EE-RM-93-501 COMMENT 114

Friday . January 20, 1995 

Part VIII 

Department o

E·nergy 

Office. of Energy Efficienc

Renewable Energy 

10 CFR Part 430 

Energy Conservation Prog

Consumer Products: Test 

Furnaces/Boilers, V~nted 

Equipment, and Pool Hea

Ru~ 
 EE-RM-93-501 COMMENT 114

4348 Federal Register I Vol. 60, No. 13 I Friday, January 20, 1995 I Proposed Rules 

OEPARTMEN"F OF ENERGYOffice of Energy Efficiency and' 

Renewable Energy 

10 CFR Part 430 

[Docket No, EE-RM-93-501} 

Energy Conservation Program for 

Consumer Products: Test Procedures 

for FurnaceS/Boilers, Vented Home 

Heating Equipment, and Pool Heaters 

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy. Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of 

comment period. 

SUMMARY: On Monday. August 23, 1993, 

the Department of Energy (DOE or Department) published a proposed rule 

amending furnace and boiler, vented 

home heating equipment. and pool 

heater test procedures (58 FR 44538). 

Among the various proposed technical 

changes and revisions, that notice 

proposed a revision to the existing 

Energy Factor and proposed a new 

energy efficiency descriptor, Annual 

Efficiency. A multiplication factor (Ffactor). which represented the ratio of 

the energy consumed at the powec plant 

to generate the auxiliary electric energy 

delivered to the fossil-fueled appliance 

to the useful heat equivalent of that . 

electrical energy delivered-at the 

appliance. was applied to the auxiliary 

energy in the calculation of the 

proposed Energy Factor and Annual 

Efficiency. Today's notice announces a 

reopening of the comment period to 

seek comment on an alternative 

definition of the F-faetor b8sed on the 

ratio of the national average cost of the 

auxiliary electrical energy to the . 

national average cost of the fossil fuel 

energy on a common unit energy basis. 

DOE is soliciting comments, data, and 

information respecting this alternative 

energy cost factor. 

DATES: Written comments in response t& 

this document must be ieceived by 

February 21. 1995. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments and 

statements shall be submitted to: U.S. 

Department of Energy, Office of Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, "Test 

ProceduntS for Furnaces/Boilers, Vented 

Home Heating Equipment, and Pool 

Heaters," (Docket No. EE-RM-93-501), 

Mail Stop EE-43,Room 5E-066, 

Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence 

Avenue. SW., Washington, DC 20585, 

(202) 586-7574. 

CQpies of the transcript of the public 

hearing and the comments received may 

be read and/or photocopied at the DOE 

Fr.oodom of Information Reading Room, 

U.S. Department of Energy. Forrestal 

Building. Room 1E-190. 100q 

Independence Avenue, SW .• 

Washington, DC 20585, (202l 586-6020, 

between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m~. 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays .. The Department proposed to 

incorporate by reference in the Vmal 

Rule the following standards: 

1. American National Standards 

Institute/American Society of Heating. 

Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning 

Engineers Standard 103-1993. 

2. American National Standards 

Institute Standard Z21.56-1990. . Copies of these standards may be 

viewed at the Department of Energy 

Freedom of Information Reading Room 

at the address stated aOove. Copy of the 

American National Standards Institutel 

American Society of Heating. 

Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning 

Engineers Standards 103. may be 

obtained from the American Society of 

Heating, Refrigerating, and AirConditioning Engineers, 1791 Tullie 

Circle, Atlanta, Georgia 30329. A copy 

of the American National Standard 

Institute Standard Z21.56 may be, 

obtained from American National 

Standards Institute, 11 West 42nd 

Street. New York, New York 10036. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cyrus H. Nasseri, U.S. Department of 

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency . and Renewable Energy, Mail Station. 

EE-431, 1000 Independence Avenue. 

SW., Washington. DC 20585. (202) 

586-9138.FAJ{(202) 586-4617. 

Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department 

of Energy. Office of General Counsel. . Mail Station, GC-72, 1000 . 

Independen€:e Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-

95Q7. 

SUPPlEMENTARY INFORMATION!' 

LlntroductiOl1 

11. Discussion of Comments 

m. Discussion oflssues for Further Comment 

I. Introduction 

On August Z3, 1993, DOE puh~ 

in the Federal Jlegister a Notice of 

Proposed Rulemaking and public 

hearing for furnaceslboilers, vented. 

home heating equipment, and pool 

heaters (hereafter referred. to as the 1993-

Proposed Rule) to amend the furnace.. 

vented home heating equipment and 

pool heater test procedures (58 FR 

445311). A public hearing was held in 

Washington, DC on January 5. 1994.· 

Among the various proposed technical 

changes and revisions, a revision to the. 

existing Energy Factor and a new energy 

efficiency descriptor, named Annual 

Efficiency, were proposed. An intent of 

these proposed descriptors was to 

account for the electrical consumption 

of a furnace in its efficiency rating, To 

accomplish this; a multiplication factor 

(F-factor), which represented the ratio of 

the energy consumed.atthe power plant 

to generate the auxiliary electric energy 

consumed by the fossil fueled appliance 

to that auxiliary electrical energy, was 

applied to the auxiliary energy in the 

calculation of the proposed Energy 

Factor and Annual Efficiency. 

The current DOE test procedure 

includes for information the 

computation of the annual fossil fuel 

.and auxiliary electrical energy 

consumptions of fossil-fueled furnaces 

and boilers and an Energy Factor which 

includes both the fossil fuel and the 

auxiliary electrical energy consumption 

of the appliances. The Energy Factor is 

defined as the ratio of the annual output 

of energy delivered to the heated space 

by fossil-fueled appliances to the total 

annual energy input to the appliances 

ihcluding auxiliary electrical energy. , DOE proposed in the 1993 Proposed 

Rule the definition of Energy Factor as 

defined in ANSI/ ASHRAE Standard 

103-1988. with the provision that nonweatherized warm air furnaces are located indoors and all combustion and 

ventilation air is admitted through grills 

and ducts from the outdoors and does 

not communicate with air in the 

conditioned space [Isolated Combustion 

Systems (ICS)]. In addition. for those , appliances such as mobile home 

furnaces and vented home heating 

equipment that are primarily installed 

indoors. DOE proposed a new 

descriptor. Annual Efficiency. The new 

annual efficiency descriptor was 

identical in form to the Energy. Factor 

but for non-weatherized furnaces. For 

boilers and for weatherized warm air 

furnaces, Annual Efficiency and Energy 

Factor would be identical. 

For fossil-fueled furnaces and boilers, 

the proposal defined "Energy Factor" as 

a term that gives credit for the electrical 

energy recovered as usable heat, such as . 

from a blower motor that is in the 

.circulating-air stream. In. addition, .an Ffactor, representing the ratio of the 

energy consumed at the power plant to 

generate the auxiliary electric energy 

. delivered to the fossil-fueled appliance 

to that auxiliary electrical energy, was 

applied to the auxiliary energy in the 

calculation of the proposed Energy 

Factor and Annual Efficiency. A typical 

value of 3.0 for the F-factor is presented 

as one used in California. 

IL Discussion of Comments 

This notice addresses comments 

received on the proposed Energy Factor 

and Annual Efficiency descriptors and~ 
 EE-RM-93-501 COMMENT 114

Fedeul Kegisle'l /VoL 60. No. 13 I Friday. JaJ»taI':J.. 23 .. l'!95L Proposed Rules. 4349 

in particular. ili.e multiplication fac1.oJ! F.. and Gas;Co.(PSE&Qexpressed the. . which was applied to th.a.auxiliary same concem.s asthlil.~Gas 

electrical coIlSumptiOn. This factor: was Associatiem.ontke F-fador 

defined in the 1993 Proposed Rule as (MinDegasco._No. 1.8 .. 81 3; andPSE&G •. 

the ratio of the energy consumed. at the- TestimoD}L. at H12.andl'lio. 9"at 3). The . pOwer plant to genm:ate the. auxiliary --PSE&G further stated that if DOE .adopts 

electric energy delW.ered'to the fossil- a StlUf{;e-ln-sne basedF..fact.or.. thefuctor 

fuelled appliance 10 ilie w;eful heat . should be regj9nally and..SIolaSQP&lI~. 

equivalent of that eJectri.ca1 energy . appued.beGause ohegi.onalaRd 

delivered at the appliance. seasonal differences ia eJe£tri&~ 

Manv comments were received on tite· generation. and demamt side' 

pro~ formwaOOn of ~ management. programs: 'I'h& PSEa-G 

descriptors tocapture-ektctrical . fuJther suggested that the eDef8.Y 

consumpti1Huf fumaeeslboilezs,~' descriptor be'defined to·indude air 

home heating eqnipmeDt, ltlldpool emissions and solidwaste·produeed 

heaters. In general, tbe comments (PSE&G, Testimony, at 1D2, and,No, 9. 

received were supportive·of the goals of at,3).· . 

the proposed aman.dmems. Edison Electric Institute supported 

Twenty-one commenters.offmed· adoption of the proposed energy 

comments on tlreenergyefficienc.y descriptors Energy Factor and Annu.al 

descriptor issuesemph.asWng theF-_ Efficiency. hut with-out.tBe F-fac1or 

factor. Midwest Gas of the Midwest. (equivalent to setting F::.1J. EWson 

Power Systems Inc. of Iow.asupponed Electriclnstitute betiel!8d that site 

fully the energy factor -descriptor aad enjlrgy rather thaD: sou.rce·ene:rgy should 

the annu.1 efflCieru::y desc;;riptul: be used in the calculation fw: Energy 

(Midwest Gas, No. 1. at2.). Columbia Factor and Annual.~y bec:ause 

Gas Distribution Companies of '(~l the appli.an.ce $1aDda.rd is:to.,benefit 

Columbus, Ohio. Ok.lahElIlIoILNatural GaSc theconsum.er who makes. his Of. her 

Co., Texas Gas Transmission Corp., City decisions on energy usage based on site. 

Gas Company of Florida.. Southern energy and has DO control over ths 

California Gas Co., Southern Union Gas electrical power plaRt; (2.)thareisDO 

ofTaxas. Lone Star Gas Co .. ,andTex.as technical justification fOl: using source 

and Brooldyn Union. Gas erN. Y .. all rather than. site energy; (3~,an' 

expressed support for the con.cept afthe unnecessary precedeat ~ltLbtNllllated 

energy factor and the annual efficiency for ather applia:nce standards that are 

descriptors: however, they suggested currently defined usiDgsite energy; W 

that the source- basedF-factor should be . given that electJ:icity GaD be generated 

applied to aU covered aw1iences. from renewable energy (wind. solar. 

regardless of their llrimary energy hy dro). tne F -factor could mstgrt the 

. source. They oonsideredit unfair to actual amount of eDfltH), Deftded for 

apply the F-factor to f0S8i~ illactricity generation. aad c:oulduw 

furnaces and boilers but not to aU- the tendency tofaVOl fwlsil.1i~elec.l 

electric appliances (Columbia Gas, No; equipment oVfi&lec1r~;ef4Uipm~and 

3. at 1; Oklahoma Natural'Gas, No. 4,.&t (51giventhat electricity is generated 

1; Texas Gas., No. 5; at 3; City Gas, NO>! using different fuels.awl at difierQD.t 

6. at 1; Southern CalifomiaGas, NQ. 24;, rates. of conv:emi.oJi &QDlheatto 

at 1; Southern Union. Gas, No. 26~8t l;elec1ticity, m~luding nuclear and 

Lone Star,.No.ll,at 2; udBrooklyn. ,hydroelectric. & single F-factor. wowdbe 

Union, No. 19, at 1). . misleading (EdiSWl. bi.o.2D.a1. 2}. 

American Gas Association (A~ and Lennox Industrles.supponed the 

Hydronics Institute (HI] stat.ed that they inclusion of electtical en.eI'EY iD.the 

have long supported a full....qcIa proposed energydescriptols hut 

approach to energy decisions but are objected.that limiWlg-t.b.eapplli;ation.of. 

disappointed in that the Rroposed theF-factor on e.Iectric ene.rgy usage 

energy descripJors apply the F-factor . only to fussil,fueled fumaces..and 

only to the auxiliary tlledricenergy in boilerswnuldpen.alize..this type·oI 

fossil-fueled furnaces and boilers andproduc1andco.nfwie the,COllsum.er 

not to all-electric equipnumt..AGA (Lennox. Tes~~"at85~ . considered the proposed apflfDaCh Inter-CityProductutate.dthat ttl 

illogical and biased and stated thatit _ appLying the F~fador to.QU.xjliary 

could result ina,consumer purchasing electricenm:gy cansWllptimlia.gas7fired 

electric furnaces because of their Inwer fumaces:, but not to the. rdec:tric.eneIlt)! 

purchase price without funy' consumption in electric furnaces, puts 

conSidering operating cost. AGA. thegas-fiI:ild equipment at an unjustified 

recQmmended the inclusion of source disadvantage in comparison to electric 

energy for electric furnaces (AGA, furnaces and heat pumps, which could 

Testimony, at 54, and No. 13, at 2; and cause significant load shifting from gas 

HI, Testimony, at 75, and No. 10, at 2). . to electric, (2) -gas and -electJ:ical '. 

Minnegasco, and Public Service Electric_consumption cannOt be separated for 

cost comparison ma single e'Hrgy . 

descriptolthatammines two diIfm-ent 

forms gf energy but. not CQ6t in. the 

calculation.bearuse. thek Q.}leIatin!rost 

will be cillfereril. and (3)tbare is lID 

basis for the proposed \laln o.f 3-.37 for 

th.1iI F-factor. Therefure"Inter-City-staied 

that.it w,GUld. nat suppm.Uhe proposed 

energy descUptOtS.until these issues 

wereresolv.ed (Inter-Oty,.No.1",al3J. 

GAMA objected to the proposed 

energy descrip.to:rs' immedi.are 

implementation ill their ~ fonn, 

for reasons similar to thnse meutioned 

by Inter-City. supra. GAMAalso • 

suggested the possibility of developing 

tWQ. sepaUite energy descripklls for: 

fossil fuel and e ledrice:netgy 

. consumption. Carrier Corp. and 

Consolidated Industries both slated. 

their support ofGAMAtcAMA .. Testi.m<mv. at lB, andNo_ B..at!); 

Carrie!:, NO. 12., at l.;..md.Consolidated, 

No. 22., at 1.). YorkJ,htemational objected 

to the proposed energy descriptors aDd 

would support the descriptors only iJ 

the F-£ac.tor waslWtapplied;Yoik. also 

consi dered F-factOl:' s.·use iDconsishmt 

by not applying it to~tri.£ units 

(York. No. W. at 1). 

California Energy Commission 

supported the proposed energy 

descriptors w.ith th.eF-factm:'Califumia. 

Defense 

No...25. at 

Council 

3). The 

(NRDC):strongly 

National ~ 

supported. the proposed energy 

-deSCriptors and the conce.pt of applying a multiplicatioD factor to auxiliary 

electrical energy consumed unefulct the 

cost of energy to the consumers. 'f.he 

NIIDGStJggested,that other tbanUte 

source-based F-fadm, factw:s. batoedOll 

consumu.costOl' emi&sioo.im~-tair 

pollUtion impacts. or: climate. pollution- impacts) couldalsGbe used. wdevelo.p---

the F-factnr. ButNJIDC suggeswdthat-a . 

factor based~ on a~ COllSWJl.ilI: costs 

(the ratio of unit energy cost to 

consumers of eleeU:i£al eDeqn'-: and' fossil· 

fuel) would be am&re accurate and.: 

'. useful approach, as it· is more reflective 

of the eosts the'cQllSUmer isj:ncurring. 

The NRDC suggested that in erder-to 

avoid the necessity· of. changing thec:ost 

ratio due to fluct.uationsor cheges in. 

the gas totelectr.ic costs ewtry ,ear;. a 

single wUue·for the fact-ar:sbould be 

chosen and maintained ilrthe llIIInUm 

yeam or .longer W1less the iactor changes 

-drastically: (NRDC. T~ at'6&andNo. 15 .. at~. 

III:lJiscussion oflssues Jbr Further 

Comment 

-The main reason for the Department's 

1993 proposal to establish the energy' 

factor and the annual efficiency . descriptor was to take into account the 

cconsumption of the auxiliary electric 
ratio would be a more meaningful 

criterion in reflecting the overall energy 

efficiency of fossil-fueled appliances. 

This ratio may also give consumers a 

energy in the operation offossil-fueled 

furnaces and boilers. The AFUE 

descriptor for fossil-fueled units, as 

defined. deals with only the priDJ.ary 

energy consumption (gas or oil) of an 

appliance. and therefore <\oes not give 

the consumer a complete account of the 

overall energy and cost performance of 

the appliance. A survey of the yearly 

auxiliary electrical energy consumption 

and gas consumption of gas-fired 

furnaces. as published in the October 

1993 GAMA Efficiency Certification 

Directory. showed that the auxiliary 

electrical energy consumption varies 

from approXimately 2.0 to 6.5 percent of 

the gas consumption. Even though this 

energy consumption ratio is small, it is 

significant in,cost to the consumer 

because electricity costs approximately 

four times more than gas. On the basis 

of AFUE alone. a consumer would not 

be able to compare the overall efficiency 

of two (or more) different models of 

fossil-fueled furnaces or boilers of 

compardble output capacity but with 

blower motors of different efficiencies 

and. hence. different costs. The 

proposed Energy Factor or Annual 

Efficiency will give the consumer the 

necessary descriptor for a more 

informed purchasing decision. . 

- clearer grasp of the cost of operating 

A second reason for having the 

proposed energy deSCriptors is to allow 

for the consideration of design options 

involving changes in auxiliary electric 

energy consumption in the 

Department's analysis supporting the 

energy efficiency standard rulemaking. 

The definition of the F-factor in the 

1993 proposed rule was intended to: (1) 

provide consumers with rating 

information which reflects annual 

operating cost, including electrical 

energy. so theyean make informed 

choices when comparing several models 

or makes of fossil-fueled appliances; 

and (2) encourage manufacturers to 

make the most overall energy efficient 

appliance. the efficiency of which can 

be shown to the consumers with a 

meaningful energy deSCriptor. After 

reviewing the objections presented by 

commenters with regard to the proposed 

F-factor. the Department invites 

comment on an alternative formulation 

of the F-factor based on the ratio of 

costs. In particular, DOE invites 

comment on the NRDC suggestion that 

basing a multiplication factor on energy 

costs of electricity and fossil fuel to 

consumers rather than on source energy 

their appliances. . The F-factor value of 3.37 in the 1993 

proposed rule was based on historical 

values of power-plant-to-site energy 

ratios. More recent calculations, based 

on, future projections in the "Annual 

Energy Outlook 1994" (Energy 

Information Administration, DOE, DOBI 

EIA-0383(94), January. 1994, Table A2), 

showed that a value ofF=3.2 would be 

appropriate for the years 2000 through 

2010. Average national electricity-tofuel price (as opposed to energy) ratios 

also were calculated for the same years, 

using the "Annual Energy Outlook 

1994" (Tables A3 and A4). These price 

ratios were obtained by first calculating 

a weighted-averaged fuel price (for 

natural gas, LPG. and oil), then taking 

the ratio of average national electricity 

·price to the weighted average fuel price. 

The weighted average price for the three 

fuels was calculated by weighting each 

fuel price by its yearly national . 

residential space heating consumption 

(in quads per year). These calculations 

showed that the projected electricity-tofuel price ratio will vary from 3.46 in 

the year 2000 to 3.30 in the year 2010, 

and that the trend for this ratio will be 

toward less variation over time. 

Therefore, while some variation wjll 

exist in the price ratio over time (as 

cautioned by the NRDC i,n its . testimony), the Department seeks 

cornment on whether a nationwide price 

ratio of 3.36 will be valid for the next 

10 to 20 years (determined by . extrapolating for the year 2002 and price 

ratio remaining unchanged during that 

period); The actual ratio of electricity- . 

to-fuel price will not be the same across 

the U.S., but the uS&of a multiplevalued F-factor, as suggested by the 

Edison Electric Institute, would cause 

complications for manufacturers that 

sell the same appliance in different 

parts of the country. Using a single 

value is similar to the adoption of a 

national average outdoor temperature 

and a national average heating degreedays in the calculation for the heating 

seasonal efficiency and AFUE in the 

current test procedure. . The Department is seeking comment 

on the equations for the proposed 

Energy Factor and the Annual Efficiency 

for furnaces and boilers that use fossil 

fuel as the primary soUrce of energy, 

and a much smaller quantity of 

electrical energy for the auxiliary 

equipment (2.0 percent to 6.5 percent of 

the yearly gas consumption for gas 

furnaces; less than 1.0 percent for 

boilers). The F-factor should be applied 

to all types of source energy and to all 

types of space-heating equipment. As 

previously stated, the inclusion of the Ffactor in the proposed equations for 

these energy descriptors is to calculate 

the total cost vf the fossil fuel e.nergy 

and the auxiliary electrical energy 

consumed by the appliance. In this way, . the consumers would have a more 

complete energy descriptor than the 

AFUE to compare the total cost of 

operating the appliance in their homes. 

This would also discourage the possible 

practice of running the air circulation 

blower longer during burner ignition 

and shut-off in order to obtain a slightly 

higher AFUE value, while actually 

consuming more electrical energy and 

thus, more overall energy. The . 

Department believes the best 

information available to consumers to 

make an informed decision when . purchasing a fossil-fueled appliance is 

an efficiency descriptqr that will reflect 

the total cost of operating the appliance. 

The proposed energy deSCriptors do 

reflect that total cost to the consumer. 

Based on the discussiQn above, DOE 

is seeking cornment today on redefining 

the F-factor in the August 23. 1993. 

proposed rule as the ratio of national 

average price of electricity to the 

national average price of fossil fuel, on 

a common unit energy basis. In 

particular. DOE invites comment on use 

of value of 3.36 for the F -factor. 

The Department solicits comment and 

information on the application of the 

proposed consumer energy cost factor to 

the auxiliary electrical energy 

consumption as a multiplication factor 

in the calculation of the proposed 

Energy Factor and the Animal Efficiency 

for fossil fuel heating appliances. 

Issued in Washington, DC; on January 11. 

1995. . Christine A. Ervin, 

Assistant Secretary. Energy EffiCiency and 

Renewable Energy. 

IFR Doc. 95-1433 Filed 1-19-95; 8:45 am) 

BlLUNG CODE &450-01"'"