[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11395-11400]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6567]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
[Case No. CAC-007]
Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Decision and
Order Granting a Waiver From the Central Air Conditioner and Central
Air Conditioning Heat Pump Test Procedure to NORDYNE
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Decision and Order.
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SUMMARY: Notice is given of the Decision and Order (Case No. CAC-007)
granting a Waiver to NORDYNE from the existing Department of Energy
test procedure for central air conditioners and central air
conditioning heat pumps for the company's Powermiser line of heat pumps
with integrated water heating.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael G. Raymond, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Mail Station EE-431, Forrestal
Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202)
586-9611
Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General
Counsel, Mail Station GC-72, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 10 CFR Part 430,
Sec. 430.27(l), notice is hereby given of the issuance of the Decision
and Order as set out below. In the Decision and Order, NORDYNE has been
granted a Waiver from the existing Department of Energy central air
conditioner and central air conditioning heat pump test procedure for
the company's Powermiser line of heat pumps with integrated water
heating. The Waiver allows NORDYNE to use a modified test procedure for
rating its Powermiser heat pumps. NORDYNE shall be allowed to
calculate, in addition to the standard SEER and HSPF, a Combined
Cooling Performance Factor (CCPF) and a Combined Heating Performance
Factor (CHPF). These performance factors reflect the energy efficiency
of the heat pump when providing both space conditioning and domestic
water heating.
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 7, 1996.
Joseph Romm,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy.
Decision and Order
Department of Energy
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
In the Matter of: NORDYNE. (Case No. CAC-007)
Background
The Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products (other than
automobiles) was established pursuant to the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act (EPCA), Public Law 94-163, 89 Stat. 917, as amended,
which requires the Department to prescribe standardized test procedures
to measure the energy consumption of certain consumer products,
including central air conditioners. The intent of the test procedures
is to provide a comparable measure of energy consumption that will
assist consumers in making purchasing decisions. These test procedures
appear at 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B.
The Department amended the prescribed test procedures by adding 10
CFR 430.27 to create a waiver process. 45 FR 64108, September 26, 1980.
Thereafter, the Department further amended its appliance test procedure
waiver process to allow the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy (Assistant Secretary) to grant an Interim Waiver
from test procedure requirements to manufacturers that have petitioned
the Department for a waiver of such prescribed test procedures. 51 FR
42823, November 26, 1986.
The waiver process allows the Assistant Secretary to waive
temporarily test procedures for a particular basic model when a
petitioner shows that the basic model contains one or more design
characteristics which prevent testing according to the prescribed test
procedures, or when the prescribed test procedures may evaluate the
basic model in a manner so unrepresentative of its true energy
consumption as to provide materially inaccurate comparative data.
Waivers generally remain in effect until final test procedure
amendments become effective, resolving the problem that is the subject
of the waiver.
NORDYNE filed a ``Petition for Waiver'' and an ``Application for
Interim Waiver,'' dated January 24, 1995, in accordance with Section
430.27 of 10 CFR Part 430. The Department granted the Interim Waiver on
July 10, 1995. The Department also published in the Federal Register on
August 8, 1995, NORDYNE's petition, and solicited comments, data, and
information respecting the petition. 60 FR 40358, August 8, 1995.
NORDYNE's Petition seeks a waiver from the existing Department of
Energy central air conditioner and central air conditioning heat pump
test procedure for the company's Powermiser line of heat pumps because
the Powermiser's integrated water heating feature causes the prescribed
test procedures to evaluate the Powermiser in a manner unrepresentative
of its true energy consumption characteristics. NORDYNE's heating and
cooling mode test procedures are essentially the same as the current
Departmental central air conditioner test procedures. In addition,
NORDYNE submitted tests and a rating procedure to determine the
performance of the heat pump when it heats domestic water (whether or
not space heating or cooling is also being provided).
The Department received 14 written comments concerning either the
``Petition for Waiver'' or the ``Interim Waiver.'' All the comments
supported granting the waivers.
Appalachian Power Company, Hawaiian Electric Company and Mr. Joe
Zeiner of PSI Energy supported the waiver to encourage energy
conservation devices. The Tennessee Valley Authority concurred with
this, and also commented that the Powermiser ``eliminates coincident
peak demand for water heater[s] on the utility system.'' Gulf Power
Company, Tampa Electric Company, Alabama Power Company, Georgia Power
Company and Mr. Leo Stambaugh commended the NORDYNE integrated
appliance as a viable alternative to electric resistance water heating
and supported NORDYNE's proposed use of a Combined Cooling Performance
Factor (CCPF) and Combined Heating Performance Factor (CHPF) for rating
these products.
Dr. Arvo Lannus of Moebius Research commented that the present
Department test procedures do not provide for testing products like the
Powermiser, with the following adverse effects:
[[Page 11396]]
difficulty in educating consumers about the product's benefits;
difficulty for the manufacturer to recoup its investment; difficulty
for private research institutions to fund research and development in
support of energy efficiency goals. Dr. Lannus stated that the
Powermiser would benefit consumers and society, in terms of efficiency
and environmental benefits. He wrote that the testing and rating
procedure, using SEER, HSPF, CCPF and CHPF is reasonable, and also
agreed with the proposed bin method of calculation.
Mr. Terry Statt of the Electric Power Research Institute stated
that the current DOE test procedure evaluates the Powermiser heat pump
in a manner unrepresentative of its actual energy consumption, and that
this creates economic hardship for NORDYNE. He further commented that
this causes consumers to purchase systems that have higher [total
monetary] costs and higher environmental costs. Mr. Statt agreed with
NORDYNE's use of a bin method of calculation and the division of the
year into two sections (heating and cooling).
The Natural Resources Defense Council supported the concept of the
heat pump with integrated water heating as an energy savings device and
urged the Department to provide test procedures that accurately
estimate the device's energy savings. Virginia Power concurred with
this and also commented on the need for a standard test procedure for
combined equipment, including fossil-fueled combination heating/water
heating units, heat pumps and air conditioners with integral
desuperheaters, combined residential energy storage units and triple
function heat pumps such as the NORDYNE Powermiser. Virginia Power also
commented that the standard test procedure should use water heating
settings and use patterns which reflect current consumer use (see
Virginia Power Comments on Proposed Rulemaking, Energy Conservation
Program for Consumer Products, Test Procedures for Water Heaters,
Docket No. EE-RM-94-230, August 30, 1995.) Allegheny Power System
commented about the need for a suitable test procedure for integrated
water heating systems, and, like Virginia Power, requested that the
Department revise the domestic water heater test procedure to reflect a
lower daily hot water consumption, and a different schedule for water
draws.
The comments of Virginia Power and Allegheny Power about water
usage, draw schedules and integrated appliances are beyond the scope of
this waiver. The Department may address these issues in upcoming test
procedure rules, but, for consistency, this waiver will conform to the
existing usage and draws.
The Department consulted with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
concerning the NORDYNE Petition. The FTC did not have any objections to
the issuance of the waiver to NORDYNE.
Assertions and Determinations
NORDYNE's Petition seeks a waiver from the existing Department of
Energy central air conditioner and central air conditioning heat pump
test procedure for the company's Powermiser line of heat pumps because
the Powermiser's integrated water heating feature causes the prescribed
test procedures to evaluate the Powermiser in a manner unrepresentative
of its true energy consumption characteristics. DOE agrees that, using
the current central air conditioning test procedure, the company cannot
account for the energy savings associated with integrated water
heating.
NORDYNE has submitted a modified test procedure to be used for
rating its Powermiser heat pumps. NORDYNE proposes to calculate, in
addition to SEER and HSPF, a Combined Cooling Performance Factor (CCPF)
and a Combined Heating Performance Factor (CHPF) for characterizing the
water heating and space conditioning performance of the Powermiser.
However, to provide a comparable base, NORDYNE had to slightly modify
the calculation of SEER and HSPF. The NORDYNE proposed heating and
cooling mode test procedures for SEER and HSPF are essentially the same
as the current Departmental central air conditioner test procedures
found in 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B, Appendix M. NORDYNE's test
procedures differ from the Department's in their use of a bin analysis
for SEER, and in their use of seasonal hours rather than fractional
hours for HSPF. NORDYNE states in its Petition that the modified test
procedure for SEER and HSPF ``yields nearly identical results.'' The
Department concurs with NORDYNE's statement regarding the results for
SEER and HSPF, and no commenter communicated any disagreement with it.
In addition, NORDYNE submitted tests and a rating procedure to
determine the performance of the heat pump when it heats domestic water
(whether or not space heating or cooling is also being provided). These
performance factors reflect the energy efficiency of the heat pump when
providing both space conditioning and domestic water heating. CCPF is
the sum of the total space cooling load and the total domestic water
heating load during the cooling season, divided by the total energy
consumption used for space cooling and water heating over the same
period, expressed in Btu/Wh. CHPF is the analogous factor with ``space
heating'' substituted for ``space cooling.'' NORDYNE presented examples
of cost savings calculations in its Petition for Waiver. In the
Petition, NORDYNE compared the annual cost for heating, cooling and
water heating of the NORDYNE Powermiser to a combination of a
conventional heat pump and an electric water heater.
DOE agrees that, using the current central air conditioning test
procedure, the company cannot account for the energy savings associated
with integrated water heating, and that the procedures described in
NORDYNE's Petition for Waiver will allow NORDYNE to calculate these
energy savings. The Department agrees that a waiver should be granted
to allow NORDYNE to test its Powermiser line of heat pumps according to
NORDYNE's proposed test procedure.
Thus, the Department is granting a waiver of the requirement to
test NORDYNE's Powermiser line of heat pumps according to the current
test procedure.
It is, therefore, ordered that:
(1) The ``Petition for Waiver'' filed by NORDYNE (Case No. CAC-007)
is hereby granted as set forth in paragraph (2) below, subject to the
provisions of paragraphs (3), (4) and (5).
(2) NORDYNE shall be required to test its Powermiser line of heat
pumps on the basis of the test procedures specified in 10 CFR Part 430,
Subpart B, Appendix M, including the modifications summarized in
Attachment A to the letter to NORDYNE granting the Interim Waiver.
These modifications are fully presented on pages 2-32 of NORDYNE's
attachment to its Petition for Waiver and Application for Interim
Waiver, dated January 24, 1995.
(3) NORDYNE shall also test and represent:
The annual and seasonal energy use and cost of operation
of its Powermiser line of heat pumps, and
The annual and seasonal cost savings of its Powermiser
line of heat pumps, when compared to the combination of a conventional
heat pump and electric water heater, as follows:
[[Page 11397]]
Annual energy usage for the conventional heat pump and water
heater:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.000
where Ecool (Tj) is the total system energy input for cooling
for the jth outdoor bin temperature, and is equal to:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.001
Cd is the coefficient of cyclic degradation for cooling.
Ec(Tj) is the steady-state electrical power input to the heat
pump in the space cooling only mode determined according to:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.002
Eheat (Tj) is the total system energy input for heating for
the jth outdoor bin temperature, and is equal to:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.003
where HLF (Tj) is the heat pump heating load factor for outdoor
temperature bin j:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.004
Cd is the coefficient of cyclic degradation for heating. The
steady-state heat pump space heating capacity in the space heating only
mode is determined according to:
[[Page 11398]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.005
Eauxs (Tj) is the auxiliary resistance heat required to meet
the building load.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.006
The steady-state electrical power input to the heat pump in the
space heating only mode is determined according to:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.007
The energy usage for conventional water heating is also subdivided
into cooling and heating seasons, depending on the outdoor temperature
being above or below 65 deg.F. For the cooling season, the water
heating energy usage per hour is:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.008
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.009
GPD is the total daily consumption of domestic hot water in
gallons, and for rating purposes is equal to 64.3 gallons.
(135 deg.F) is the density of water in pounds/gallon at
the temperature of the water leaving the tank.
Cp (96.5 deg.F) is the specific heat of water at the
temperature midway between 58 deg.F and 135 deg.F.
CSH = Cooling season hours.
Ndwc = Number of extra hours for dedicated water heating with
the outdoor temperature above 65 deg.F.
EF = The energy factor as defined in the DOE hot water heater
test procedures.
The cooling and heating load seasonal hours are calculated from the
cooling and heating load hours as follows:
[[Page 11399]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.010
where:
CSH = Cooling season hours
CLH = Cooling load hours
1.1 = The oversizing factor used to determine building load
DCT = Design cooling temperature = 95 deg.F.
Tj = Temperature for the jth outdoor bin temperature.
nj/N = Season fractional bin hours.
HSH = Heating season hours.
HLH = Heating load hours.
DHT = Design heating temperature.
The extra dedicated water heating hours are then:
Ndw = 8760 - CSH - HSH.
where:
Ndw = Total number of extra hours for dedicated water heating.
8760 = Total hours per year.
The extra dedicated water heating hours are next divided between
the parts of the year warmer and cooler than 65 deg.F in proportion to
the cooling and heating season hours as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.011
where:
Ndwc = Number of extra hours for dedicated water heating with
the outdoor temperature above 65 deg.F.
Ndwh = Number of extra hours for dedicated water heating with
the outdoor temperature below 65 deg.F.
For the heating season, the water heating energy usage per hour is:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.012
The annual energy usage for the integrated heat pump and water
heater is:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.013
The terms in these equations are all defined in NORDYNE's petition,
published in the Federal Register on August 8, 1995. 60 FR 40358.
The seasonal and annual energy and cost credits (savings) shall be
calculated as follows: The summer, or cooling season energy credit, in
kWh, is:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.014
The winter, or heating season energy credit, in kWh, is:
[[Page 11400]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.015
The annual energy credit (savings), in kWh, for the Powermiser
integrated heat pump/water heating appliance is:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.016
The annual cost credit (savings) , in dollars, for the Powermiser
integrated heat pump/water heating is:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN20MR96.017
where ER is the representative average unit cost of electricity in
dollars per kilowatt-hour as provided by the Secretary.
(4) The Waiver shall remain in effect from the date of issuance of
this Order until the Department prescribes final test procedures
appropriate to the Powermiser line of heat pumps manufactured by
NORDYNE.
(5) This Waiver is based upon the presumed validity of statements,
allegations, and documentary materials submitted by the petitioner.
This Waiver may be revoked or modified at any time upon a determination
that the factual basis underlying the petition is incorrect.
(6) Effective March 1, 1996, this Waiver supersedes the Interim
Waiver granted NORDYNE on July 10, 1995. 60 FR 40358, August 8, 1995
(Case No. CAC-007).
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 1, 1996.
Joseph Romm,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 96-6567 Filed 3-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P