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### Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts Public Meeting to Discuss the Preliminary Analyses in the Energy Conservation Standard Rulemaking

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is holding a public meeting that will first cover the test procedure notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) for fluorescent lamp ballasts and then the energy conservation standards rulemaking for the same products. This public meeting gives DOE an opportunity to discuss and receive comments on: (1) the product classes that DOE analyzed for purposes of amending energy conservation standards for certain fluorescent lamp ballasts; (2) the analytical framework, models, and tools that DOE is using to evaluate standards for these products; (3) the results of preliminary analyses performed by DOE for these products; and (4) the potential energy conservation standard levels derived from these analyses that DOE could consider for these products. DOE is publishing this notice of public meeting to announce the availability of the pr eliminary technical support document which details the preliminary analyses, discusses the comments on the framework document, and summarizes the preliminary result s. In addition, it announces a public meetin g to solicit feedback EERE Information Center Programs and Offices

DATE: April 26, 2010 TIME: 9:00 a.m. ET LOCATION: U.S. Department of Energy Forrestal Building Room 8E-089 1000 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20585 Pa g e 1 of 3 A pp liances and Commercial E q ui p ment Standards: Fluorescent Lam p Ballasts Public Me...

3/23/2010 htt p ://www1.eere.ener gy . g ov/buildin g s/a pp liance

_ standards/residential/fluorescent

_ lam p_ ...from interested parties on the analytical framework, models, and preliminary results. The following documents are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Download Adobe Reader

. Meeting Materials

z Energy Conservation Standards for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts: Notice of Public Meeting and Availability of the Preliminary Technical Support Document, as issued by the Department of Energy ( PDF 147 KB ) NOTE: The official version of the NOPM will be published in the Federal Register shortly.

z Presentation (available after meeting)

z Agenda (available after meeting)

z Transcript (available after meeting) A transcript will also be available for public inspection in the Bu ilding Technologies Program Reading Room, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. To schedule an appointment or to purchase this transcript, contact: Brenda Edwards U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Program 950 L'Enfant Plaza, 6th Floor Washington, DC 20024 202-586-2945 How to Submit Comments All comments submitted to DOE must identify the rulemaking to which it corresponds. All comments submitted must identify the docket number and regulatory identifier number (RIN).

z Docket Number EERE-2007-BT-STD0016 and RIN 1904–AB50

. Comments may be submitted using any of the following methods:

z Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov/
Follow the instructio ns for submitting comments. Pa g e 2 of 3 A pp liances and Commercial E q ui p ment Standards: Fluorescent Lam p Ballasts Public Me...

3/23/2010 htt p ://www1.eere.ener gy . g ov/buildin g s/a pp liance

_ standards/residential/fluorescent

_ lam p_ ...Building Technologies Program Home | EERE Home | U.S. Department of Energy Webmaster | Web Site Policies | Security & Privacy | USA.gov Content Last Updated: 03/19/2010 z Email: ballasts.rulemaking@ee.doe.gov
Include docket number EERE-2007- BT-STD-0016 and/or RIN 1904-AB50 in the subject line of the message.

z Postal Mail: Brenda Edwards U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Program Mailstop EE-2J 1000 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20585 Please include one signed paper original.

z Hand Delivery/Courier: Brenda Edwards U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Program, Sixth Floor 950 L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, DC 20024 202-586-2945 Please include one signed paper original. Contact Information Linda Graves Project Manager 202-586-1851

Printable Version Pa g e 3 of 3 A pp liances and Commercial E q ui p ment Standards: Fluorescent Lam p Ballasts Public Me...

3/23/2010 htt p ://www1.eere.ener gy . g ov/buildin g s/a pp liance

_ standards/residential/fluorescent

_ lam p_ ...[6450-01-P]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430 (Docket No. EERE-2007-BT-STD-0016)
RIN: 1904-AB50

Energy Conservation Standards for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts: Public Meeting and Availability of the Preliminar y Technical Support Document

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and availability of preliminary technical support document.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) w ill hold a public meeting to discuss and receive comments on: the product classes that DO E plans to analyze for purposes of establishing energy conservation standards for fluorescent lamp ballasts; the an alytical framework, models, and tools that DOE is using to evaluate standard s for these products; the results of preliminary analyses DOE performed for these products; and potential energy conservation standard levels derived from these analyses that DOE could consider for these products. DOE encourages written comments on these subjects. To inform inte rested parties and facilitate this process, DOE has prepared an agenda, a preliminary technical support document (TSD), a nd briefing materials, which are available at

1http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/resi dential/fluores cent_lamp_ballast s.html.

DATES: DOE will hold a public meeting on Monday, April 26, 2010, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in Washington, DC. The agenda for the public meeting will first cover the concurrent test procedure rulemaking for fluorescent lamp ba llasts (see proposal in today’s Federal Register ), and then this energy conservation standards ru lemaking for the same products. Any person reques ting to speak at the public meeting should submit such a re quest, along with an el ectronic copy of the statement to be given at the public meeti ng, before 4:00 p.m., Monday, April 12, 2010. Written comments are welcome, especially following the public meeting, and should be submitted by [INSERT DATE, 45 DAYS AFTER PU BLICATION OF THIS NOTICE]

.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 8E-089, 1000 Independence Av enue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Please note that foreign nationa ls participating in the public meeting are subject to advance security screening procedures. If a foreign national wishes to pa rticipate in the public meeting, please inform DOE of this fact as soon as po ssible by contacting Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945 so that the necessary procedures can be completed. Interested persons may submit comments, identified by docket number EER E-2007-BT-STD-0016, by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal : http://www.regulations.gov Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

2• E-mail : ballasts.rulemaking@ee.doe.gov . Include EERE-2007-BT-S TD-0016 and/or RIN 1904-AB50 in the subject line of the message.

• Postal Mail : Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Depart ment of Energy, Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, Public Meeting for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts, EERE-2007- BT-STD-0016, 1000 Independence Avenue , SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone (202) 586-2945. Please subm it one signed paper original.

• Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, Sixth Floor, 950 L’Enfant Plaza, SW ., Washington, DC 20024. Telephone (202) 586-2945. Please subm it one signed paper original.

Instructions : All submissions received must incl ude the agency name and docket number.

Docket : For access to the docket to read b ackground documents or a copy of the transcript of the public meeting or comments r eceived, go to the U.S. Department of Energy, Sixth Floor, 950 L’Enfant Plaza, SW., Washi ngton, DC 20024, (202) 586-2945, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excep t Federal holidays. Please call Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945 for additional inform ation regarding visiting the Resource Room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional information to Ms. Linda Graves, U.S. Department of Ener gy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies, EE-2J, 1000 Inde pendence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-8654. E-mail: Linda.Graves@ee.doe.gov . In the Office of General Counsel, contact Ms. Francine Pi nto or Ms. Elizabeth Kohl, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General Counsel, GC-71, 1000 Independenc e Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202)

3586-7432. E-mail: Francine.Pinto@hq.doe.gov ; Elizabeth.Kohl@hq.doe.gov

.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Statutory Authority II. History of Standards Rulemaki ng for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts A. Background B. Current Rulemaking Process III. Summary of the Analyses A. Engineering Analysis B. Energy Use Characterization C. Markups to Determine Installed Price D. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period Analyses E. National Impact Analysis

I. Statutory Authority
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) of 1975, Pub. L. 94–163 (42 U.S.C. 6291–6309), established an energy conserva tion program for major household appliances. Amendments to EPCA in the National Appliance Energy Conservation Amendments of 1988 (NAECA 1988), Pub. L. 100–357, established ener gy conservation standards for fluorescent lamp ballasts. These amendments also required that DOE (1) conduct two rulemaking cycles to determine whether these standards should be amended; and (2) for each rulemaking cycle, determine whether the standards in effect for fl uorescent lamp ballasts should be amended to apply to additional fluorescent lamp ballasts. (42 U.S.C. 6295(g)(7)(A)–(B)). On September 19, 2000, DOE published a final rule in the Federal Register, which completed the first rulemaking cycle to amend energy conservation standard s for fluorescent lamp ballasts. 65 FR 56740, 56740-56749 (September 19, 2000). This rulemaking encompasses DOE’s second cycle of

4review to determine whether the standards in effect for fluorescent lamp ballasts should be amended and whether the standards should be appli cable to additional fluorescent lamp ballasts.

DOE must design each standard for th ese products to (1) achieve the maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is technol ogically feasible and economically justified, and (2) result in significan t conservation of energy. (42 U.S. C. 6295(o)(2)(A) and (o)(3)) To determine whether a proposed standard is econo mically justified, DOE must determine whether the benefits of the standard exceed its burdens to the greatest extent practicable, weighing the following seven factors:

1. the economic impact of the standard on manuf acturers and consumers of products subject to the standard;
2. the savings in operating costs throughout th e estimated average life of the covered products in the type (or class) compared to a ny increase in the price, initial charges, or maintenance expenses for the covered products which are likely to result from the imposition of the standard;
3. the total projected amount of energy savings likely to result directly from the imposition of the standard;
4. any lessening of the utility or the performan ce of the covered produc ts likely to result from the imposition of the standard;
5. the impact of any lessening of competition, as determined in writing by the Attorney General, that is likely to result from the imposition of the standard;
6. the need for national energy conservation; and

57. other factors the Secretary [of Energy] considers relevant. (42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i))

Before proposing a standard, DOE typically seeks public input on the analytical framework, models, and tools that will be used to evalua te standards; the results of preliminary analyses; and potential energy conservation standard levels derived from these analyses. DOE is publishing this document to announce the availab ility of the prelimin ary technical support document (TSD), which details the preliminar y analyses, discusses the comments on the framework document, and summarizes the prelimin ary results. In addition, DOE is announcing a public meeting to solicit feedback from interested parties on its analytical framework, models, and preliminary results.

II. History of Standards Rulemaking for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts

A. Background As mentioned above, NAECA 1988 amended EPCA to establish energy conservation standards for fluorescent lamp ballasts and requi re that DOE (1) conduct two rulemaking cycles to determine whether these standards should be amended; and (2) for each rulemaking cycle, determine whether the standards in effect for fluo rescent lamp ballasts should be amended so that they would be applicable to additional fluores cent lamp ballasts. (42 U.S.C. 6295(g)(7)(A)-(B)) On September 19, 2000, DOE published a final rule in the Federal Register , which completed the first of the two rulemaking cycles to eval uate and amend the energy conservation standards for fluorescent lamp ballasts (hereafter “t he 2000 Ballast Rule”). 65 FR 56740 (September 19, 2000). This rulemaking established a consensus st andard representing an agreement between the

6fluorescent lamp ballast industry and energy effi ciency advocacy organizations. A table of the standards DOE codified can be found in appendi x 3A of the preliminary TSD and in 10 CFR 430.32(m)(3).

Congress promulgated new energy conservati on standards for certain fluorescent lamp ballasts under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005), Pub. L. 109-58. (EPACT section 135(c)(2); codified at 42 U.S.C. 6295(g)(8)(A)) On October 18, 2005, DOE published a final rule in the Federal Register codifying those new fluorescent lamp ballast standards into the Code of Federal Regulations at 10 CFR 430.32(m). 70 FR 60407. These standards established ballast efficacy requirements for “energy saver” versions of full-wattage ballasts, such as the F34T12 ballast.

On December 19, 2007, the President signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007; Pub. L. 110-140). EISA 2007 did not amend standards for fluorescent lamp ballasts, but instead directed DOE to amend its test procedure for fluorescent lamp ballasts to incorporate a measure of standby mode and off mode energy consumption. (42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(2)) DOE published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) for the standby and off mode test procedure on January 21, 2009. 74 FR 3450. In addition, DOE is directed to incorporate standby mode and off mode energy use in any amended (or new) standard adopted after July 1, 2010. (42 USC 6295(gg)(3)) Becau se this energy conservation standards rulemaking for fluorescent lamp ballasts wi ll be completed in 2011, the requirement to incorporate standby mode energy use into the energy conservation standards analysis is applicable.

7This rulemaking encompasses DOE’s second cy cle of review to determine whether the standards in effect for fluorescent lamp ballast s should be amended and whether the standards should be made applicable to additional fluor escent lamp ballasts. This rulemaking also addresses 42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(3), in which DOE is directed to incorporate standby mode and off mode energy use in any amended (or ne w) standard adopted after July 1, 2010.

Under the consolidat ed Consent Decree in New York v. Bodman , No. 05 Civ. 7807 (S.D.N.Y. filed Sept. 7, 2005) and Natural Resources Defense Council v. Bodman , No. 05 Civ. 7808 (S.D.N.Y. filed Sept. 7, 2005) the U.S. Departme nt of Energy is required to publish a final rule amending energy conservation standards for fl uorescent lamp ballasts no later than June 30,
2011.

B. Current Rulemaking Process
On January 22, 2008, DOE published a notic e announcing the availability of the framework document, “Energy Conservation St andards Rulemaking Framework Document for Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts,” and a public meeting to discuss the proposed analytical framework for the rulemaking. 73 FR 3653. DOE also poste d the framework document on its website describing the procedural and an alytical approaches DOE anticip ated using to evaluate the establishment of energy conserva tion standards for fluorescent lamp ballasts. This document is available at http://www1.eere.energy .gov/buildings/appliance_standards/residential/pdfs/ballast_framework_ 011408.pdf

.

8DOE held a public meeting on February 6, 2008, to describe the various rulemaking analyses DOE would conduct, such as the engine ering analysis, the life-cycle cost (LCC) and payback period (PBP) analyses, and the national impact analysis (NIA); the methods for conducting them; and the relationship among th e various analyses. Manufacturers, trade associations, and environmental advocates atte nded the meeting. The pa rticipants discussed multiple issues, including the scope of covere d fluorescent lamp ballasts, definitions, test procedures, the ballast efficiency metric, DOE’s e ngineering analysis, life-cycle costs, efficiency levels, and energy savings.

Comments received since publication of the framework document have helped DOE identify and resolve issues involved in the pre liminary analyses. Chapter 2 of the preliminary TSD summarizes and addresses the comments DOE received.

III. Summary of the Analyses
DOE conducted in-depth technical analyses in the following areas for the fluorescent lamp ballasts currently under cons ideration: (1) engineering, (2) energy-use characterization, (3) markups to determine product price, (4) LCC and PBP, and (5) national impact. The preliminary TSD presents the methodology and results of each an alysis. The analyses are described in more detail below.

9DOE conducted several other an alyses that either support the five major analyses or are preliminary analyses that will be expanded in the NOPR. These include the market and technology assessment; the screening analysis, which contributes to the engineering analysis; and the shipments analysis, which contributes to th e NIA. DOE has begun some preliminary work on the manufacturer impact analysis and identified the methods to be used for the LCC subgroup analysis, the environmental assessment, the employ ment analysis, the regulatory impact analysis, and the utility impact analysis. DOE will expand on these in the NOPR.

A. Engineering Analysis The engineering analysis establishes the re lationship between the manufacturer selling price and the efficiency of the product. This relationship serves as the basis for cost-benefit calculations for individual cons umers, manufacturers, and the nation. The engineering analysis identifies representative baseline models, whic h is the starting point fo r analyzing technologies that provide energy efficiency improvements. A baseline model refers to a model or models having features and technologies typically found in products cu rrently offered for sale. The baseline model in each equipment class represents the characteristics of certain fluorescent lamp ballasts in that class a nd, for ballasts already subject to ener gy conservation standards, usually is a model that just meets the current standard. Chapter 5 of the preliminary TSD discusses the engineering analysis.

B. Energy Use Characterization The energy use characterization provides es timates of annual energy consumption for fluorescent lamp ballasts, which DOE uses in the LCC and PBP analyses and the NIA. DOE

10developed energy consumption estimates for a ll of the product classes analyzed in the engineering analysis as the basis for its energy use estimates. Chap ters 2 and 6 of the preliminary TSD provide detail on the energy use characterization.

C. Markups to Determine Installed Price DOE derives the installed prices for products based on manufacturer markups, retailer markups, distributor markups, contractor markups, builder markups, and sale s taxes. In deriving these markups, DOE has determined the distri bution channels for product sales, the markup associated with each party in the distributi on channels, and the exis tence and magnitude of differences between markups for baseline produ cts (baseline markups) and for more-efficient products (incremental markups). DOE calculates both overall baseline and overall incremental markups based on the product markups at each st ep in the distribution channel. The overall incremental markup relates the change in the manufacturer sales price of higher-efficiency models (the incremental cost incr ease) to the change in the retail er or distributor sales price. Chapters 2 and 7 of the preliminary TSD pr ovide detail on the estimation of markups.

D. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period Analyses The LCC and PBP analyses determine the ec onomic impact of pot ential standards on individual consumers. The LCC is the total c onsumer expense for a product over the life of the product. The LCC analysis compares the LCCs of products designed to meet possible energy conservation standards with the LCCs of the produc ts likely to be instal led in the absence of standards. DOE determines LCCs by considering (1 ) total installed cost to the purchaser (which

11consists of manufacturer selling price, sales taxes, distribution chain markups, and installation cost); (2) the operating expenses of the produc ts (energy use and maintenance); (3) product lifetime; and (4) a discount rate that reflects th e real consumer cost of capital and puts the LCC in present-value terms. The PBP represents the nu mber of years needed to recover the increase in purchase price (including insta llation cost) of more efficient products through savings in the operating cost of the product. PBP is equal to the change in total installed cost due to increased efficiency divided by the change in annual operating cost from increased efficiency. Chapters 2 and 8 of the preliminary TSD provide detail on the LCC and PBP analyses.

E. National Impact Analysis The NIA estimates the NES and the NPV of total consumer costs and savings expected to result from new standards at specif ic efficiency levels (referred to as candidate standard levels). DOE calculated NES and NPV for each level for each candidate standard for fluorescent lamp ballasts as the difference between a base-cas e forecast (without new standards) and the standards-case forecast (with standards). DOE determined national annual energy consumption by multiplying the number of units in use (by vi ntage) by the average unit energy consumption (also by vintage). Cumulative energy savings ar e the sum of the annual NES determined over a specified time period. The national NPV is the su m over time of the discounted net savings each year, which consists of the diffe rence between total opera ting cost savings a nd increases in total installed costs. Critical inputs to this analysis include shipments projections, retirement rates (based on estimated product lifetimes), and esti mates of changes in shipments and retirement rates in response to changes in product costs due to standard s. Chapters 2 and 10 of the preliminary TSD provide detail on the NIA.

12DOE consulted with interested parties on all of the analyses and invites further input on these topics. The preliminary analytical results ar e subject to revision foll owing review and input from the public. A revised TSD will be made ava ilable upon issuance of a NOPR. The final rule will contain the final analysis results and be accompanied by a final rule TSD.

DOE encourages those who wish to partic ipate in the public m eeting to obtain the preliminary TSD and be prepared to discuss its contents. However, public meeting participants need not limit their comments to the topics id entified in the preliminary TSD. DOE is also interested in receiving informati on on other relevant issues that pa rticipants believe would affect energy conservation standards fo r these products or that DOE should address in the NOPR.

DOE welcomes all interested parties, regardle ss of whether they part icipate in the public meeting, to submit comments and information in writing by [INSERT DATE 45 DAYS
AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

The public meeting will be conducted in an informal, conference style. A court reporter will be present to record the minutes of the m eeting. There shall be no discussion of proprietary information, costs or prices, market shares, or other commercial matters regulated by United States antitrust laws.

1314 After considering all comments and additional information it receives from interested parties or through further analyses, DOE will prepare and publish in the Federal Register a NOPR. The NOPR will include proposed energy c onservation standards for the products covered by the rulemaking. Members of the public will have an opportunity to submit written and oral comments on the proposed standards.

Issued in Washington, DC, on February 22, 2010.

_________________________________ Cathy Zoi Assistant Secretary Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy