generation. The conversion factors 

represent the ratio of estimated FFC 

energy use for each unit of primary 

energy. To provide additional relevant 

energy use information to consumers, 

these conversion factors are further 

broken down into different types of 

energy (i.e., total energy and fossil 

energy; the latter is further broken down 

to petroleum, natural gas, and coal). 

To account for the fact that energy 

production technologies and energy 

feedstocks will change over time and, 

consequently, energy conversion factors 

will change over time, DOE has also 

calculated preliminary estimates for 

FFC energy conversion factors in 2030. 

The year 2030 was chosen because of 

data limitations in GREET simulations 

beyond 2030. As can be seen in Tables 

1 and 2, the energy conversion factors 

are not expected to change dramatically 

over time. The small change in 

conversion factors from 2010 to 2030 

reflects the comparatively slow 

incremental changes in the U.S. energy 

sector expected between now and 2030. 

DOE may, nevertheless, use conversion 

factors that more substantially change 

over time if necessary to reflect evolving 

expectations regarding the rate of 

change in energy production 

technologies and feedstocks. 

DOE proposes to use these (or similar) 

conversion factors in its national 

impacts analysis, which starts with the 

compliance date of the standard under 

development and normally covers a 

period of 30 years, plus the typical 

useful life of the product being 

analyzed. In its national impacts 

analysis, DOE uses product shipment 

projections and information about the 

appliance efficiency base case and the 

new energy conservation standards 

efficiency case to project energy savings 

of new energy conservation standards. 

The methods used are described in the 

Technical Support Documents 

accompanying DOE proposed and final 

energy conservation standards rules. As 

Tables 1 and 2 show, the preliminary 

factors for converting primary energy to 

FFC energy have been estimated for the 

years 2010 and 2030. DOE intends to 

use these or similar estimates, generated 

by the GREET model, as the basis for 

converting all of the primary energy 

estimates contained in national impact 

analyses to their FFC equivalents. For 

those years beyond 2030 (or the end 

year of the most recent GREET model 

estimates), DOE will develop conversion 

factors based on a simple extrapolation 

of prior year estimates. DOE now uses 

this approach to extrapolate estimates 

generated by the NEMS model for the 

next 25 years (current energy trends 

forecasts are through 2035). This is 

because of the data limitation of going 

beyond 2030 in GREET simulations for 

energy technology efficiencies and 

emission factors. 

TABLE 1—PRELIMINARY ENERGY CONVERSION FACTORS FOR FUELS USED

IN HOME APPLIANCES

Conversion factor 

from primary energy 

to FFC energy 

Natural 

gas Fuel oil 

GREET 2010 Preliminary Estimates 

Total Energy ............. 1.073 1.134 

Fossil Fuels .............. 1.072 1.126 

Petroleum .......... 0.004 1.050 

Natural Gas ....... 1.065 0.056 

Coal ................... 0.002 0.020 

GREET 2030 Preliminary Estimates 

Total Energy ............. 1.073 1.147 

Fossil Fuels .............. 1.072 1.138 

Petroleum .......... 0.004 1.050 

Natural gas ........ 1.065 0.068 

Coal ................... 0.002 0.019 

TABLE 2—PRELIMINARY ENERGY CONVERSION FACTORS FOR POWER PLANT FUEL CONSUMPTION

Conversion factor from primary energy to FFC energy Natural 

gas Fuel oil Coal Biomass Uranium 

GREET 2010 Preliminary Estimates 

Total Energy ................................................................................................................. 1.071 1.134 1.021 1.032 1.065 

Fossil Fuels .................................................................................................................. 1.070 1.126 1.019 0.030 0.047 

Petroleum .............................................................................................................. 0.004 1.050 0.013 0.024 0.004 

Natural Gas ........................................................................................................... 1.063 0.056 0.002 0.004 0.017 

Coal ....................................................................................................................... 0.002 0.020 1.004 0.002 0.026 

GREET 2030 Preliminary Estimates 

Total Energy ................................................................................................................. 1.071 1.147 1.021 1.032 1.038 

Fossil Fuels .................................................................................................................. 1.069 1.138 1.019 0.031 0.027 

Petroleum .............................................................................................................. 0.004 1.050 0.013 0.024 0.003 

Natural Gas ........................................................................................................... 1.063 0.068 0.002 0.004 0.011 

Coal ....................................................................................................................... 0.002 0.019 1.003 0.002 0.013 

The hypothetical example in Table 3 

below depicts how DOE estimates of the 

primary energy savings likely to result 

from a specific standard level for a 

particular product might be converted to 

FFC savings in future rulemakings using 

Tables 1 and 2. In this hypothetical 

example, the product analyzed has two 

classes, one using natural gas and the 

other electricity. If DOE adopts the FFC 

approach, DOE will likely provide 

tables similar to Table 3 in future 

Technical Support Documents. The 

energy savings estimates included in 

Federal Register notices are likely to 

remain limited to the total National 

Energy Savings values now reported. 


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TABLE 3—HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE OF HOW ESTIMATES OF PRIMARY ENERGY SAVINGS MIGHT BE CONVERTED TO FFC 

ENERGY SAVINGS IN FUTURE RULEMAKINGS ANALYSES

National 

energy 

savings 

(total) 

Natural gas 

(direct, enduse) 

Electric 

sector 

(total) 

Coal Natural gas Petroleum Nuclear 

energy Biomass 

Estimated Cumulative Primary Energy Saving 

(quads) ......................... 2.952 0.770 2.182 0.908 0.308 0.003 0.179 0.100 

FFC Energy Conversion 

Factors (for year 2030) N/A 1.073 N/A 1.021 1.071 1.147 1.038 1.021 

Estimated Cumulative 

FFC Energy Savings 

(quads) ......................... 3.058 0.826 2.232 0.927 0.330 0.003 0.186 0.102 

The early estimates in Tables 1–2 and 

4–6 are included in this notice for 

demonstrative purposes only. These 

estimates are not necessarily the precise 

conversion factors that will be used in 

any given energy conservation standard 

rulemaking. DOE seeks public comment 

on the proposed methodology for 

converting primary energy use to FFC 

energy use, not on the preliminary 

estimates themselves. 

Methodology for Estimating Full-FuelCycle Emissions 

The GREET model can also be used to 

calculate the GHG emissions associated 

with energy consumption for DOE 

environmental assessments. This can be 

accomplished in two ways. Using the 

conversion factors identified, FFC 

energy use can be converted to FFC 

emissions with emission factors per unit 

of energy. This method would use the 

FFC energy use and emission factors for 

individual fuels/energy products. 

Alternatively, primary energy CO2

emissions can be converted to FFC GHG 

emissions, if the type of primary energy 

is known. The conversion would be 

identical to the conversion of primary 

energy to FFC energy, as described 

previously. 

Although methane (CH4) and nitrous 

oxide (N2O) emissions were not 

specifically addressed in the Academy’s 

report, DOE proposes to include them in 

its energy conservation standards 

environmental assessments to provide a 

more comprehensive assessment of GHG 

emissions. These two gases are included 

in national GHG emission inventories 

worldwide. According to EPA, CH4 and 

N2O are among the principal GHGs that 

enter the atmosphere because of human 

activities, including energy production. 

CH4 is the primary component of 

natural gas; CH4 losses occur at all 

stages of production and distribution of 

natural gas. CH4 gas is also commonly 

found in coal mines and animal farms. 

N2O is released by burning fossil fuels 

and agricultural farming. 

DOE proposes to include CH4 and 

N2O in environmental assessments of 

energy conservation standards because 

the gases have a direct association with 

the production and use of energy and 

have significant global warming 

potential (GWP). Using CH4 and N2O 

GWPs from the Fourth Assessment 

Report of the Intergovernmental Panel 

on Climate Change (IPCC) published in 

2007, the GREET model can also be 

used to calculate CH4 and N2O 

emissions in terms of CO2-equivalent 

(CO2e) FFC emissions. CO2-equivalents 

are used to compare the GWP of GHG 

gases. The CO2e of CH4 and N2O 

emissions can be identified from CH4

and N2O emissions (as in Table 4) and 

their IPCC-determined GWPs. 

Table 4 shows preliminary estimates 

of GHG emissions per unit energy 

consumed using the FFC energy use to 

FFC emissions conversion. For example, 

if an energy conservation standard saves 

2.76 quads of FFC natural gas over the 

normal 30-year analysis period, the 3– 

GHG CO2e emission factor from Table 4 

of 62,957 kg per billion Btu of FFC 

natural gas could be used to calculate 

that the energy conservation standard 

saves 173.8 million metric tons of 3– 

GHG CO2e emissions over the normal 

30-year analysis period (2.76 x 1015

Btu/1000000000 x 62,957 kg/109 Btu/ 

1000). These estimates provide a general 

idea of how these factors are expected 

to change during a 25-year span covered 

by an environmental impact analysis 

completed in 2010. 

Table 5 shows preliminary conversion 

factors from primary energy CO2

emissions to FFC GHG emissions. With 

emissions in Table 4, the conversion 

factors from primary energy CO2

emissions to FFC emissions for CO2, 

CH4, and N2O (collectively, 3–GHG) can 

be developed as presented in Table 5. 

For example, if the NEMS model 

estimates that an energy conservation 

standard for a natural gas water heater 

saves 10 million tons of CO2 emissions 

at the point of natural gas use by the 

water heater, the FFC 3–GHG CO2e 

emissions saved would be 10 million 

tons times 1.17 (as shown in Table 5). 

These estimates provide a general idea 

of how these factors are expected to 

change during a 25-year span covered 

by an environmental impact analysis 

completed in 2010. 

TABLE 4—PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF GHG EMISSIONS PER UNIT ENERGY CONSUMED

Natural gas 

kg/billion 

BTU 

Fuel oil 

kg/billion 

BTU 

Coal 

kg/billion 

BTU 

Biomass 

kg/billion 

BTU 

Uranium 

kg/billion 

BTU 

GREET 2010 Preliminary Unit 

CO2, Fuel Combustion ............................................................................. 53,620 79,548 102,905 97,212 0 

CO2, FFC Total ........................................................................................ 58,469 89,438 104,422 ¥3,993 3,919 

CH4, FFC Total ........................................................................................ 161.733 99.499 120.356 6.557 6.940 

N2O, FFC Total ........................................................................................ 1.492 0.537 1.091 11.940 0.064 

3-GHG CO2e FFC Total .......................................................................... 62,957 92,086 107,756 ¥271 4,112 


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TABLE 4—PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF GHG EMISSIONS PER UNIT ENERGY CONSUMED—Continued 

Natural gas 

kg/billion 

BTU 

Fuel oil 

kg/billion 

BTU 

Coal 

kg/billion 

BTU 

Biomass 

kg/billion 

BTU 

Uranium 

kg/billion 

BTU 

GREET 2030 Preliminary Unit 

CO2, Fuel Combustion ............................................................................. 53,619 79,548 102,904 97,212 0 

CO2, FFC Total ........................................................................................ 58,451 90,255 104,406 ¥3,991 2,185 

CH4, FFC Total ........................................................................................ 161.917 100.583 120.446 6.560 4.389 

N2O, FFC Total ........................................................................................ 1.518 0.562 1.178 11.942 0.055 

3-GHG CO2e FFC Total .......................................................................... 62,952 92,937 107,768 ¥268 2,311 

TABLE 5—PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF GHG EMISSIONS CONVERSION FACTORS

Natural gas Fuel oil Coal Biomass Uranium 

GREET 2010 Preliminary Estimates 

Primary energy CO2 to FFC CO2 ............................................................ 1.09 1.12 1.01 ¥0.04 N/A 

Primary energy CO2 to FFC CH4 ............................................................ 0.00302 0.00125 0.00117 0.00007 N/A 

Primary energy CO2 to FFC N2O ............................................................ 0.00003 0.00001 0.00001 0.00012 N/A 

Primary energy CO2 to 3–GHG FFC CO2e ............................................. 1.17 1.16 1.05 0.00 N/A 

GREET 2030 Preliminary Estimates 

Primary energy CO2 to FFC CO2 ............................................................ 1.09 1.13 1.01 ¥0.04 N/A 

Primary energy CO2 to FFC CH4 ............................................................ 0.00302 0.00126 0.00117 0.00007 N/A 

Primary energy CO2 to FFC N2O ............................................................ 0.00003 0.00001 0.00001 0.00012 N/A 

Primary energy CO2 to 3–GHG FFC CO2e ............................................. 1.17 1.17 1.05 0.00 N/A 

DOE environmental assessments that 

accompany energy conservation 

standards rulemakings also include nonGHG emissions that result from energy 

use. These emissions include mercury 

(Hg), nitrogen oxide (NOX), and sulfur 

dioxide (SOX). NOX and SOX primary 

energy consumption emissions can be 

converted to FFC emissions using the 

energy conversion factors in Tables 1 

and 2 generated from the GREET model 

(to convert primary energy use to FFC 

energy use) and the emission conversion 

factors in Table 6 (to convert energy 

combustion emissions to FFC 

emissions). Again, these emissions were 

not specifically addressed by the 

Academy, but addressing them in 

environmental assessments will give 

DOE a more complete picture of total 

emissions benefits associated with 

energy conservation standards. The 

current GREET model does not attempt 

to estimate the emissions of Hg that 

occur from the point of fossil fuel 

production to the point of use. Such 

emissions are expected to be quite small 

relative to the emissions of Hg 

associated with the combustion of fossil 

fuels and are not expected to be in the 

future expansion of GREET. 

Preliminary estimates of conversion 

factors for NOX and SOx and estimates 

of NOX and SOX emissions per unit 

energy consumed are provided in Table 

6. These estimates provide a general 

idea of how these factors are expected 

to change during a 25-year span covered 

by an environmental impact analysis 

completed in 2010. 

TABLE 6—PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF NOX AND SOX CONVERSION FACTORS

Natural Gas Fuel Oil Coal Biomass Uranium 

GREET 2010 Preliminary Estimates 

NOX fuel combustion to FFC NOX .......................................................... 1.77 1.24 1.14 1.14 N/A 

SOX fuel combustion to FFC SOX .......................................................... N/A 1.03 1.03 1.06 N/A 

Unit ........................................................................................................... kg/billion 

BTU 

kg/billion 

BTU 

kg/billion 

BTU 

kg/billion 

BTU 

kg/billion 

BTU 

NOX, FFC Total ....................................................................................... 50.919 203.309 109.747 119.052 7.509 

SOX, FFC Total ....................................................................................... 11.448 558.361 274.901 30.459 7.795 

GREET 2030 Preliminary Estimates 

NOX fuel combustion to FFC NOX .......................................................... 1.64 1.22 1.12 1.09 N/A 

SOX fuel combustion to FFC SOX .......................................................... N/A 1.03 1.03 1.05 N/A 

Unit ........................................................................................................... kg/billion 

BTU 

kg/billion 

BTU 

kg/billion 

BTU 

kg/billion 

BTU 

kg/billion 

BTU 

NOX, FFC Total ....................................................................................... 47.927 199.443 92.415 111.992 4.673 

SOX, FFC Total ....................................................................................... 11.277 556.691 220.219 30.734 3.270 


jdjones on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
51428 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 161 / Friday, August 20, 2010 / Proposed Rules 

2Available at http://www.ftc.gov/appliancedata. 

3For most products covered under the appliance 

label program, Energy Guide labels display 

estimated annual operating cost as the primary 

disclosure, with energy use or efficiency displayed 

as secondary information. These Energy Guide 

labels also include a range of costs for models of 

similar size and features (e.g., natural gas water 

heaters with first hour ratings between 41 and 47). 

Labels for a few products, such as furnaces and 

central air conditioners, do not provide operating 

cost but, instead, display an efficiency measure and 

display where that efficiency falls in a range of 

efficiencies for similar models. See 16 CFR Part 305. 

DOE proposes to use these emission 

conversion factors in conjunction with 

NEMS to conduct environmental 

assessments for energy conservation 

standards rulemakings. The 

environmental assessment estimates 

changes in emissions from GHGs and 

other pollutants that would result from 

the implementation of a new energy 

conservation standard. The NEMS 

model uses information on fossil fuel 

energy consumption and fuel-specific 

emissions factors to estimate CO2

emissions, which are projected over 

approximately a 25-year time horizon 

(currently 2035, as determined by EIA). 

NEMS model energy projections can 

be used along with the emissions factors 

from the GREET model to determine the 

current and projected emissions for CO2, 

and CH4 and N2O in CO2-equivalents. If 

DOE adopts this approach, it will likely 

provide tables in future Technical 

Support Documents that indicate how 

primary energy savings and/or emission 

reduction values generated by the 

NEMS model are then converted to 

estimates of FFC energy savings and/or 

emission reductions using conversion 

factors similar to those reported in 

Tables 4–6. The FFC emission reduction 

estimates included in standards 

rulemaking documents are likely to 

remain limited to the total cumulative 

emission reduction values now reported 

for each candidate standard level. 

DOE proposes to use the energy 

savings and/or emission reductions 

generated by the NEMS model and the 

emissions factors produced by the 

GREET model to project emissions for 

CO2, CH4, N2O, NOX, and SOX for 

environmental assessments. DOE seeks 

public comment on the proposed 

methodology for determining FFC GHG 

and other emissions. 

Policy for Disseminating Information to 

Consumers 

The Academy has recommended that 

DOE work with the FTC to provide 

consumers with information about FFC 

energy use and emissions of individual 

appliances so that the public can make 

more informed purchasing decisions. In 

particular, the Academy recommended 

that ‘‘DOE/EERE (the Office of Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy) and 

the Federal Trade Commission should 

initiate a project to consider the merits 

of adding to the Energy Guide label an 

indicator of how an appliance’s total 

energy consumption might affect levels 

of greenhouse gas emissions. Such a 

project would include development of 

specific data on greenhouse gas 

emissions associated with the 

appliance’s operation, formulation of 

pertinent information for addition to the 

appliance’s energy efficiency label, and 

research with a sample of consumers to 

test various options for encouraging 

consumers’ understanding and use of 

information on FFC energy 

consumption and its impacts.’’ 

The FTC maintains online databases 

of the site energy use and efficiency 

ratings of appliances currently on the 

market.2 These databases do not, 

however, include FFC energy use or any 

energy cost or emissions-related data. 

While it is possible to compare the site 

energy use and efficiency ratings of 

different products using these databases, 

such comparisons are often difficult, 

especially if they involve products that 

have different features. Furthermore, 

comparing products that use different 

fuels is not feasible because there are no 

comparable measures of energy use or 

efficiency for products that use different 

fuels. 

DOE proposes to significantly 

improve upon the FTC’s existing on-line 

databases by making FFC energy use 

and emissions data (and possibly annual 

energy costs data) available to the 

public. The improved databases could 

provide tools to enable users to easily 

compare a product’s energy use, 

emissions, and costs to similar products, 

including products that are in different 

classes, have different features or use 

different fuels. Additional energy, 

emissions, and cost data could be 

included by updating FTC’s online 

database with the emissions factors 

developed with the GREET model and 

the average energy prices reported by 

manufacturers on appliance Energy 

Guide labels. DOE is soliciting public 

comment on whether this proposed 

online service would likely benefit 

consumers and, if so, the most effective 

way to present this information. 

The Academy also recommended 

consideration of ‘‘the merits of adding to 

the Energy Guide label an indicator of 

how an appliance’s total energy 

consumption might affect levels of 

greenhouse gas emissions.’’ It is unclear, 

however, whether such additional label 

disclosures would be valuable to 

customers unless they could easily 

compare the GHG emissions associated 

with one product to other comparable 

products or other common energy uses. 

Because the GHG emissions associated 

with a particular class of products 

would be directly proportional to that 

class of products’ estimated annual 

energy costs, simply comparing an 

individual product to products of the 

same class would add little useful 

information to the label. In addition, 

providing comparisons to the energy 

use, costs or emissions associated with 

other comparable products of different 

classes on the Energy Guide label may 

increase the complexity of the label, 

making the label more difficult to 

understand and decreasing the utility of 

the basic annual operating cost 

information already on the label.3

Nevertheless, DOE seeks comments on 

whether it should provide this type of 

information on Energy Guide labels and 

on the issues associated with 

disseminating this type of information 

to consumers via such label or by other 

means. 

Public Participation 

DOE considers public participation to 

be a very important part of the process 

for developing this policy document. 

DOE actively encourages the 

participation and interaction of the 

public during the comment period. 

The public meeting will be conducted 

in an informal, facilitated conference 

style. There will be no discussion of 

proprietary information, costs or prices, 

market shares, or other commercial 

matters regulated by U.S. antitrust laws. 

Public meeting participants need not 

limit their comments to the issues 

identified. DOE is also interested in 

comments on other relevant issues. DOE 

invites all interested parties, whether or 

not they participate in the public 

meeting, to submit in writing by October 

19, 2010, comments and information on 

matters addressed in this notice. 

Anyone who wishes to participate in 

the public meeting, receive meeting 

materials, or be added to the DOE 

mailing list to receive future notices and 

information about this policy document 

should contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at 

(202) 586–2945, or via e-mail at 

Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on August 12, 

2010. 

Cathy Zoi, 

Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2010–20563 Filed 8–19–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 


jdjones on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with PROPOSALS-1