80_FR_24925 80 FR 24841 - Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial and Industrial Fans and Blowers: Availability of Provisional Analysis Tools

80 FR 24841 - Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial and Industrial Fans and Blowers: Availability of Provisional Analysis Tools

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 84 (May 1, 2015)

Page Range24841-24846
FR Document2015-10036

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has completed a provisional analysis of the potential economic impacts and energy savings that could result from promulgating an energy conservation standard for commercial and industrial fans and blowers. This analysis incorporates information and comments received after the completion of an analysis presented in a notice of data availability (NODA) published in December 2014. At this time, DOE is not proposing an energy conservation standard for commercial and industrial fans and blowers. This analysis may be used in support of the Appliance Standards Federal Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ASRAC) commercial and industrial fans working group negotiations to develop a recommendation for regulating commercial and industrial fans. DOE encourages stakeholders to provide any additional data or information that may improve the analysis and to present comments submitted to this NODA and to the NODA published in December 2014 to the working group.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 84 (Friday, May 1, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 84 (Friday, May 1, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24841-24846]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10036]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 431

[Docket No. EERE-2013-BT-STD-0006]
RIN 1904-AC55


Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial and Industrial Fans 
and Blowers: Availability of Provisional Analysis Tools

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

ACTION: Notice of Data Availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has completed a 
provisional analysis of the potential economic impacts and energy 
savings that could result from promulgating an energy conservation 
standard for commercial and industrial fans and blowers. This analysis 
incorporates information and comments received after the completion of 
an analysis presented in a notice of data availability (NODA) published 
in December 2014. At this time, DOE is not proposing an energy 
conservation standard for commercial and industrial fans and blowers. 
This analysis may be used in support of the Appliance Standards Federal 
Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ASRAC) commercial and industrial fans 
working group negotiations to develop a recommendation for regulating 
commercial and industrial fans. DOE encourages stakeholders to provide 
any additional data or information that may improve the analysis and to 
present comments submitted to this NODA and to the NODA published in 
December 2014 to the working group.

DATES: Information is available as of May 1, 2015.

ADDRESSES: The analysis for this NODA is available at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx?ruleid=25.
    Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments using the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments. Alternatively, interested persons 
may submit comments, identified by Docket number EERE-2013-BT-STD-0006, 
by any of the following methods:
    (1) Email: to [email protected]. Include EERE-2013-BT-STD-
0006 in the subject line of the message. Submit electronic comments in 
WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or ASCII file format, and avoid the 
use of special characters or any form of encryption.
    (2) Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building 
Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, Revisions to Energy Efficiency 
Enforcement Regulations, EERE-2013-BT-STD-0006, 1000 Independence 
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585- 0121. Phone: (202) 586-2945. If 
possible, please submit all items on a CD, in which case it is not 
necessary to include printed copies.
    (3) Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Building Technologies Program, 6th Floor, 950 L'Enfant Plaza 
SW., Washington, DC 20024. Phone: (202)

[[Page 24842]]

586-2945. If possible, please submit all items on a CD, in which case 
it is not necessary to include printed copies.
    (4) Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency 
name and docket number or RIN for this rulemaking.
    Docket: The docket, which includes Federal Register notices, 
comments, and other supporting documents/materials, is available for 
review at www.regulations.gov. All documents in the docket are listed 
in the www.regulations.gov index. However, not all documents listed in 
the index may be publicly available, such as information that is exempt 
from public disclosure.
    A link to the docket Web page can be found at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2013-BT-STD-0006. The 
www.regulations.gov Web page contains instructions on how to access all 
documents in the docket, including public comments. See ADDRESSES, for 
further information on how to submit comments through 
www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Ms. Ashley Armstrong, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies, EE-2J, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 
586-6590. Email: [email protected].
    Mr. Peter Cochran, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General 
Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-
0121. Telephone: (202) 586-9496. Email: [email protected].
    For further information on how to review other public comments and 
the docket, contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945 or by email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

I. History of Energy Conservation Standards Rulemaking for 
Commercial and Industrial Fans and Blowers
II. Current Status
III. Summary of the Analyses Performed by DOE
    A. Energy Metric
    B. Engineering Analysis
    C. Manufacturer Impact Analysis
    D. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period Analyses
    E. National Impact Analysis
IV. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Public Comment

I. History of Energy Conservation Standards Rulemaking for Commercial 
and Industrial Fans and Blowers

    The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, 
established the Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial 
Equipment under Title III, Part C. (42 U.S.C. 6311-6317, as codified) 
\1\ Included among the various types of industrial equipment addressed 
by EPCA are commercial and industrial fans and blowers, the subject of 
this notice. (42 U.S.C. 6311(2) (A)) All references to EPCA refer to 
the statute as amended through the American Energy Manufacturing 
Technical Corrections Act (AEMTCA), Public Law 112-210 (December 18, 
2012).
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    \1\ For editorial reasons, upon codification in the U.S. Code, 
Part C was re-designated Part A-1.
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    DOE initiated the current rulemaking by publishing a proposed 
coverage determination for commercial and industrial fans and blowers. 
76 FR 37678 (June 28, 2011). This was followed by the publication of a 
Notice of Public Meeting and Availability of the Framework Document for 
commercial and industrial fans and blowers in the Federal Register. In 
the Framework Document, DOE requested feedback from interested parties 
on many issues related to analyses DOE would conduct as part of the 
rulemaking, such as the engineering analysis, the manufacturer impact 
analysis (MIA), the life-cycle cost (LCC) and payback period (PBP) 
analyses, and the national impact analysis (NIA). 78 FR 7306 (February 
1, 2013).\2\
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    \2\ Supporting documents are available at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2013-BT-STD-0006
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    On December 10, 2014, DOE published a Notice of Data Availability 
(the ``December 2014 NODA'') that presented a provisional analysis 
estimating the potential economic impacts and energy savings that could 
result from promulgating a regulatory energy conservation standard for 
commercial and industrial fans and blowers. 79 FR 73246.\3\ The 
December 2014 NODA analysis relied on an electric input power based 
metric (i.e., ``wire-to-air''), the fan energy index (FEI). The FEI of 
a fan was defined as the average electric input power, or fan energy 
rating, of a fan that exactly meets the efficiency level being analyzed 
(FERSTD), divided by the average electric input power or fan 
energy rating of the fan (FER). In the December 2014 NODA, the FER was 
calculated over a specific load profile based on the fan's flow at peak 
total efficiency \4\ and at a specified speed.\5\
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    \3\ The December 2014 NODA comment period was originally 
scheduled to close on January 26, 2015. DOE subsequently published a 
notice in the Federal Register extending the comment period to 
February 25, 2015, to allow additional time for interested parties 
to submit comments.
    \4\ The efficiency of a fan is defined as the ratio of air 
output power to mechanical input power. Fan efficiency varies 
depending on the output flow and pressure. The best efficiency point 
or BEP represents the flow and pressure values at which the fan 
efficiency is maximized when operating at a given speed.
    \5\ In the December 2014 NODA, DOE calculated the FEI at the 
speed corresponding to the highest electric motor synchronous speed 
configuration that exists within the fan's operational speed range.
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    In October 2014, several energy efficiency advocates and 
representatives of fan manufacturers \6\ (the ``Joint Stakeholders'') 
presented a different energy metric approach to DOE called ``Fan 
Efficiency Ratio''. The Joint Stakeholder approach included a fan 
efficiency only metric (FERH) as well as a wire-to-air 
metric (FERW).\7\ This metric approach was described in more 
details by AMCA in a white paper (``AMCA white paper'') published in 
December 2014 which AMCA included in comments to the December 2014 
NODA.\8\ (AMCA, No. 48 at p. 15) Based on the additional information 
received, and comments to the December 2014 NODA, DOE revised its 
analysis. This second NODA presents an analysis that characterizes fan 
performance and efficiency levels using a revised FEI metric that is 
based on the FERW presented by the Joint Stakeholders. (See 
section III.A for details on the revised FEI metric)
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    \6\ The Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA), New York 
Blower Company, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the 
Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP), and the Northwest 
Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA).
    \7\ Supporting documents from this meeting, including 
presentation slides are available at: http://www.regulations.gov/#a!documentDetail;D=EERE-2013-BT-STD-0006-0029.
    \8\ All comments are available at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2013-BT-STD-0006.
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II. Current Status

    The analyses described in this NODA were developed to support a 
potential energy conservation standard for commercial and industrial 
fans. As DOE announced in an April 2015 notice, DOE intends to 
establish a negotiated rulemaking working group under the Appliance 
Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC) in 
accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and the 
Negotiated Rulemaking Act (NRA) to negotiate proposed definitions, the 
equipment classes for which standards would be considered (including 
any system interaction effects), certain aspects of a proposed test 
procedure (if

[[Page 24843]]

applicable), and proposed energy conservation standards for fans and 
blowers. 80 FR 17359 (April 1, 2015)
    To examine these issues, and others as necessary, DOE will provide 
to all parties in the negotiation data and an analytic framework 
complete and accurate enough to support their deliberations. DOE is 
publishing this analysis to inform a prospective negotiation.
    In this NODA, DOE is not proposing any energy conservation 
standards for commercial and industrial fans. DOE may revise the 
analyses presented in this NODA based on any new or updated information 
or data it obtains during the course of the rulemaking. DOE encourages 
stakeholders to provide any additional data or information that may 
improve the analysis.

III. Summary of the Analyses Performed by DOE

    DOE developed a fan energy performance metric and conducted 
provisional analyses of commercial and industrial fans in the following 
areas: (1) Engineering; (2) manufacturer impacts; (3) LCC and PBP; and 
(4) national impacts. The metric and provisional analyses incorporate 
information received after the completion of the analysis for the 
December 2014 NODA, including the published fan industry white paper 
``Fan Efficiency Ratios'' and a database of confidential sales 
information provided by (AMCA). The fan energy performance metric and 
the tools used in preparing these analyses and their respective results 
are available at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-
2013-BT-STD-0006. Each individual spreadsheet includes an introduction 
that provides an overview of the contents of the spreadsheet. These 
spreadsheets present the various inputs and outputs to the analysis 
and, where necessary, instructions. Brief descriptions of the fan 
energy performance metric, of the provisional analyses, and of the 
supporting spreadsheet tools are provided below. If DOE proposes an 
energy conservation standard for commercial and industrial fans in a 
future NOPR, then DOE will publish a TSD containing a detailed written 
account of the analyses performed in support of the NOPR, which will 
include updates to the analyses made available in this NODA.

A. Energy Metric

    Commercial and industrial fan energy performance is a critical 
input in the provisional analyses discussed in this notice. For the 
purpose of this NODA, DOE revised the fan energy metric used to 
represent fan performance and characterize the efficiency levels 
analyzed in the December 2014 NODA. The revised FEI metric is based on 
an approach similar to the wire-to-air metric presented by the Joint 
Stakeholders to DOE in October 2014. AMCA subsequently published a 
white paper in December 2014 that describes the Joint Stakeholder 
approach in more detail. AMCA included this white paper in its 
publicily-available comments to the December 2014 NODA, which 
additional stakeholders supported in their written comments on the 
December 2014 NODA.9 10 (Joint Stakeholders, No. 50 at p. 2; 
AMCA, No. 48 at p. 15; CAIous, No. 49 at p. 2; Morrison, No. 51 at p. 
2)
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    \9\ Supporting documents from the October 2014 meeting, 
including presentation slides are available at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=EERE-2013-BT-STD-0006-0029.
    \10\ AMCA, Introducing Fan Efficiency Ratios, December 2014, 
http://www.amca.org/resources/FER_Whitepaper_single%20pages.pdf.
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    In this NODA, the FEI is defined as the electric input power of a 
fan, or fan energy rating that exactly meets the efficiency level being 
analyzed (FERSTD), divided by the electric input power, or 
fan energy rating, of a given fan model (FER) at a given operating 
point (characterized by a value of flow and total pressure). For a 
given operating point, an FEI value less than one would indicate that 
the fan does not meet the efficiency level being analyzed for that 
given operating point, while a value greater than one would indicate 
that the fan is more efficient than the efficiency level being analyzed 
at that given operating point. For each fan operating point, the FEI is 
calculated as:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP01MY15.008

    In order to calculate the FER of a fan, DOE assumed default motor 
full load and part load efficiency values, as well as default 
transmission losses: \11\
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    \11\ These default losses assumptions are presented in the LCC 
spreadsheet, in the ``Default Losses'' worksheet. The default 
transmission efficiency is equal to one in case of a direct driven 
fan.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP01MY15.009

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Where:

FERi: electrical input power (hp) at operating point i;
Qi: flow (cfm) at operating point i;
Pi: total fan efficiency (%) at operating point i;
[eta]fan,i: total fan efficiency (%) at operating point 
i;
[eta]T,i: default transmission efficiency (%) at oprating 
point i (equals 100% f the fan is a direct driven fan);
LM,i: default electric motor losses (hp) at operatin 
gpoint i;
BHPi: shaft input power (hp) at operating point i;
6343: conversion factor to I-P units.

    For the FERSTD calculation of a fan that exactly meets 
the efficiency level being analyzed, DOE used the same FER equation, 
except the calculation of the fan shaft input power is based on a 
minimum allowable fan total efficiency:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP01MY15.010

Where:

FERSTD,i: Maximum allowable electrical input power (hp) at operating 
point i;
BHPSTD,i: Maximum allowable shaft input power (hp) at operating 
point i;
Qi: flow (cfm) at operating point i;
Pi: total pressure (in.wg) at operating point i;
[eta]STD,i: minimum total fan efficiency (%) at operating point i ;
[eta]T,i: default transmission efficiency (%) at operating point i 
(the minimally

[[Page 24844]]

compliant fan is assumed to always be belt-driven);
LM,i: default electric motor losses (hp) at operating point i;
6343: conversion factor to I-P units.

    For all fan categories, the minimum fan total efficiency at a given 
operating point is expressed as a function of flow and total pressure, 
as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP01MY15.011

Where:

[eta]STD,i: Minimum total fan efficiency (%) at operating point i;
BHPSTD,i: Max allowable shaft input power (hp) at operating point i;
Q0: flow constant equal to 250
P0: total pressure constant equal to 0.4
[eta]target: constant used to establish the efficiency level \12\
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    \12\ The efficiency target is a constant that described the 
expected minimum allowable fan efficiency for very high flow and 
total pressure operating points at a given efficiency level.
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6343: conversion factor to I-P units

    This equation was based on the metric approach recommended by the 
Joint Stakeholders as well as on AMCA's proposed values for 
Q0 and P0 and on DOE's preliminary review of the 
applicability of this equation.\13\
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    \13\ See AMCA's DOE Fan efficiency Proposal presented at the 
59th AMCA Annual Meeting, January 24, 2015. http://www.amca.org/adovacy/documents/DOEFanEfficiencyProposal-AMCAAnnualMeetingRedux1-24-15.pdf.
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    The primary difference between the revised FEI metric used in this 
NODA and the wire-to-air metric recommended by the Joint Stakeholders 
is that the Joint Stakeholders recommend using an equation expressing 
static efficiency \14\ as a function of static pressure and flow when 
calculating FER and FERSTD at a given operating point for 
unducted fans (i.e. fans generally applied without a duct on their 
outlet), instead of using total efficiency as a function of total 
pressure and flow, as recommended for ducted fans.\15\ In its white 
paper, AMCA states that a metric based on static efficiency should be 
used for unducted fans, to accommodate the selection of unducted fans 
based on the use of static pressure. AMCA noted, however, that this 
opinion is not shared across all the industry. Three additional 
representatives of the industry agreed that static efficiency should be 
the basis for any metric related to unducted fans because of existing 
selection practices, while one recommended using total efficiency for 
all fan categories. (Joint Stakeholders, No. 50 at p. 3; AMCA, No. 48 
at p. 16; CES Group LLC, No. 40 at p. 1; Multi-wing, No. 52 at p. 2; 
Carrier, No. 43 at p. 6; Morrison, No. 51 at p. 2)
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    \14\ Static efficiency is equal to the total efficiency 
multiplied by the ratio of static pressure to total pressure, at a 
given point of operation. Static pressure is the difference between 
fan total pressure and fan velocity pressure at a given point of 
operation.
    \15\ Unducted fans include the following fan categories: Axial 
unhoused, centrifugal unhoused, and power roof ventilators.
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    DOE understands that using static pressure may be useful for 
selecting unducted fans, however, because static efficiency is, by 
definition, calculated using total pressure, and because the shaft 
input power of a fan is a function of the fan's total output power and 
total efficiency, DOE maintained the use of an energy metric based on 
total pressure and total efficiency for all fan categories.\16\ DOE 
does not believe this approach would prevent end-users from selecting 
fans using either static or total pressure.
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    \16\ The fan's total output power is the power delivered to the 
air (or gas). It is proportional to the product of the fan airflow 
rate and fan total pressure (if air were incompressible).
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B. Engineering Analysis

    The engineering analysis establishes the relationship between the 
manufacturer production cost (MPC) and efficiency levels of commercial 
and industrial fans and blowers. This relationship serves as the basis 
for calculations performed in the other analysis tools to estimate the 
costs and benefits to individual consumers, manufacturers, and the 
nation.
    As a first step in the engineering analysis, DOE established seven 
provisional fan groups based on characteristics such as the direction 
of airflow through the fan and the presence of a housing. While DOE 
analyzed seven provisional fan groups in this NODA, DOE expects the 
working group to discuss and ultimately recommend equipment classes for 
which standards would be considered. For each of the seven provisional 
fan groupings, DOE identified existing technology options that could 
affect efficiency. DOE then conducted a screening analysis to review 
each technology option and decide whether it: (1) Is technologically 
feasible; (2) is practicable to manufacture, install, and service; (3) 
would adversely affect product utility or product availability; or (4) 
would have adverse impacts on health and safety. The technology options 
remaining after the screening analysis consisted of a variety of 
impeller types and guide vanes. DOE used these technology options to 
divide the fan groups into subgroups and conducted a market-based 
assessment of the prevalence of each subgroup at the different 
efficiency levels analyzed using the sales data provided by AMCA. This 
NODA has fewer subgroups than the December 2014 NODA due to limitations 
in the sales data provided by AMCA. DOE analyzed six efficiency levels 
in this NODA, each representing a different efficiency target 
([eta]target). AMCA presented results for an efficiency target of 62 
percent for ducted fans.\17\ This NODA includes one efficiency level 
representing the same efficiency target as well as additional levels 
above and below.
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    \17\ See AMCA's DOE Fan efficiency Proposal presented at the 
59th AMCA Annual Meeting, January 24, 2015. http://www.amca.org/adovacy/documents/DOEFanEfficiencyProposal-AMCAAnnualMeetingRedux1-24-15.pdf
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    DOE estimated the MPCs for each technology option for each fan 
group as a function of blade or impeller diameter, independent of 
efficiency level. DOE then calculated MPCs for each fan group at each 
efficiency level analyzed by weighting the MPCs of each technology 
option within a group by its prevalence at the efficiency level being 
analyzed. The MPCs were derived from product teardowns and publically-
available product literature and informed by interviews with 
manufacturers.
    DOE's preliminary MPC estimates indicate that the changes in MPC as 
efficiency level increases are small or, in some fan groups, zero. 
However, DOE is aware that aerodynamic redesigns are a primary method 
by which manufacturers improve fan performance. These redesigns require 
manufacturers to make large upfront investments for R&D, testing and 
prototyping, and purchasing new production equipment. DOE's preliminary 
findings indicate that the magnitude of these upfront costs is more 
significant than the difference in MPC of a fan redesigned for 
efficiency compared to its precursor. For this NODA, DOE included a 
conversion cost markup in its calculation of the manufacturer selling 
price (MSP) to account for these

[[Page 24845]]

conversion costs. These markups and associated MSPs were developed and 
applied in downstream analyses. They are discussed in section C and 
presented in the engineering analysis and conversion cost spreadsheet.
    The main outputs of the commercial and industrial fans engineering 
analysis are the MPCs of each fan group (including material, labor, and 
overhead) and technology option distributions at each efficiency level 
analyzed.

C. Manufacturer Impact Analysis

    For the MIA, DOE used the Government Regulatory Impact Model (GRIM) 
to assess the economic impact of potential standards on commercial and 
industrial fan manufacturers. DOE developed key industry average 
financial parameters for the GRIM using publicly available data from 
corporate annual reports along with information received through 
confidential interviews with manufacturers. These values include 
average industry tax rate; working capital rate; net property, plant, 
and equipment rate; selling, general, and administrative expense rate; 
research and development expense rate; depreciation rate; capital 
expenditure rate; and manufacturer discount rate.
    Additionally, DOE calculated total industry capital and product 
conversion costs associated with meeting all analyzed efficiency 
levels. DOE first estimated the average industry capital and product 
conversion costs associated with redesigning a single fan model to meet 
a specific efficiency level. DOE estimated these costs for all 
technology options within each fan group. DOE multiplied the per model 
conversion costs by the number of models that would be required to be 
redesigned at each potential standard level to arrive at the total 
industry conversion costs. The number of models that would be 
redesigned was calculated using information from the AMCA sales 
database.
    In the December 2014 NODA, DOE assumed a redesign time of six 
months and an additional testing time of six months. Five 
representatives of the industry commented that six months was not a 
representative redesign time and made recommendations ranging from 12 
to 24 months. (AHRI, No. 53 at p. 8; AMCA, No. 48 at p. 4; Carrier, No. 
43 at p. 2; Greenheck, No. 54 at p. 5; Morrison, No. 51 at p. 4) DOE 
revised its conversion cost estimates in this NODA to assume a redesign 
time of 12 months and additional testing time of 6 months.
    The GRIM uses these estimated values in conjunction with inputs 
from other analyses including the MPCs from the engineering analysis, 
the annual shipments by fan group from the NIA, and the manufacturer 
markups for the cost recovery markup scenario from the LCC analysis to 
model industry annual cash flows from the base year through the end of 
the analysis period. The primary quantitative output of this model is 
the industry net present value (INPV), which DOE calculates as the sum 
of industry annual cash flows, discounted to the present day using the 
industry specific weighted average cost of capital, or manufacturer 
discount rate.
    Standards can affect INPV in several ways including requiring 
upfront investments in manufacturing capital as well as research and 
development expenses, which increase the cost of production and 
potentially alter manufacturer markups. DOE expects that manufacturers 
may lose a portion of INPV due to standards. The potential loss in INPV 
due to standards is calculated as the difference between INPV in the 
base-case (absent new energy conservation standards) and the INPV in 
the standards case (with new energy conservation standards in effect). 
DOE examines a range of possible impacts on industry by modeling 
various pricing strategies commercial and industrial fan manufacturers 
may adopt following the adoption of new energy conservations standards 
for commercial and industrial fans.
    In addition to INPV, the MIA also calculates the manufacturer 
markups, which are applied to the MPCs derived in the engineering 
analysis, to arrive at the manufacturer selling prices (MSPs) in the 
base case. For efficiency levels above the baseline, which require 
manufacturers to redesign models that do not meet the potential 
standards, conversion cost recovery markups were incorporated into the 
MSP in addition to the manufacturer markup. These conversion markups 
are based on the total conversion costs from the MIA and calculated to 
allow manufacturers to recover their upfront conversion costs. They are 
calculated by amortizing the conversion investment over the units 
shipped throughout the analysis period that were redesigned to meet the 
efficiency level being analyzed. The base case and standards case MSPs 
were used as inputs for downstream analyses.

D. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period Analyses

    The LCC and PBP analyses determine the economic impact of potential 
standards on individual consumers, in the compliance year. The LCC is 
the total cost of purchasing, installing and operating a commercial or 
industrial fan over the course of its lifetime.
    DOE determines the LCC by considering: (1) The total installed cost 
to the consumer (which consists of manufacturer selling price, 
distribution channel markups, and sales taxes); (2) the range of annual 
energy consumption of commercial and industrial fans as they are used 
in the field; (3) the operating cost of commercial and industrial fans 
(e.g., energy cost); (4) equipment lifetime; and (5) a discount rate 
that reflects the real consumer cost of capital and puts the LCC in 
present-value terms. The PBP represents the number of years needed to 
recover the increase in purchase price of higher-efficiency commercial 
and industrial fans through savings in the operating cost. PBP is 
calculated by dividing the incremental increase in installed cost of 
the higher efficiency product, compared to the baseline product, by the 
annual savings in operating costs.
    For each considered standards case corresponding to each efficiency 
level, DOE measures the change in LCC relative to the base case. The 
base case is characterized by the distribution of equipment 
efficiencies in the absence of new standards (i.e., what consumers 
would have purchased in the compliance year in the absence of new 
standards). In the standards cases, equipment with efficiency below the 
standard levels ``roll-up'' to the standard level in the compliance 
year.
    To characterize annual fan operating hours, DOE established 
statistical distributions of consumers of each fan category across 
sectors (industry or commercial) and applications (clean air 
ventilation, exhaust, combustion, drying, process air, process heating/
cooling, and others), which in turn determined the fan's operating 
hours. Recognizing that several inputs to the determination of consumer 
LCC and PBP are either variable or uncertain (e.g., annual energy 
consumption, lifetime, discount rate), DOE conducts the LCC and PBP 
analysis by modeling both the uncertainty and variability in the inputs 
using Monte Carlo simulations and probability distributions.
    In addition to characterizing several of the inputs to the analyses 
with probability distributions, DOE developed a sample of individual 
fan selections (i.e., a fan models and the operating flow and pressure 
values for which they were purchased) using fan sales data provided by 
AMCA \18\. By

[[Page 24846]]

developing this sample, DOE was able to perform the LCC and PBP 
calculations for each fan selection to account for the variability in 
energy consumption associated with each fan selection. DOE notes that 
when developing the LCC sample, it did not include fan sales data for 
which no flow and pressure selection information was available.
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    \18\ See description in LCC spreadsheet, LCC sample description 
worksheet.
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    The primary outputs of the LCC and PBP analyses are: (1) Average 
LCC in each standards case; (2) average PBPs; (3) average LCC savings 
at each standards case relative to the base case; and (4) the 
percentage of consumers that experience a net benefit, have no impact, 
or have a net cost for each fan group and efficiency level. The average 
annual energy consumption derived in the LCC analysis is used as an 
input in the NIA.

E. National Impact Analysis

    The NIA estimates the national energy savings (NES) and the net 
present value (NPV) of total consumer costs and savings expected to 
result from potential new standards at each EL. DOE calculated NES and 
NPV for each EL as the difference between a base case forecast (without 
new standards) and the standards case forecast (with standards). 
Cumulative energy savings are the sum of the annual NES determined for 
the lifetime of a commercial or industrial fan shipped during a 30 year 
analysis period assumed to start in 2019.\19\ Energy savings include 
the full-fuel cycle energy savings (i.e., the energy needed to extract, 
process, and deliver primary fuel sources such as coal and natural gas, 
and the conversion and distribution losses of generating electricity 
from those fuel sources). The NPV is the sum over time of the 
discounted net savings each year, which consists of the difference 
between total energy cost savings and increases in total equipment 
costs. NPV results are reported for discount rates of 3 and 7 percent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \19\ The LCC and NIA spreadsheet provide results for a different 
compliance year (2019, 2020, and 2021).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To calculate the NES and NPV, DOE projected future shipments \20\ 
and efficiency distributions (for each EL) for each potential 
commercial and industrial fan category. DOE recognizes the uncertainty 
in projecting shipments and electricity prices; as a result the NIA 
includes several different scenarios for each. Other inputs to the NIA 
include the estimated commercial and industrial fan lifetime used in 
the LCC analysis, manufacturer selling prices from the MIA, average 
annual energy consumption, and efficiency distributions from the LCC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \20\ The ``shipments'' worksheet of the NIA spreadsheet presents 
the scope of the analysis and the total shipments value in units for 
the fans in scope.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Public Comment

    DOE is interested in receiving comment on all aspects of this 
analysis. DOE is particularly interested in receiving comments and 
views of interested parties concerning the following issues:
    1. DOE requests comments on the equation expressing fan total 
efficiency as presented in this notice, as a function of flow and total 
pressure.
    2. DOE requests comment on the values of the flow constant 
(Q0) and total pressure constant (P0) used to 
calculate the minimum fan total efficiency at a given operating point.
    3. DOE requests comments on the default transmission efficiency 
equation used in the FEI calculation.
    4. DOE requests comments on the default motor losses assumptions 
used in the FEI calculation.
    5. DOE requests comments on how manufacturers determine/would 
determine whether to redesign or eliminate a fan model that is not 
compliant at an operating point or points at which it has been sold 
previously.
    6. DOE estimated the number of redesigns at each efficiency level 
based on the sales data provided by AMCA. DOE recognizes that the AMCA 
data does not include all commercial and industrial fan sales for the 
industry, and that existing fans can operate at more selection points 
than those at which they were sold as represented in the AMCA sales 
database. DOE requests comments on whether the resulting total 
conversion costs presented in the spreadsheets released with this NODA 
are representative of the industry at the efficiency levels analyzed. 
If not, how should the number of redesigns be adjusted to be 
representative of the industry?
    7. DOE requests additional information to allow quantifying 
installation, repair, and maintenance costs for industrial and 
commercial fans.
    8. DOE requests additional information to allow quantifying 
lifetimes for industrial and commercial fans.
    9. DOE requests additional information to allow quantifying annual 
operating hours for industrial and commercial fans.
    10. DOE seeks inputs and comments on the estimates of flow and 
total pressure operating points used in the energy use analysis.
    11. DOE requests comments on how to account for consumers 
purchasing fans without providing any selection data (i.e., design flow 
and pressure values) in the LCC calculations.
    12. DOE requests comment on determining the motor horsepower based 
on 120 percent of the fan shaft input power when performing the energy 
use calculation.
    13. DOE requests comments on the method used in the LCC to identify 
fans that could be considered substitutes.
    14. DOE seeks comments and inputs regarding the use of typical fan 
curves and efficiency curves in order to calculate fan shaft input 
power at different flow and pressure values based on a fan selection's 
performance data at a single given design point.
    15. DOE seeks inputs to support the development of trends in fan 
efficiency over time in the base case and in the standards cases.
    The purpose of this NODA is to notify industry, manufacturers, 
consumer groups, efficiency advocates, government agencies, and other 
stakeholders of the publication of an analysis of potential energy 
conservation standards for commercial and industrial fans. Stakeholders 
should contact DOE for any additional information pertaining to the 
analyses performed for this NODA.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 21, 2015.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2015-10036 Filed 4-30-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P



                                                                                Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 84 / Friday, May 1, 2015 / Proposed Rules                                           24841

                                                    regulations, may exempt individual                      minimum standards that must be met                    SUMMARY:    The U.S. Department of
                                                    nonhuman primates from the plan for                     for an environment to be considered                   Energy (DOE) has completed a
                                                    scientific reasons, provided these                      ethologically appropriate?                            provisional analysis of the potential
                                                    reasons are set forth in a research                        2. What constitutes an ethologically               economic impacts and energy savings
                                                    proposal and reviewed by the IACUC.                     appropriate environment for a                         that could result from promulgating an
                                                       On May 7, 2014, APHIS received a                     nonhuman primate? Does this differ                    energy conservation standard for
                                                    petition submitted jointly by the New                   among species of nonhuman primates?                   commercial and industrial fans and
                                                    England Anti-Vivisection Society, the                   If so, how does it differ?                            blowers. This analysis incorporates
                                                    North American Primate Sanctuary                           3. Are there any environmental                     information and comments received
                                                    Alliance, the Laboratory Primate                        conditions that make an environment                   after the completion of an analysis
                                                    Advocacy Group, and the Animal Legal                    ethologically inappropriate for a                     presented in a notice of data availability
                                                    Defense Fund requesting that we initiate                nonhuman primate? If so, what are                     (NODA) published in December 2014.
                                                    rulemaking to amend the AWA                             they? Do they differ among species of                 At this time, DOE is not proposing an
                                                    regulations. Specifically, the petition                 nonhuman primates?                                    energy conservation standard for
                                                    asks that we amend § 3.81 to require                       4. Does an ethologically appropriate               commercial and industrial fans and
                                                    that research facilities construct and                  environment for nonhuman primates                     blowers. This analysis may be used in
                                                    maintain an ethologically appropriate                   used in research differ from an                       support of the Appliance Standards
                                                    environment for nonhuman primates                       ethologically appropriate environment                 Federal Rulemaking Advisory
                                                    housed at the facilities, that is, an                   for nonhuman primates that are sold or                Committee (ASRAC) commercial and
                                                    environment that is appropriate with                    exhibited? If so, in what ways does it                industrial fans working group
                                                    respect to the patterns of behavior                     differ?                                               negotiations to develop a
                                                    exhibited by the nonhuman primates in                      5. Who should make the                             recommendation for regulating
                                                    their natural state. The petition also asks             determination regarding the ethological               commercial and industrial fans. DOE
                                                    that we amend § 3.81 to specify                         appropriateness of the environment for                encourages stakeholders to provide any
                                                    minimum standards that must be met in                   nonhuman primates at a particular                     additional data or information that may
                                                    order for an environment to be                          research facility: The attending                      improve the analysis and to present
                                                    considered ethologically appropriate.                   veterinarian for the facility, APHIS, or              comments submitted to this NODA and
                                                    The petition cites standards recently                   both parties? If both parties should                  to the NODA published in December
                                                    adopted by the National Institutes of                   jointly make such a determination,                    2014 to the working group.
                                                    Health (NIH) for chimpanzees used in                    which responsibilities should fall to the             DATES: Information is available as of
                                                    NIH-funded research as a reference                      attending veterinarian and which to                   May 1, 2015.
                                                    point for the development of such                       APHIS?
                                                    generally applicable minimum                                                                                  ADDRESSES: The analysis for this NODA
                                                                                                               We encourage the submission of                     is available at: http://www1.eere.energy.
                                                    standards and as evidence of their                      scientific data, studies, or research to
                                                    feasibility.                                                                                                  gov/buildings/appliance_standards/
                                                                                                            support your comments and position.                   rulemaking.aspx?ruleid=25.
                                                       The petition agrees that the intent of
                                                                                                            We also invite data on the costs and                     Interested persons are encouraged to
                                                    § 3.81 of the AWA regulations is to
                                                                                                            benefits associated with any                          submit comments using the Federal
                                                    ensure that the environment provided to
                                                                                                            recommendations. We will consider all                 eRulemaking Portal at: http://
                                                    nonhuman primates housed at research
                                                                                                            comments and recommendations                          www.regulations.gov. Follow the
                                                    facilities promotes the psychological
                                                                                                            received.                                             instructions for submitting comments.
                                                    well-being of the primates. The petition
                                                    suggests, however, that because of                        Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2131–2159; 7 CFR 2.22,          Alternatively, interested persons may
                                                    ambiguities in the current regulations,                 2.80, and 371.7.                                      submit comments, identified by Docket
                                                    research facilities have broad discretion                 Done in Washington, DC, this 27th day of            number EERE–2013–BT–STD–0006, by
                                                    regarding the actual environment                        April 2015.                                           any of the following methods:
                                                    provided to nonhuman primates at their                  Kevin Shea,                                              (1) Email: to CIFB2013STD0006@
                                                    facilities, and can meet the requirements               Administrator, Animal and Plant Health                ee.doe.gov. Include EERE–2013–BT–
                                                    in § 3.81 without actually meeting their                Inspection Service.                                   STD–0006 in the subject line of the
                                                    intent.                                                 [FR Doc. 2015–10195 Filed 4–30–15; 8:45 am]           message. Submit electronic comments
                                                       The petition states that, by amending                BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
                                                                                                                                                                  in WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF,
                                                    the AWA regulations in the manner that                                                                        or ASCII file format, and avoid the use
                                                    the petitioners suggest, we would                                                                             of special characters or any form of
                                                    remove these ambiguities and facilitate                                                                       encryption.
                                                    regulatory compliance.                                  DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY                                     (2) Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S.
                                                       We are making this petition available                                                                      Department of Energy, Building
                                                                                                            10 CFR Part 431                                       Technologies Program, Mailstop EE–2J,
                                                    to the public and soliciting comments to
                                                    help determine what action, if any, to                  [Docket No. EERE–2013–BT–STD–0006]                    Revisions to Energy Efficiency
                                                    take in response to this request. The                                                                         Enforcement Regulations, EERE–2013–
                                                    petition and any comments submitted                     RIN 1904–AC55                                         BT–STD–0006, 1000 Independence
                                                    are available for review as indicated                                                                         Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585–
                                                    under ADDRESSES above. We welcome                       Energy Conservation Standards for                     0121. Phone: (202) 586–2945. If
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                                                    all comments on the issues outlined in                  Commercial and Industrial Fans and                    possible, please submit all items on a
                                                    the petition. In particular, we invite                  Blowers: Availability of Provisional                  CD, in which case it is not necessary to
                                                    responses to the following questions:                   Analysis Tools                                        include printed copies.
                                                       1. Should APHIS amend § 3.81 of the                  AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and                  (3) Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms.
                                                    AWA regulations to require research                     Renewable Energy, Department of                       Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of
                                                    facilities to construct and maintain an                 Energy.                                               Energy, Building Technologies Program,
                                                    ethologically appropriate environment                                                                         6th Floor, 950 L’Enfant Plaza SW.,
                                                                                                            ACTION: Notice of Data Availability.
                                                    for nonhuman primates, and specify the                                                                        Washington, DC 20024. Phone: (202)


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                                                    24842                       Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 84 / Friday, May 1, 2015 / Proposed Rules

                                                    586–2945. If possible, please submit all                I. History of Energy Conservation                     fan (FER). In the December 2014 NODA,
                                                    items on a CD, in which case it is not                  Standards Rulemaking for Commercial                   the FER was calculated over a specific
                                                    necessary to include printed copies.                    and Industrial Fans and Blowers                       load profile based on the fan’s flow at
                                                       (4) Instructions: All submissions                       The Energy Policy and Conservation                 peak total efficiency 4 and at a specified
                                                    received must include the agency name                   Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended,                       speed.5
                                                                                                            established the Energy Conservation                      In October 2014, several energy
                                                    and docket number or RIN for this
                                                                                                            Program for Certain Industrial                        efficiency advocates and representatives
                                                    rulemaking.
                                                                                                            Equipment under Title III, Part C. (42                of fan manufacturers 6 (the ‘‘Joint
                                                       Docket: The docket, which includes                                                                         Stakeholders’’) presented a different
                                                    Federal Register notices, comments,                     U.S.C. 6311–6317, as codified) 1
                                                                                                            Included among the various types of                   energy metric approach to DOE called
                                                    and other supporting documents/                                                                               ‘‘Fan Efficiency Ratio’’. The Joint
                                                                                                            industrial equipment addressed by
                                                    materials, is available for review at                                                                         Stakeholder approach included a fan
                                                                                                            EPCA are commercial and industrial
                                                    www.regulations.gov. All documents in                                                                         efficiency only metric (FERH) as well as
                                                                                                            fans and blowers, the subject of this
                                                    the docket are listed in the                                                                                  a wire-to-air metric (FERW).7 This metric
                                                                                                            notice. (42 U.S.C. 6311(2) (A)) All
                                                    www.regulations.gov index. However,                                                                           approach was described in more details
                                                                                                            references to EPCA refer to the statute
                                                    not all documents listed in the index                                                                         by AMCA in a white paper (‘‘AMCA
                                                                                                            as amended through the American
                                                    may be publicly available, such as                      Energy Manufacturing Technical                        white paper’’) published in December
                                                    information that is exempt from public                  Corrections Act (AEMTCA), Public Law                  2014 which AMCA included in
                                                    disclosure.                                                                                                   comments to the December 2014
                                                                                                            112–210 (December 18, 2012).
                                                       A link to the docket Web page can be                    DOE initiated the current rulemaking               NODA.8 (AMCA, No. 48 at p. 15) Based
                                                    found at: http://www.regulations.gov/                   by publishing a proposed coverage                     on the additional information received,
                                                    #!docketDetail;D=EERE-2013-BT-STD-                      determination for commercial and                      and comments to the December 2014
                                                    0006. The www.regulations.gov Web                       industrial fans and blowers. 76 FR                    NODA, DOE revised its analysis. This
                                                    page contains instructions on how to                    37678 (June 28, 2011). This was                       second NODA presents an analysis that
                                                                                                            followed by the publication of a Notice               characterizes fan performance and
                                                    access all documents in the docket,
                                                                                                            of Public Meeting and Availability of                 efficiency levels using a revised FEI
                                                    including public comments. See
                                                                                                                                                                  metric that is based on the FERW
                                                    ADDRESSES, for further information on                   the Framework Document for
                                                                                                                                                                  presented by the Joint Stakeholders.
                                                    how to submit comments through                          commercial and industrial fans and
                                                                                                                                                                  (See section III.A for details on the
                                                    www.regulations.gov.                                    blowers in the Federal Register. In the
                                                                                                                                                                  revised FEI metric)
                                                                                                            Framework Document, DOE requested
                                                    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                        feedback from interested parties on                   II. Current Status
                                                      Ms. Ashley Armstrong, U.S.                            many issues related to analyses DOE                      The analyses described in this NODA
                                                    Department of Energy, Office of Energy                  would conduct as part of the                          were developed to support a potential
                                                    Efficiency and Renewable Energy,                        rulemaking, such as the engineering                   energy conservation standard for
                                                    Building Technologies, EE–2J, 1000                      analysis, the manufacturer impact                     commercial and industrial fans. As DOE
                                                    Independence Avenue SW.,                                analysis (MIA), the life-cycle cost (LCC)             announced in an April 2015 notice,
                                                    Washington, DC 20585–0121.                              and payback period (PBP) analyses, and                DOE intends to establish a negotiated
                                                    Telephone: (202) 586–6590. Email:                       the national impact analysis (NIA). 78                rulemaking working group under the
                                                    CIFansBlowers@ee.doe.gov.                               FR 7306 (February 1, 2013).2                          Appliance Standards and Rulemaking
                                                                                                               On December 10, 2014, DOE                          Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC)
                                                      Mr. Peter Cochran, U.S. Department of
                                                                                                            published a Notice of Data Availability               in accordance with the Federal
                                                    Energy, Office of the General Counsel,
                                                                                                            (the ‘‘December 2014 NODA’’) that                     Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and
                                                    GC–33, 1000 Independence Avenue
                                                                                                            presented a provisional analysis                      the Negotiated Rulemaking Act (NRA) to
                                                    SW., Washington, DC 20585–0121.
                                                                                                            estimating the potential economic                     negotiate proposed definitions, the
                                                    Telephone: (202) 586–9496. Email:
                                                                                                            impacts and energy savings that could                 equipment classes for which standards
                                                    peter.cochran@hq.doe.gov.
                                                                                                            result from promulgating a regulatory                 would be considered (including any
                                                      For further information on how to                     energy conservation standard for                      system interaction effects), certain
                                                    review other public comments and the                    commercial and industrial fans and                    aspects of a proposed test procedure (if
                                                    docket, contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at                   blowers. 79 FR 73246.3 The December
                                                    (202) 586–2945 or by email:                             2014 NODA analysis relied on an                          4 The efficiency of a fan is defined as the ratio of
                                                    Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.                              electric input power based metric (i.e.,              air output power to mechanical input power. Fan
                                                                                                            ‘‘wire-to-air’’), the fan energy index                efficiency varies depending on the output flow and
                                                    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                                                                                    pressure. The best efficiency point or BEP
                                                                                                            (FEI). The FEI of a fan was defined as                represents the flow and pressure values at which
                                                    Table of Contents                                       the average electric input power, or fan              the fan efficiency is maximized when operating at
                                                    I. History of Energy Conservation Standards
                                                                                                            energy rating, of a fan that exactly meets            a given speed.
                                                                                                                                                                     5 In the December 2014 NODA, DOE calculated
                                                          Rulemaking for Commercial and                     the efficiency level being analyzed
                                                                                                                                                                  the FEI at the speed corresponding to the highest
                                                          Industrial Fans and Blowers                       (FERSTD), divided by the average electric             electric motor synchronous speed configuration that
                                                    II. Current Status                                      input power or fan energy rating of the               exists within the fan’s operational speed range.
                                                                                                                                                                     6 The Air Movement and Control Association
                                                    III. Summary of the Analyses Performed by
                                                                                                              1 For editorial reasons, upon codification in the   (AMCA), New York Blower Company, Natural
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                                                          DOE
                                                                                                            U.S. Code, Part C was re-designated Part A–1.         Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Appliance
                                                       A. Energy Metric                                       2 Supporting documents are available at: http://    Standards Awareness Project (ASAP), and the
                                                       B. Engineering Analysis                              www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2013-       Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA).
                                                       C. Manufacturer Impact Analysis                      BT-STD-0006                                              7 Supporting documents from this meeting,

                                                       D. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period                  3 The December 2014 NODA comment period was         including presentation slides are available at:
                                                                                                            originally scheduled to close on January 26, 2015.    http://www.regulations.gov/#a!documentDetail;
                                                          Analyses
                                                                                                            DOE subsequently published a notice in the Federal    D=EERE-2013-BT-STD-0006-0029.
                                                       E. National Impact Analysis                          Register extending the comment period to February        8 All comments are available at: http://
                                                    IV. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Public                    25, 2015, to allow additional time for interested     www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2013-
                                                          Comment                                           parties to submit comments.                           BT-STD-0006.



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                                                                                Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 84 / Friday, May 1, 2015 / Proposed Rules                                                   24843

                                                    applicable), and proposed energy                        fan energy performance metric and the                 paper in December 2014 that describes
                                                    conservation standards for fans and                     tools used in preparing these analyses                the Joint Stakeholder approach in more
                                                    blowers. 80 FR 17359 (April 1, 2015)                    and their respective results are available            detail. AMCA included this white paper
                                                      To examine these issues, and others                   at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docket               in its publicily-available comments to
                                                    as necessary, DOE will provide to all                   Detail;D=EERE-2013-BT-STD-0006.                       the December 2014 NODA, which
                                                    parties in the negotiation data and an                  Each individual spreadsheet includes an               additional stakeholders supported in
                                                    analytic framework complete and                         introduction that provides an overview                their written comments on the
                                                    accurate enough to support their                        of the contents of the spreadsheet. These             December 2014 NODA.9 10 (Joint
                                                    deliberations. DOE is publishing this                   spreadsheets present the various inputs               Stakeholders, No. 50 at p. 2; AMCA, No.
                                                    analysis to inform a prospective                        and outputs to the analysis and, where                48 at p. 15; CAIous, No. 49 at p. 2;
                                                    negotiation.                                            necessary, instructions. Brief                        Morrison, No. 51 at p. 2)
                                                      In this NODA, DOE is not proposing                    descriptions of the fan energy
                                                    any energy conservation standards for                   performance metric, of the provisional                   In this NODA, the FEI is defined as
                                                    commercial and industrial fans. DOE                     analyses, and of the supporting                       the electric input power of a fan, or fan
                                                    may revise the analyses presented in                    spreadsheet tools are provided below. If              energy rating that exactly meets the
                                                    this NODA based on any new or                           DOE proposes an energy conservation                   efficiency level being analyzed
                                                    updated information or data it obtains                  standard for commercial and industrial                (FERSTD), divided by the electric input
                                                    during the course of the rulemaking.                    fans in a future NOPR, then DOE will                  power, or fan energy rating, of a given
                                                    DOE encourages stakeholders to provide                  publish a TSD containing a detailed                   fan model (FER) at a given operating
                                                    any additional data or information that                 written account of the analyses                       point (characterized by a value of flow
                                                    may improve the analysis.                               performed in support of the NOPR,                     and total pressure). For a given
                                                                                                            which will include updates to the                     operating point, an FEI value less than
                                                    III. Summary of the Analyses                                                                                  one would indicate that the fan does not
                                                    Performed by DOE                                        analyses made available in this NODA.
                                                                                                                                                                  meet the efficiency level being analyzed
                                                       DOE developed a fan energy                           A. Energy Metric                                      for that given operating point, while a
                                                    performance metric and conducted                          Commercial and industrial fan energy                value greater than one would indicate
                                                    provisional analyses of commercial and                  performance is a critical input in the                that the fan is more efficient than the
                                                    industrial fans in the following areas: (1)             provisional analyses discussed in this                efficiency level being analyzed at that
                                                    Engineering; (2) manufacturer impacts;                  notice. For the purpose of this NODA,                 given operating point. For each fan
                                                    (3) LCC and PBP; and (4) national                       DOE revised the fan energy metric used                operating point, the FEI is calculated as:
                                                    impacts. The metric and provisional                     to represent fan performance and
                                                    analyses incorporate information                        characterize the efficiency levels
                                                    received after the completion of the                    analyzed in the December 2014 NODA.
                                                    analysis for the December 2014 NODA,                    The revised FEI metric is based on an
                                                    including the published fan industry                    approach similar to the wire-to-air                     In order to calculate the FER of a fan,
                                                    white paper ‘‘Fan Efficiency Ratios’’ and               metric presented by the Joint                         DOE assumed default motor full load
                                                    a database of confidential sales                        Stakeholders to DOE in October 2014.                  and part load efficiency values, as well
                                                    information provided by (AMCA). The                     AMCA subsequently published a white                   as default transmission losses: 11




                                                    Where:                                                  hT,i: default transmission efficiency (%) at            For the FERSTD calculation of a fan
                                                    FERi: electrical input power (hp) at operating                oprating point i (equals 100% f the fan         that exactly meets the efficiency level
                                                          point i;                                                is a direct driven fan);                        being analyzed, DOE used the same FER
                                                    Qi: flow (cfm) at operating point i;                    LM,i: default electric motor losses (hp) at
                                                                                                                  operatin gpoint i;
                                                                                                                                                                  equation, except the calculation of the
                                                    Pi: total fan efficiency (%) at operating point
                                                          i;                                                BHPi: shaft input power (hp) at operating             fan shaft input power is based on a
                                                    hfan,i: total fan efficiency (%) at operating                 point i;                                        minimum allowable fan total efficiency:
                                                          point i;                                          6343: conversion factor to I–P units.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        EP01MY15.010</GPH>
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                                                    Where:                                                  BHPSTD,i: Maximum allowable shaft input               hSTD,i: minimum total fan efficiency (%) at
                                                    FERSTD,i: Maximum allowable electrical input                  power (hp) at operating point i;                      operating point i ;
                                                       power (hp) at operating point i;                     Qi: flow (cfm) at operating point i;                  hT,i: default transmission efficiency (%) at
                                                                                                            Pi: total pressure (in.wg) at operating point i;            operating point i (the minimally
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        EP01MY15.008</GPH> EP01MY15.009</GPH>




                                                       9 Supporting documents from the October 2014           10 AMCA, Introducing Fan Efficiency Ratios,           11 These default losses assumptions are presented

                                                    meeting, including presentation slides are available    December 2014, http://www.amca.org/resources/         in the LCC spreadsheet, in the ‘‘Default Losses’’
                                                    at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;        FER_Whitepaper_single%20pages.pdf.                    worksheet. The default transmission efficiency is
                                                    D=EERE-2013-BT-STD-0006-0029.                                                                                 equal to one in case of a direct driven fan.



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                                                    24844                         Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 84 / Friday, May 1, 2015 / Proposed Rules

                                                         compliant fan is assumed to always be                 6343: conversion factor to I–P units.                      point is expressed as a function of flow
                                                         belt-driven);                                                                                                    and total pressure, as follows:
                                                    LM,i: default electric motor losses (hp) at                  For all fan categories, the minimum
                                                         operating point i;                                    fan total efficiency at a given operating




                                                    Where:                                                     Stakeholders, No. 50 at p. 3; AMCA, No.                    variety of impeller types and guide
                                                    hSTD,i: Minimum total fan efficiency (%) at                48 at p. 16; CES Group LLC, No. 40 at                      vanes. DOE used these technology
                                                         operating point i;                                    p. 1; Multi-wing, No. 52 at p. 2; Carrier,                 options to divide the fan groups into
                                                    BHPSTD,i: Max allowable shaft input power                  No. 43 at p. 6; Morrison, No. 51 at p. 2)                  subgroups and conducted a market-
                                                         (hp) at operating point i;                               DOE understands that using static                       based assessment of the prevalence of
                                                    Q0: flow constant equal to 250                             pressure may be useful for selecting                       each subgroup at the different efficiency
                                                    P0: total pressure constant equal to 0.4
                                                                                                               unducted fans, however, because static                     levels analyzed using the sales data
                                                    htarget: constant used to establish the
                                                         efficiency level 12                                   efficiency is, by definition, calculated                   provided by AMCA. This NODA has
                                                    6343: conversion factor to I–P units                       using total pressure, and because the                      fewer subgroups than the December
                                                       This equation was based on the metric                   shaft input power of a fan is a function                   2014 NODA due to limitations in the
                                                    approach recommended by the Joint                          of the fan’s total output power and total                  sales data provided by AMCA. DOE
                                                    Stakeholders as well as on AMCA’s                          efficiency, DOE maintained the use of                      analyzed six efficiency levels in this
                                                    proposed values for Q0 and P0 and on                       an energy metric based on total pressure                   NODA, each representing a different
                                                    DOE’s preliminary review of the                            and total efficiency for all fan                           efficiency target (htarget). AMCA
                                                    applicability of this equation.13                          categories.16 DOE does not believe this                    presented results for an efficiency target
                                                       The primary difference between the                      approach would prevent end-users from                      of 62 percent for ducted fans.17 This
                                                    revised FEI metric used in this NODA                       selecting fans using either static or total                NODA includes one efficiency level
                                                    and the wire-to-air metric recommended                     pressure.                                                  representing the same efficiency target
                                                    by the Joint Stakeholders is that the                                                                                 as well as additional levels above and
                                                                                                               B. Engineering Analysis
                                                    Joint Stakeholders recommend using an                                                                                 below.
                                                    equation expressing static efficiency 14                     The engineering analysis establishes                        DOE estimated the MPCs for each
                                                                                                               the relationship between the                               technology option for each fan group as
                                                    as a function of static pressure and flow
                                                                                                               manufacturer production cost (MPC)                         a function of blade or impeller diameter,
                                                    when calculating FER and FERSTD at a
                                                                                                               and efficiency levels of commercial and                    independent of efficiency level. DOE
                                                    given operating point for unducted fans
                                                                                                               industrial fans and blowers. This                          then calculated MPCs for each fan group
                                                    (i.e. fans generally applied without a
                                                                                                               relationship serves as the basis for                       at each efficiency level analyzed by
                                                    duct on their outlet), instead of using
                                                                                                               calculations performed in the other                        weighting the MPCs of each technology
                                                    total efficiency as a function of total
                                                                                                               analysis tools to estimate the costs and                   option within a group by its prevalence
                                                    pressure and flow, as recommended for
                                                                                                               benefits to individual consumers,                          at the efficiency level being analyzed.
                                                    ducted fans.15 In its white paper, AMCA
                                                                                                               manufacturers, and the nation.                             The MPCs were derived from product
                                                    states that a metric based on static
                                                                                                                 As a first step in the engineering                       teardowns and publically-available
                                                    efficiency should be used for unducted
                                                                                                               analysis, DOE established seven                            product literature and informed by
                                                    fans, to accommodate the selection of
                                                                                                               provisional fan groups based on                            interviews with manufacturers.
                                                    unducted fans based on the use of static
                                                                                                               characteristics such as the direction of                      DOE’s preliminary MPC estimates
                                                    pressure. AMCA noted, however, that
                                                                                                               airflow through the fan and the presence                   indicate that the changes in MPC as
                                                    this opinion is not shared across all the
                                                                                                               of a housing. While DOE analyzed seven                     efficiency level increases are small or, in
                                                    industry. Three additional
                                                                                                               provisional fan groups in this NODA,                       some fan groups, zero. However, DOE is
                                                    representatives of the industry agreed
                                                                                                               DOE expects the working group to                           aware that aerodynamic redesigns are a
                                                    that static efficiency should be the basis
                                                                                                               discuss and ultimately recommend                           primary method by which
                                                    for any metric related to unducted fans
                                                                                                               equipment classes for which standards                      manufacturers improve fan
                                                    because of existing selection practices,
                                                                                                               would be considered. For each of the                       performance. These redesigns require
                                                    while one recommended using total
                                                                                                               seven provisional fan groupings, DOE                       manufacturers to make large upfront
                                                    efficiency for all fan categories. (Joint
                                                                                                               identified existing technology options                     investments for R&D, testing and
                                                       12 The efficiency target is a constant that
                                                                                                               that could affect efficiency. DOE then                     prototyping, and purchasing new
                                                    described the expected minimum allowable fan               conducted a screening analysis to                          production equipment. DOE’s
                                                    efficiency for very high flow and total pressure           review each technology option and                          preliminary findings indicate that the
                                                    operating points at a given efficiency level.              decide whether it: (1) Is technologically
                                                       13 See AMCA’s DOE Fan efficiency Proposal
                                                                                                                                                                          magnitude of these upfront costs is more
                                                                                                               feasible; (2) is practicable to                            significant than the difference in MPC of
                                                    presented at the 59th AMCA Annual Meeting,
                                                    January 24, 2015. http://www.amca.org/adovacy/             manufacture, install, and service; (3)                     a fan redesigned for efficiency compared
                                                    documents/DOEFanEfficiencyProposal-AMCA                    would adversely affect product utility or                  to its precursor. For this NODA, DOE
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                                                    AnnualMeetingRedux1-24-15.pdf.                             product availability; or (4) would have                    included a conversion cost markup in
                                                       14 Static efficiency is equal to the total efficiency
                                                                                                               adverse impacts on health and safety.                      its calculation of the manufacturer
                                                    multiplied by the ratio of static pressure to total
                                                    pressure, at a given point of operation. Static
                                                                                                               The technology options remaining after                     selling price (MSP) to account for these
                                                    pressure is the difference between fan total pressure      the screening analysis consisted of a
                                                    and fan velocity pressure at a given point of                                                                           17 See AMCA’s DOE Fan efficiency Proposal
                                                    operation.                                                   16 The  fan’s total output power is the power            presented at the 59th AMCA Annual Meeting,
                                                       15 Unducted fans include the following fan              delivered to the air (or gas). It is proportional to the   January 24, 2015. http://www.amca.org/adovacy/
                                                    categories: Axial unhoused, centrifugal unhoused,          product of the fan airflow rate and fan total pressure     documents/DOEFanEfficiencyProposal-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           EP01MY15.011</GPH>




                                                    and power roof ventilators.                                (if air were incompressible).                              AMCAAnnualMeetingRedux1-24-15.pdf



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                                                                                Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 84 / Friday, May 1, 2015 / Proposed Rules                                                  24845

                                                    conversion costs. These markups and                     analyses including the MPCs from the                  operating a commercial or industrial fan
                                                    associated MSPs were developed and                      engineering analysis, the annual                      over the course of its lifetime.
                                                    applied in downstream analyses. They                    shipments by fan group from the NIA,                     DOE determines the LCC by
                                                    are discussed in section C and presented                and the manufacturer markups for the                  considering: (1) The total installed cost
                                                    in the engineering analysis and                         cost recovery markup scenario from the                to the consumer (which consists of
                                                    conversion cost spreadsheet.                            LCC analysis to model industry annual                 manufacturer selling price, distribution
                                                       The main outputs of the commercial                   cash flows from the base year through                 channel markups, and sales taxes); (2)
                                                    and industrial fans engineering analysis                the end of the analysis period. The                   the range of annual energy consumption
                                                    are the MPCs of each fan group                          primary quantitative output of this                   of commercial and industrial fans as
                                                    (including material, labor, and                         model is the industry net present value               they are used in the field; (3) the
                                                    overhead) and technology option                         (INPV), which DOE calculates as the                   operating cost of commercial and
                                                    distributions at each efficiency level                  sum of industry annual cash flows,                    industrial fans (e.g., energy cost); (4)
                                                    analyzed.                                               discounted to the present day using the               equipment lifetime; and (5) a discount
                                                    C. Manufacturer Impact Analysis                         industry specific weighted average cost               rate that reflects the real consumer cost
                                                                                                            of capital, or manufacturer discount                  of capital and puts the LCC in present-
                                                       For the MIA, DOE used the                            rate.                                                 value terms. The PBP represents the
                                                    Government Regulatory Impact Model                         Standards can affect INPV in several               number of years needed to recover the
                                                    (GRIM) to assess the economic impact of                 ways including requiring upfront                      increase in purchase price of higher-
                                                    potential standards on commercial and                   investments in manufacturing capital as               efficiency commercial and industrial
                                                    industrial fan manufacturers. DOE                       well as research and development                      fans through savings in the operating
                                                    developed key industry average                          expenses, which increase the cost of                  cost. PBP is calculated by dividing the
                                                    financial parameters for the GRIM using                 production and potentially alter                      incremental increase in installed cost of
                                                    publicly available data from corporate                  manufacturer markups. DOE expects                     the higher efficiency product, compared
                                                    annual reports along with information                   that manufacturers may lose a portion of
                                                    received through confidential                                                                                 to the baseline product, by the annual
                                                                                                            INPV due to standards. The potential                  savings in operating costs.
                                                    interviews with manufacturers. These                    loss in INPV due to standards is
                                                    values include average industry tax rate;                                                                        For each considered standards case
                                                                                                            calculated as the difference between
                                                    working capital rate; net property, plant,                                                                    corresponding to each efficiency level,
                                                                                                            INPV in the base-case (absent new
                                                    and equipment rate; selling, general,                                                                         DOE measures the change in LCC
                                                                                                            energy conservation standards) and the
                                                    and administrative expense rate;                                                                              relative to the base case. The base case
                                                                                                            INPV in the standards case (with new
                                                    research and development expense rate;                                                                        is characterized by the distribution of
                                                                                                            energy conservation standards in effect).
                                                    depreciation rate; capital expenditure                                                                        equipment efficiencies in the absence of
                                                                                                            DOE examines a range of possible
                                                    rate; and manufacturer discount rate.                                                                         new standards (i.e., what consumers
                                                                                                            impacts on industry by modeling
                                                       Additionally, DOE calculated total                   various pricing strategies commercial                 would have purchased in the
                                                    industry capital and product conversion                 and industrial fan manufacturers may                  compliance year in the absence of new
                                                    costs associated with meeting all                       adopt following the adoption of new                   standards). In the standards cases,
                                                    analyzed efficiency levels. DOE first                   energy conservations standards for                    equipment with efficiency below the
                                                    estimated the average industry capital                  commercial and industrial fans.                       standard levels ‘‘roll-up’’ to the standard
                                                    and product conversion costs associated                    In addition to INPV, the MIA also                  level in the compliance year.
                                                    with redesigning a single fan model to                  calculates the manufacturer markups,                     To characterize annual fan operating
                                                    meet a specific efficiency level. DOE                   which are applied to the MPCs derived                 hours, DOE established statistical
                                                    estimated these costs for all technology                in the engineering analysis, to arrive at             distributions of consumers of each fan
                                                    options within each fan group. DOE                      the manufacturer selling prices (MSPs)                category across sectors (industry or
                                                    multiplied the per model conversion                     in the base case. For efficiency levels               commercial) and applications (clean air
                                                    costs by the number of models that                      above the baseline, which require                     ventilation, exhaust, combustion,
                                                    would be required to be redesigned at                   manufacturers to redesign models that                 drying, process air, process heating/
                                                    each potential standard level to arrive at              do not meet the potential standards,                  cooling, and others), which in turn
                                                    the total industry conversion costs. The                conversion cost recovery markups were                 determined the fan’s operating hours.
                                                    number of models that would be                          incorporated into the MSP in addition                 Recognizing that several inputs to the
                                                    redesigned was calculated using                         to the manufacturer markup. These                     determination of consumer LCC and
                                                    information from the AMCA sales                         conversion markups are based on the                   PBP are either variable or uncertain
                                                    database.                                               total conversion costs from the MIA and               (e.g., annual energy consumption,
                                                       In the December 2014 NODA, DOE                       calculated to allow manufacturers to                  lifetime, discount rate), DOE conducts
                                                    assumed a redesign time of six months                   recover their upfront conversion costs.               the LCC and PBP analysis by modeling
                                                    and an additional testing time of six                   They are calculated by amortizing the                 both the uncertainty and variability in
                                                    months. Five representatives of the                     conversion investment over the units                  the inputs using Monte Carlo
                                                    industry commented that six months                      shipped throughout the analysis period                simulations and probability
                                                    was not a representative redesign time                  that were redesigned to meet the                      distributions.
                                                    and made recommendations ranging                        efficiency level being analyzed. The                     In addition to characterizing several
                                                    from 12 to 24 months. (AHRI, No. 53 at                  base case and standards case MSPs were                of the inputs to the analyses with
                                                    p. 8; AMCA, No. 48 at p. 4; Carrier, No.
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                                                                                                            used as inputs for downstream analyses.               probability distributions, DOE
                                                    43 at p. 2; Greenheck, No. 54 at p. 5;                                                                        developed a sample of individual fan
                                                    Morrison, No. 51 at p. 4) DOE revised                   D. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period                 selections (i.e., a fan models and the
                                                    its conversion cost estimates in this                   Analyses                                              operating flow and pressure values for
                                                    NODA to assume a redesign time of 12                      The LCC and PBP analyses determine                  which they were purchased) using fan
                                                    months and additional testing time of 6                 the economic impact of potential                      sales data provided by AMCA 18. By
                                                    months.                                                 standards on individual consumers, in
                                                       The GRIM uses these estimated values                 the compliance year. The LCC is the                     18 See description in LCC spreadsheet, LCC

                                                    in conjunction with inputs from other                   total cost of purchasing, installing and              sample description worksheet.



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                                                    24846                       Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 84 / Friday, May 1, 2015 / Proposed Rules

                                                    developing this sample, DOE was able                    industrial fan lifetime used in the LCC               pressure operating points used in the
                                                    to perform the LCC and PBP                              analysis, manufacturer selling prices                 energy use analysis.
                                                    calculations for each fan selection to                  from the MIA, average annual energy                      11. DOE requests comments on how
                                                    account for the variability in energy                   consumption, and efficiency                           to account for consumers purchasing
                                                    consumption associated with each fan                    distributions from the LCC.                           fans without providing any selection
                                                    selection. DOE notes that when                                                                                data (i.e., design flow and pressure
                                                    developing the LCC sample, it did not                   IV. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Public
                                                                                                                                                                  values) in the LCC calculations.
                                                    include fan sales data for which no flow                Comment
                                                                                                                                                                     12. DOE requests comment on
                                                    and pressure selection information was                     DOE is interested in receiving                     determining the motor horsepower
                                                    available.                                              comment on all aspects of this analysis.              based on 120 percent of the fan shaft
                                                      The primary outputs of the LCC and                    DOE is particularly interested in                     input power when performing the
                                                    PBP analyses are: (1) Average LCC in                    receiving comments and views of                       energy use calculation.
                                                    each standards case; (2) average PBPs;                  interested parties concerning the                        13. DOE requests comments on the
                                                    (3) average LCC savings at each                         following issues:                                     method used in the LCC to identify fans
                                                    standards case relative to the base case;                  1. DOE requests comments on the                    that could be considered substitutes.
                                                    and (4) the percentage of consumers that                equation expressing fan total efficiency                 14. DOE seeks comments and inputs
                                                    experience a net benefit, have no                       as presented in this notice, as a function            regarding the use of typical fan curves
                                                    impact, or have a net cost for each fan                 of flow and total pressure.                           and efficiency curves in order to
                                                    group and efficiency level. The average                    2. DOE requests comment on the                     calculate fan shaft input power at
                                                    annual energy consumption derived in                    values of the flow constant (Q0) and                  different flow and pressure values based
                                                    the LCC analysis is used as an input in                 total pressure constant (P0) used to                  on a fan selection’s performance data at
                                                    the NIA.                                                calculate the minimum fan total                       a single given design point.
                                                                                                            efficiency at a given operating point.                   15. DOE seeks inputs to support the
                                                    E. National Impact Analysis                                3. DOE requests comments on the                    development of trends in fan efficiency
                                                       The NIA estimates the national energy                default transmission efficiency equation              over time in the base case and in the
                                                    savings (NES) and the net present value                 used in the FEI calculation.                          standards cases.
                                                    (NPV) of total consumer costs and                          4. DOE requests comments on the                       The purpose of this NODA is to notify
                                                    savings expected to result from potential               default motor losses assumptions used                 industry, manufacturers, consumer
                                                    new standards at each EL. DOE                           in the FEI calculation.                               groups, efficiency advocates,
                                                    calculated NES and NPV for each EL as                      5. DOE requests comments on how
                                                                                                                                                                  government agencies, and other
                                                    the difference between a base case                      manufacturers determine/would
                                                                                                                                                                  stakeholders of the publication of an
                                                    forecast (without new standards) and                    determine whether to redesign or
                                                                                                                                                                  analysis of potential energy
                                                    the standards case forecast (with                       eliminate a fan model that is not
                                                    standards). Cumulative energy savings                                                                         conservation standards for commercial
                                                                                                            compliant at an operating point or
                                                    are the sum of the annual NES                                                                                 and industrial fans. Stakeholders should
                                                                                                            points at which it has been sold
                                                    determined for the lifetime of a                                                                              contact DOE for any additional
                                                                                                            previously.
                                                    commercial or industrial fan shipped                       6. DOE estimated the number of                     information pertaining to the analyses
                                                    during a 30 year analysis period                        redesigns at each efficiency level based              performed for this NODA.
                                                    assumed to start in 2019.19 Energy                      on the sales data provided by AMCA.                     Issued in Washington, DC, on April 21,
                                                    savings include the full-fuel cycle                     DOE recognizes that the AMCA data                     2015.
                                                    energy savings (i.e., the energy needed                 does not include all commercial and                   Kathleen B. Hogan,
                                                    to extract, process, and deliver primary                industrial fan sales for the industry, and            Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy
                                                    fuel sources such as coal and natural                   that existing fans can operate at more                Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and Renewable
                                                    gas, and the conversion and distribution                selection points than those at which                  Energy.
                                                    losses of generating electricity from                   they were sold as represented in the                  [FR Doc. 2015–10036 Filed 4–30–15; 8:45 am]
                                                    those fuel sources). The NPV is the sum                 AMCA sales database. DOE requests                     BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
                                                    over time of the discounted net savings                 comments on whether the resulting total
                                                    each year, which consists of the                        conversion costs presented in the
                                                    difference between total energy cost                    spreadsheets released with this NODA                  SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
                                                    savings and increases in total equipment                are representative of the industry at the
                                                    costs. NPV results are reported for                     efficiency levels analyzed. If not, how               13 CFR Part 127
                                                    discount rates of 3 and 7 percent.                      should the number of redesigns be                     RIN 3245–AG72
                                                      To calculate the NES and NPV, DOE                     adjusted to be representative of the
                                                    projected future shipments 20 and                       industry?                                             Women-Owned Small Business
                                                    efficiency distributions (for each EL) for                 7. DOE requests additional                         Federal Contract Program
                                                    each potential commercial and                           information to allow quantifying
                                                    industrial fan category. DOE recognizes                 installation, repair, and maintenance                 AGENCY:  U.S. Small Business
                                                    the uncertainty in projecting shipments                 costs for industrial and commercial                   Administration.
                                                    and electricity prices; as a result the                 fans.                                                 ACTION: Proposed rule.
                                                    NIA includes several different scenarios                   8. DOE requests additional
                                                                                                                                                                  SUMMARY:  The U.S. Small Business
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                                                    for each. Other inputs to the NIA                       information to allow quantifying
                                                    include the estimated commercial and                    lifetimes for industrial and commercial               Administration (SBA) proposes to
                                                                                                            fans.                                                 amend its regulations to implement
                                                      19 The LCC and NIA spreadsheet provide results           9. DOE requests additional                         section 825 of the National Defense
                                                    for a different compliance year (2019, 2020, and        information to allow quantifying annual               Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015
                                                    2021).                                                                                                        (2015 NDAA). Section 825 of the 2015
                                                      20 The ‘‘shipments’’ worksheet of the NIA
                                                                                                            operating hours for industrial and
                                                    spreadsheet presents the scope of the analysis and      commercial fans.                                      NDAA included language granting
                                                    the total shipments value in units for the fans in         10. DOE seeks inputs and comments                  contracting officers the authority to
                                                    scope.                                                  on the estimates of flow and total                    award sole source contracts to Women-


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Document Created: 2018-02-21 10:20:33
Document Modified: 2018-02-21 10:20:33
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionNotice of Data Availability.
DatesInformation is available as of May 1, 2015.
ContactMs. Ashley Armstrong, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-6590. Email: [email protected]
FR Citation80 FR 24841 
RIN Number1904-AC55

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