## Friday

. January 20, 1995



# Part VIII


# Department of E·nergy

Office. of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy



## 10 CFR Part 

## 430 Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedures for Furnaces/Boilers,**V~nted** 

## Home Heatfng Equipment, and Pool Heaters; Proposed**Ru~** 

## .

### 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 ofEnergy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Department of Energy.
ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of
comment period.

SUMMARY: On Monday. August 23, 1993, the Department ofEnergy (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 ofthat

. electrical energy delivered-at the appliance. was applied tothe auxiliary energy in the calculation ofthe proposed Energy Factor and Annual Efficiency. Today's notice announces a reopening ofthe comment period to seek comment on an alternative definition ofthe F-faetor

### b8sed 

## on the ratio ofthe national average cost of

### the auxiliary electrical energy to the

. national average cost ofthe 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 ofEnergy, Office ofEnergy 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 ofthe transcript ofthe public hearing and the comments received may be read and/or photocopied at the DOE Fr.oodom ofInformation Reading Room, U.S. Department ofEnergy. Forrestal Building. Room 1E-190. 100q Independence Avenue, SW.• Washington, DC 20585, (202l 586-6020, between the hours of9 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 ofHeating. Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers Standard 103-1993.

2. American National Standards Institute Standard Z21.56-1990.

.

Copies ofthese standards may be viewed at the Department ofEnergy Freedom ofInformation Reading Room
at the address stated aOove. Copy ofthe American National Standards Institutel American Society ofHeating. Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers Standards 103. maybe obtained from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and AirConditioning Engineers, 1791 Tullie Circle, Atlanta, Georgia 30329. A copy ofthe 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 ofEnergy 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

ofEnergy. Office ofGeneral 

### Counsel.

. Mail Station, GC-72, 1000

. Independen€:e Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586- 95Q7.
SUPPlEMENTARY INFORMATION!'
LlntroductiOl1 11. Discussion ofComments 

## 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- ProposedRule) to amendthe 

### furnace.. vented homeheating equipment and pool heater test procedures (58 FR 445311). A public hearing washeld in Washington, DC on January 5. 1994.· Among the various proposed technical changes and revisions, a revision to 

### the. existing Energy Factor anda newenergy efficiency descriptor, named Annual Efficiency, wereproposed. An intent of these proposed descriptorswas 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 consumedby the fossil fueled appliance
to that auxiliary electrical energy, was applied to the auxiliary energy in the calculation ofthe proposed Energy Factor and Annual Efficiency.

The current DOE test procedure includes for information the computation ofthe annual fossil fuel .and auxiliary electrical energy consumptions offossil-fueled furnaces and boilers and an Energy Factor which includes both the fossil fuel and the auxiliary electrical energy consumption ofthe appliances. The Energy Factor is defined as the ratio ofthe annual output ofenergy 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 ofEnergy 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 ofthe 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 ofthe proposed Energy Factor and Annual Efficiency. A typical value of 3.0 for the F-factor is presented

as one used in California.

ILDiscussion ofComments

This notice addresses comments received on the proposed Energy Factor 

### and Annual Efficiency descriptors**and~**

### 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 

### ifDOE .adopts electric energy delW.ered'to 

### thefossil- 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·ofthe goals of at,3).·

. the proposed aman.dmems. Edison Electric Institute supported

Twenty-one 

### commenters.offmed· adoption oftheproposed 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

### theMidwest. (equivalent to setting F::.1J. EWson Power Systems Inc. ofIow.asupponed Electriclnstitute betiel!8d that site fully the energy 

### factor -descriptor 

### aad enjlrgy rather thaD:sou.rce·ene:rgy should the 

### annu.1efflCieru::y desc;;riptul: be used inthe calculationfw: 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 ofFlorida..Southern energy andhas DO control over ths California Gas Co., Southern UnionGas electrical powerplaRt; (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 

### andthe annual efficiency for ather applia:nce standards that are descriptors: however, they suggested currently defined usiDgsite energy;

### W that the source- basedF-factorshould be

. given that electJ:icity GaDbe generated applied to aU covered aw1iences. from renewable energy (wind. solar. regardless oftheirllrimary energy hydro). tne F-factor could

### mstgrt the

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

apply the F-factor to**f0S8i~** illactricity generation. aad 

### c:oulduw furnaces and boilers butnottoaU- 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 electricityisgenerated 1; Texas Gas., No. 5; at 3; City Gas, NO>! using different 

### fuels.awlatdifierQD.t 6. at 1; Southern CalifomiaGas, NQ. 24;, rates.ofconv: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.supponedthe Hydronics Institute (HI] stat.ed that they inclusion 

### ofelecttical en.eI'EY iD.the have long supported a full....qcIa proposed energydescriptolshut approach to energy decisions but are objected.thatlimiWlg-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,consumerpurchasing electricenm:gy cansWllptimlia.gas7fired electric furnaces because oftheir Inwer 

### fumaces:, butnotto 

### 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 ofsource disadvantage in comparison to electric
energyfor electric furnaces (AGA, furnaces and heat pumps, which could Testimony, at 54, and No. 13, at 2; and cause significantload 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 comparisonma single e'Hrgy

. descriptolthatamminestwodiIfm-ent forms gfenergy but.not CQ6t in.the calculation.bearuse.thekQ.}leIatin!rost will be cillfereril. 

### and (3)tbare is lID basis for the proposed\laln

### o.f3-.37 for th.1iI F-factor. Therefure"Inter-City-staied that.itw,GUld. natsuppm.Uhe proposed energy descUptOtS.untilthese issues wereresolv.ed (Inter-Oty,.No.1",al3J.

GAMAobjected to theproposed energy descrip.to:rs' immedi.are implementation ill 

### their**~** 

### fonn, for reasons similar to 

### thnse meutioned by Inter-City. supra. GAMAalso • suggested the possibility ofdeveloping
tWQ.sepaUite energy descripklls for: fossil fuel and eledrice: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 proposedenergy descriptors aDd would support the descriptors only iJ the F-£ac.tor waslWtapplied;Yoik. also considered F-factOl:'s.·use iDconsishmt by not applying it**to~tri.£** units (York. No. W. at 1).

CaliforniaEnergy Commission supported the proposed energy descriptors w.ith th.eF-factm:'Califumia. No...25. at 3). The National**~** Defense Council (NRDC):strongly supported.the proposed energy

-deSCriptors and the conce.ptofapplying

a multiplicatioD factor to auxiliary electrical energy consumed unefulct the
costofenergy 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 

### ofunit energy costto

consumersofeleeU:i£aleDeqn'-:and'fossil· fuel) wouldbe am&reaccurate 

### and.: '. useful approach, as it·ismore reflective

ofthe eosts the'cQllSUmer isj:ncurring. The NRDC suggested 

### thatin erder-to avoid the necessity·of.changingthec:ost ratio due to fluct.uationsor 

### cheges in. the 

### gas totelectr.ic costs ewtry 

### ,ear;. a single wUue·forthe fact-ar:sbould be chosen andmaintainedilrthe llIIInUm yeam or 

### .longer W1less 

### the iactorchanges -drastically: 

### (NRDC.**T~** at'6&andNo. 15

..**at~.** III:lJiscussion oflssuesJbr 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 ofthe auxiliary electric

### 4350 

### Federal Register I 

### Vol. 60, No. 13 I 

### Friday, January**~O,** 

### 1995 I 

### Proposed Rules

ratio wouldbe a more meaningful criterion in reflecting the overall energy efficiency offossil-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) ofan appliance. and therefore <\oes not give the consumer a complete account ofthe overall energy and cost performance of the appliance. A survey ofthe yearly auxiliary electrical energy consumption and gas consumption ofgas-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 ofAFUE alone. a consumer would not be able to compare the overall efficiency oftwo (or more) different models of fossil-fueled furnaces orboilers of compardble outputcapacity but with blower motors ofdifferent 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 ofthe cost ofoperating

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 ofthe F-factor in the 1993 proposed rule was intendedto: (1) provide consumers with rating information which reflects annual operating cost, including electrical energy. so theyean make informed choices when comparing several models

ormakes of fossil-fueled appliances; and (2) encourage manufacturers to make the most overall energy efficient appliance. the efficiency ofwhich can be shown to the consumers with a meaningful energy deSCriptor. After reviewing the objections presentedby
commenters with regard to the proposed F-factor. the Department invites comment on an alternative formulation ofthe 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 ofelectricity 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 ofpower-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 wouldbe 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 "AnnualEnergy 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 ofaverage national electricity ·price to the weighted average fuel price. The weighted average price for the three fuels was calculatedby weighting each fuel price by its yearly national

. residential space heating consumption (in quads peryear). 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 cautionedby 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 ofelectricity-

. to-fuel price will notbe the same across the U.S., but the uS&ofa multiplevalued F-factor, as suggested by the Edison Electric Institute, would cause complications for manufacturers that sell the same appliance in different parts ofthe country. Using a single value is similar to the adoption ofa 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 andboilers that use fossil fuel as the primary soUrce ofenergy, 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 ofthe Ffactor in the proposed equations for these energy descriptors is to calculate the total cost vfthe 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 ofrunning the air circulation blower longer during burner ignition and shut-offin 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 ofoperating 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 ofnational average price ofelectricity to the national average price offossil fuel, on

a common unit energy basis. In particular. DOE invites comment on use ofvalue of 3.36 for the F-factor.

The Department solicits comment and information on the application ofthe proposed consumer energy cost factor to the auxiliary electrical energy consumption as a multiplication factor in the calculation ofthe proposed Energy Factor and the Animal Efficiency for fossil fuel heating appliances.

Issued in Washington, DC; on January 11. 1995.



### . Christine A. Ervin,
AssistantSecretary. EnergyEffiCiencyand RenewableEnergy. IFR Doc. 95-1433 Filed 1-19-95; 8:45 am)

BlLUNG CODE &450-01"'"