[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 3, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15872-15874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-6123]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request.

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SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on the proposed revision and 
three-year extension to the following EIA Forms:
     EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers 
Survey.''
     EIA-63B, ``Annual Photovoltaic Module/Cell Manufacturers 
Survey.''
     EIA-902, ``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers 
Survey.''

DATES: Comments must be filed by June 4, 2007. If you anticipate 
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the 
person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESS: Send comments to Fred Mayes. To ensure receipt of the comments 
by the due date, submission by FAX (202-287-1964) or e-mail 
[email protected] is recommended. The mailing address is Energy 
Information Administration, EI-52, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, Fred Mayes may be 
contacted by telephone at 202-287-1750.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of any forms and instructions should be directed to Fred Mayes 
at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275, 15 
U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. 95-91, 42 
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the EIA to carry out a centralized, 
comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program 
collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information 
on energy resource reserves, production, demand, technology, and 
related economic and statistical information. This information is used 
to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer term 
domestic demands.
    The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.), 
provides the general public and other Federal agencies with 
opportunities to comment on collections of energy information conducted 
by or in conjunction with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA 
to prepare data requests that maximize the utility of the information 
collected, and to assess the impact of collection requirements on the 
public. Also, the EIA will later seek approval by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) under Section 3507(a) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.
    Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers 
Survey,'' collects information on the distribution of solar thermal 
panels by manufacturers; Form EIA-63B, ``Annual Photovoltaic Module/
Cell Manufacturers Survey,'' collects information on the distribution 
by manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) cells/modules; and Form EIA-902, 
``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers Survey,'' collects 
information on distribution of geothermal heat pumps by manufacturers. 
Specifically, all forms collect information on manufacturing, imports, 
exports, and shipments. The EIA has been collecting the above 
information annually and proposes to continue the surveys. The data 
collected will be disseminated in electronic products and electronic 
data files for use by government and private sector analysts. For 
details on EIA's renewables information program, please visit the 
renewable and alternative fuels page of EIA's Web site at http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelrenewable.html.

II. Current Actions

    EIA proposes to collect information on Forms EIA-63A, EIA-63B, and 
EIA-902 using EIA's Internet Data Collection (IDC) system as the 
primary mode for reporting information. Survey respondents must provide 
an e-mail address to EIA to receive instructions on the procedures for 
submitting information electronically. The IDC system utilizes secure 
socket layer software to encrypt and protect the information 
transmitted between a respondent and EIA. All software that is 
necessary to report electronically is provided by EIA at no cost to the 
respondents. Respondents need to register one time with EIA and receive 
a mailing identification and code prior to reporting electronically.
    The EIA has completed an extensive review and update of the 
renewable survey collection instruments. The objective of the review is 
to provide a standardized survey instrument and unified data collection 
approach for all three renewable forms. All three forms collect 
information from manufacturers of renewable energy equipment. The 
proposed forms revision is the result of efforts, which includes input 
from the renewable energy industry, other industry users of the data, 
government agencies, consumer groups, and private sector analysts. EIA 
will be requesting approval for its revisions and a three-year 
extension for its renewable surveys with the following proposed survey 
changes.

Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey.''

    The EIA proposes the following revisions, additions, and deletions 
to harmonize the data requested across the three surveys.
    (1) Addition: Item 3.1 (a) Collector Manufacturing.
    (2) Addition: Item 4.3 Average Thermal Performance Rating of 
Collector.
    (3) Revision: Item 4.3 Market Sector becomes Item 4.4 Domestic 
Shipments by Sector.
     Collect domestic shipments by sector instead of total 
shipments by sector.
     Change the sector headings from Residential, Commercial, 
Industrial, Utility, and Other to Residential, Commercial, Industrial, 
Electric Power, and Transportation.
    (4) Revision/Deletion: Item 4.4 End Use becomes Item 4.5 Domestic 
Shipments by End Use.
     Collect only domestic shipments by end use instead of 
domestic and foreign shipments by end use as the total number of 
shipments.
     Delete ``other'' end use type category under Item 4.4.8 
Other (describe).
    (5) Revision/Deletion: Item 4.9 becomes Item 4.10. Delete the 
seller type category Item 4.9 (f) Other (describe).

Form EIA-63B, ``Annual Photovoltaic Modules/Cells Manufacturers 
Survey.''

    The EIA proposes the following revisions, additions, and deletions 
to harmonize the data requested across the three surveys.
    (1) Addition: Item 3.4 What percentage of your company's total 
sales

[[Page 15873]]

volume do photovoltaic-related activities compose?
    (2) Addition: Item 4.3 Energy Conversion Efficiency.
    (3) Revision: Item 4.4 Domestic Shipments by Sector.
     Collect only domestic shipments by sector instead of 
domestic and foreign shipments by sector as the total number of 
shipments.
     Change the sector headings from Residential, Commercial, 
Industrial, Utility, and Other to Residential, Commercial, Industrial, 
Electric Power, and Transportation.
    (4) Revision/Deletion: Item 4.3 End Use becomes Item 4.5 Domestic 
Shipments by End Use.
     Collect only domestic shipments by end use instead of 
domestic and foreign shipments by end use as the total number of 
shipments.
     Delete ``Other'' as an end use category.
    (5) Revision/Deletion: Item 4.9 becomes Item 4.10. Delete the 
seller type Item 4.9 (g) Other (describe).
    (6) Addition: Item 6.1 Shipments by Origin.
    (7) Addition: Item 6.2 Shipments by Destination.

Form EIA-902, ``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers Survey.''

    The EIA proposes the following revisions, additions, and deletions 
to be consistent with the data elements collected across the three 
surveys.
    (1) Addition: Item 2.0 Manufacturing Status.
     Collect the same Manufacturing Status information as 
collected on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal Collector 
Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B, ``Annual Photovoltaic 
Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''
    (2) Addition: Item 3.0 Manufacturer and Marketing Data.
     Collect the same Manufacturer and Marketing data as 
collected on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal Collector 
Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B, ``Annual Photovoltaic 
Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''
    (3) Revision/Addition/Deletion: Item 4.0 Geothermal Heat Pump 
Shipment Data.
     Category headings in section 2.0 ``Shipments In Calendar 
Year,'' have been moved to Section 4.0 on the new proposed form. 
Specifically, ``Total Shipments by Type of Heat Pump'' is moved to Item 
4.1, ``Number of Heat Pumps;'' ``Total Rated Capacity'' is moved to 
Item 4.2, ``Total GHP Shipments (total rated capacity in tons);'' 
``Average Cooling Efficiency (EER)'' is moved to Item 4.4, ``Average 
Cooling Efficiency (EER);'' and ``Average Heating Efficiency (COP)'' is 
moved to Item 4.5, ``Average heating Efficiency (COP).''
     Addition: Item 4.3 Total Value of GHP Shipments (dollars).
     Item 5.0 ``Domestic Shipments by Sector is moved to Item 
4.6 and the rows and columns are transposed.''
     Add Item 4.7 Domestic Shipment by End Use.
     Add Item 4.8 Imports.
     Add Item 4.9 Exports.
     Add Item 4.10 List of Country (ies) of Origin of Imports 
to collect the same information as on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar 
Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B, ``Annual 
Photovoltaic Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''
     Add Item 4.11 List of Country (ies) of Destination for 
Exports to collect the same information as on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual 
Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B, 
``Annual Photovoltaic Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''
     Move preceding Item 4.0 Domestic Shipments by Customer 
Type to proposed Item 4.12 Shipments by Customer Type.
    (4) Addition: Item 5.0 Systems Data.
     Add a new Item 5.0 ``Systems Data to collect the same 
information as collected on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal 
Collector Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B, ``Annual 
Photovoltaic Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''
    (5) Revision/Deletion: Item 6.0 Geographic Data.
     Item 3.0 ``Shipments by Destination is moved to Item 6.2 
of the proposed revised form and the three column headings ``ARI-320, 
ARI-325/330, and Other (Non-ARI Rated GHPs)'' are collapsed into a 
single column heading. Item 6.1 was added to collect the same 
geographic information regarding imports as on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual 
Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B, 
``Annual Photovoltaic Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment 
on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are 
provided to assist in the preparation of comments. Please indicate to 
which form(s) your comments apply.

General Issues

    A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the 
information have practical utility? Practical utility is defined as the 
actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking into 
account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the 
agency's ability to process the information it collects.
    B. What enhancements can be made to the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent to the Request for Information

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be 
collected?
    B. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If 
not, which instructions need clarification?
    C. Can the information be submitted by the due date?
    D. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 
average 3.25 hours per response for Form EIA-63A, 3.25 hours per 
response for Form EIA-63B, and 3.25 hours per response for Form EIA-
902. The estimated burden includes the total time necessary to provide 
the requested information. In your opinion, how accurate is this 
estimate?
    E. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for 
the time it will take to complete the collection. Will a respondent 
incur any start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual costs 
for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with 
the information collection?
    F. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of 
this collection of information? Such actions may involve the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    G. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar 
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the 
methods of collection.

As a Potential User of the Information To Be Collected

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information 
disseminated?
    B. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be 
collected?
    C. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
    D. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they 
useful? If so, what are their weaknesses and/or strengths?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB

[[Page 15874]]

approval of the form. They also will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority: Sections 3506(c)(2) and 3507(a) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq.)

    Issued in Washington DC, March 27, 2007.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Energy Information Administration.
 [FR Doc. E7-6123 Filed 4-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P