83 FR 8463 - Final Determination Regarding Energy Efficiency Improvements in ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2016: Energy Standard for Buildings, Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 39 (February 27, 2018)

Page Range		8463-8465
FR Document		2018-03931
After receiving and reviewing public comments, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issues this Order finalizing DOE's determination that the 2016 edition of the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings, Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings improves overall energy efficiency in buildings subject to the code compared to the 2013 edition of Standard 90.1.
Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 39 (Tuesday, February 27, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8463-8465]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03931]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[EERE-2017-BT-DET-0046]


Final Determination Regarding Energy Efficiency Improvements in 
ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2016: Energy Standard for Buildings, 
Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings

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

ACTION: Notice of order.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: After receiving and reviewing public comments, the U.S. 
Department of Energy (DOE) issues this Order finalizing DOE's 
determination that the 2016 edition of the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 
90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings, Except Low-Rise Residential 
Buildings improves overall energy efficiency in buildings subject to 
the code compared to the 2013 edition of Standard 90.1.

DATES: This Order applies as of February 27, 2018.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the final analysis is available at https://www.energycodes.gov/development/determinations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeremiah Williams; U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW, EE-5B, Washington, DC 20585; (202) 441-1288; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Title III of the Energy Conservation and Production Act, as amended 
(ECPA), establishes requirements for building energy conservation 
standards, administered by the DOE Building Energy Codes Program. (42 
U.S.C. 6831 et seq.) Section 304(b), of ECPA, as amended, provides that 
whenever the ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1989 (Standard 90.1-1989 
or 1989 edition), or any successor to that code, is revised, the 
Secretary of Energy (Secretary) must make a determination, not later 
than 12 months after such revision, whether the revised code would 
improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings required to meet the 
standard, and must publish notice of such determination in the Federal 
Register. (42 U.S.C. 6833(b)(2)(A)) If the Secretary makes an 
affirmative determination, within two years of the publication of the 
determination, each State is required to certify that it has reviewed 
and updated the provisions of its commercial building code regarding 
energy efficiency with respect to the revised or successor code and 
include in its certification a demonstration that the provisions of its 
commercial building code, regarding energy efficiency, meet or exceed 
the revised Standard. (42 U.S.C. 6833(b)(2)(B)(i))
    Standard 90.1-2016, the most recent edition, was published by 
ASHRAE in October 2016, triggering the statutorily-required DOE review 
process. The Standard is developed under ANSI-approved consensus 
procedures, and is under continuous maintenance by an ASHRAE Standing 
Standard Project Committee (commonly referenced as SSPC 90.1). ASHRAE 
has an established program for regular publication of addenda, or 
revisions, including procedures for timely, documented, consensus 
action on requested changes to the Standard. More information on the 
consensus process and ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2016 is available 
at: https://www.ashrae.org/resources-publications/bookstore/standard-90-1.
    To meet the statutory requirement, DOE conducted a preliminary 
analysis to quantify the expected energy savings associated with 
Standard 90.1-2016 relative to the previous 2013 version. The 
preliminary analysis is available at: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EERE-2014-BT-DET-0009-0001.

[[Page 8464]]

    Standard 90.1-2016 includes several paths for compliance in order 
to provide flexibility to users of the Standard. The prescriptive path, 
which is widely considered the most traditional, establishes criteria 
for energy-related characteristics of individual building components 
such as minimum insulation levels, maximum lighting power, and controls 
for lighting and HVAC&R systems. Some of those requirements are 
considered ``mandatory'', meaning that they must be met even when one 
of the other optional paths are utilized (e.g., performance path). 
These other optional paths are further described below.
    In addition to the prescriptive path, Standard 90.1 includes two 
optional whole building performance paths. The first, known as the 
Energy Cost Budget (ECB) method, provides flexibility in allowing a 
designer to ``trade-off'' compliance. This effectively allows a 
designer to not meet a given prescriptive requirement if the impact on 
energy cost is offset by exceeding other prescriptive requirements, as 
demonstrated through established energy modeling protocols. A building 
is deemed in compliance when the annual energy cost of the proposed 
design is no greater than the annual energy cost of the reference 
building design (baseline). In addition, Standard 90.1-2016 includes a 
second performance approach, Appendix G, the Performance Rating Method. 
In previous editions of Standard 90.1 (i.e., prior to the current 2016 
edition), Appendix G has been used to rate the performance of buildings 
that exceed the requirements of Standard 90.1 for ``beyond code'' 
programs, including the LEED Rating System, ASHRAE Standard 189.1, the 
International Green Construction Code (IgCC), and other above-code 
programs. Beginning with the 2016 edition of Standard 90.1, Appendix G 
also adds the capability to demonstrate minimum energy code compliance.

II. Public Participation and Error Correction

    In a July 25, 2017, Federal Register notice, DOE requested public 
comments on the preliminary analysis. (82 FR 34513) DOE received four 
public comments, all of which DOE considered (see Appendix A to this 
Order.). In addition, a DOE review of the simulation analysis 
identified a mistake in how much outdoor ventilation air was being 
introduced in two prototypes. Correction of this mistake resulted in 
savings increasing from .6% to 4.9% in Large Office and an increase of 
less than 1% in Mid-rise Apartment. Overall savings from the standard 
increased from 6.7% to 6.8%. These corrections were incorporated into 
the final analysis document but did not impact the determination 
ruling. DOE has now issued the final analysis of the expected energy 
savings associated with Standard 90.1-2016 as compared to Standard 
90.1-2013. The final analysis is available at: https://www.energycodes.gov/development/determinations.

III. Order

    Based on the requirements of Section 304(b) of ECPA, as amended, 
and DOE's final analysis prepared after consideration of comments on 
the preliminary analysis and correction of the simulation analysis 
describe above, I have determined that the 2016 edition of the ANSI/
ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings, Except Low-
Rise Residential Buildings would improve overall energy efficiency in 
buildings subject to the code compared to the 2013 edition of Standard 
90.1.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 15, 2018.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy.

Appendix A

    DOE received comments on the preliminary analysis from the 
American Chemistry Council (ACC) Plastics Division, the ACC Foam 
Sheathing Committee, the Responsible Energy Codes Alliance (RECA), 
and the Edison Electric Institute (EEI). The comments are summarized 
below and are available at: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EERE-2014-BT-DET-0009.

Addenda Scope

    Comment: The ACC Plastics Division commented that DOE's analysis 
is too conservative because it fails to consider the impact of 
addenda only affecting existing buildings. ACC's Foam Sheathing 
Committee expressed the same concern. ACC recommended that DOE 
analyze provisions affecting existing buildings for consistency with 
statutory requirements and to provide critical guidance to states.
    DOE response: DOE notes that only one addendum (addendum e) in 
the prescriptive and mandatory requirements was applicable to 
existing buildings only and, therefore, was excluded from the 
quantitative analysis. In addition, this addendum was determined to 
decrease energy use through the qualitative analysis, which was 
presented in the preliminary determination. The majority of addenda 
apply to new buildings and the impact of these addenda was captured 
in the analysis. The goal of the determination is to evaluate 
whether the latest edition of Standard 90.1 improves energy 
efficiency of buildings relative to the previous edition, and DOE 
believes that the current methodology is sufficient to make such a 
determination.
    Comment: The Responsible Energy Codes Alliance (RECA) 
recommended that the magnitude of the impact of requirements for 
existing buildings in the Standard taken as a whole should be 
evaluated.
    DOE response: The impact of individual addenda impacting 
existing buildings are considered as part of DOE's qualitative 
analysis. However, baseline conditions for existing building can 
vary significantly depending upon a wide variety of factors, 
including the age of the building, baseline systems and components, 
and past renovations. While these requirements are part of the 
Standard and do impact energy efficiency in commercial buildings, 
they cannot be adequately represented by the quantitative analysis.

Analyzing Compliance Paths

    Comment: The ACC Plastics Division stated that DOE's analysis is 
too conservative because it fails to consider the impact of addenda 
affecting the performance paths for compliance in Standard 90.1.
    DOE response: DOE notes that evaluating the prescriptive and 
mandatory requirements effectively captures the impact of all 
compliance paths within Standard 90.1-2016. The performance paths 
within Standard 90.1-2016 are intended to provide equivalent 
performance to the prescriptive path. As the energy efficiency 
stringency of the prescriptive path is increased, the performance 
path rules and targets are changed to mirror that increase. Using 
the prescriptive and mandatory requirements therefore effectively 
represents changes to the entire standard. Additionally, the purpose 
of the performance paths is to give designers and builders 
flexibility by allowing an almost unlimited number of trade-off 
combinations which will comply with the Standard. Analytically, it 
is not practical or possible to model all of these design 
combinations.
    Comment: RECA also recommended that DOE make a separate 
determination for each of the compliance paths in Standard 90.1: 
Prescriptive path, Energy Cost Budget, and performance path.
    DOE response: DOE believes that evaluating the prescriptive and 
mandatory requirements effectively captures the impact of all 
compliance paths within Standard 90.1-2016 and is satisfactory for 
the purpose of determining whether the new edition of Standard 90.1 
will save energy in commercial buildings relative to the previous 
edition. The performance paths within Standard 90.1-2016 are 
intended to provide equivalent performance to the prescriptive path. 
As the energy efficiency stringency of the prescriptive path is 
increased, the performance path rules and targets are changed to 
mirror that increase. Thus evaluating the performance paths 
separately, even in simplified form, would provide no additional 
information. The performance paths provide designers and builders 
flexibility by allowing trade-offs between prescriptive requirements 
and makes the Standard easier to comply with--a benefit for states 
looking to adopt the new Standard.

[[Page 8465]]

Site vs. Source Energy

    Comment: EEI's first comment on this topic was that DOE should 
only use site energy and energy cost results in its determination 
and that source energy results should not be used.
    DOE response: DOE notes that EEI submitted a similar comment on 
the Notice of Preliminary Determination for Standards 90.1-2010 and 
2013. DOE continues to believe that source energy estimates are of 
interest to many stakeholders and are important to the discussion of 
global resources and environmental issues. However, DOE realizes 
that site energy is the energy that typically appears on utility 
bills and that is seen by the consumer, and that energy cost (as 
shown on energy bills) is a metric also important to many consumers. 
It is for these reasons that DOE provides all three metrics--site 
energy, source energy, and energy cost--in its determinations.
    Comment: EEI also stated that the value associated with source 
energy for electricity overstates losses and does not appropriately 
characterize the significant improvements in the overall efficiency 
of the electricity sector because: (1) DOE considered only 
commercial customers; (2) the U.S. Energy Information Administration 
(EIA) fossil fuel heat rate assigned to renewable energy is too 
high; (3) estimates of primary energy values should look forward not 
backward; and (4) estimates of primary energy values should account 
for regional differences in electricity generation and renewable 
portfolio standards.
    DOE response: DOE notes that EEI submitted a similar comment on 
the Notice of Preliminary Determination for Standards 90.1-2010 and 
2013. DOE continues to believe that its use of EIA data, conversion 
factors, and treatment of renewable energy is appropriate and 
remains consistent with past determinations and DOE's Appliance and 
Equipment Standards Program (AESP) analyses. While it is true that 
the site-to-source conversion factor used in this analysis is 
derived from EIA data for commercial sector energy use, analyzing 
the data from all sectors results in the same conversion factor. The 
determination methodology does not calculate the future impact of 
the new Standard, and thus DOE believes that using conversion 
factors from the year of publication of the Standard is appropriate. 
DOE notes that it makes analyses available for states on the future 
impact of energy codes, which are beneficial for determining the 
long-term benefits of new code adoption. Finally, the use of the 
conversion factor from 2016 in this analysis also mitigates the 
impact of using the fossil fuel equivalency approach to determine 
the conversion factor for electricity because the proportion of 
renewable sources in the overall fuel mix was very small in 2016.

[FR Doc. 2018-03931 Filed 2-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 39 / Tuesday, February 27, 2018 / Notices 8463

ADDRESSES: To access and review all the Respondents/Affected Public: State, Avenue SW, EE–5B, Washington, DC
documents related to the information Local, and Tribal Governments. 20585; (202) 441–1288;
collection listed in this notice, please Total Estimated Number of Annual Jeremiah.Williams@ee.doe.gov.
use http://www.regulations.gov by Responses: 420. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
searching the Docket ID number ED– Total Estimated Number of Annual
2017–ICCD–0159. Comments submitted Burden Hours: 16,800. I. Background
in response to this notice should be Abstract: Each year since 1982, the Title III of the Energy Conservation
submitted electronically through the U.S. Department of Education’s National and Production Act, as amended
Federal eRulemaking Portal at http:// Blue Ribbon Schools Program has (ECPA), establishes requirements for
www.regulations.gov by selecting the sought out and celebrated great building energy conservation standards,
Docket ID number or via postal mail, American schools; schools that are administered by the DOE Building
commercial delivery, or hand delivery. demonstrating that all students can Energy Codes Program. (42 U.S.C. 6831
Please note that comments submitted by achieve to high levels. The purpose of et seq.) Section 304(b), of ECPA, as
fax or email and those submitted after the Program is to honor public and amended, provides that whenever the
the comment period will not be private elementary, middle and high ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1–
accepted. Written requests for schools based on their overall academic 1989 (Standard 90.1–1989 or 1989
information or comments submitted by excellence or their progress in closing edition), or any successor to that code,
postal mail or delivery should be achievement gaps among different is revised, the Secretary of Energy
addressed to the Director of the groups of students. The Program is part (Secretary) must make a determination,
Information Collection Clearance of a larger U.S. Department of Education not later than 12 months after such
Division, U.S. Department of Education, effort to identify and disseminate revision, whether the revised code
400 Maryland Avenue SW, LBJ, Room knowledge about best school leadership would improve energy efficiency in
216–32, Washington, DC 20202–4537. and teaching practices. commercial buildings required to meet
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Dated: February 22, 2018. the standard, and must publish notice of
specific questions related to collection Stephanie Valentine, such determination in the Federal
activities, please contact Aba Kumi, Acting Director, Information Collection Register. (42 U.S.C. 6833(b)(2)(A)) If the
202–401–1767. Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy Secretary makes an affirmative
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Officer, Office of Management. determination, within two years of the
Department of Education (ED), in [FR Doc. 2018–03914 Filed 2–26–18; 8:45 am] publication of the determination, each
accordance with the Paperwork BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
State is required to certify that it has
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. reviewed and updated the provisions of
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general its commercial building code regarding
public and Federal agencies with an energy efficiency with respect to the
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
opportunity to comment on proposed, revised or successor code and include in
revised, and continuing collections of [EERE–2017–BT–DET–0046] its certification a demonstration that the
information. This helps the Department provisions of its commercial building
assess the impact of its information Final Determination Regarding Energy code, regarding energy efficiency, meet
collection requirements and minimize Efficiency Improvements in ANSI/ or exceed the revised Standard. (42
the public’s reporting burden. It also ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1–2016: U.S.C. 6833(b)(2)(B)(i))
helps the public understand the Energy Standard for Buildings, Except Standard 90.1–2016, the most recent
Department’s information collection Low-Rise Residential Buildings edition, was published by ASHRAE in
requirements and provide the requested AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and October 2016, triggering the statutorily-
data in the desired format. ED is Renewable Energy, Department of required DOE review process. The
soliciting comments on the proposed Energy. Standard is developed under ANSI-
information collection request (ICR) that approved consensus procedures, and is
ACTION: Notice of order.
is described below. The Department of under continuous maintenance by an
Education is especially interested in SUMMARY: After receiving and reviewing ASHRAE Standing Standard Project
public comment addressing the public comments, the U.S. Department Committee (commonly referenced as
following issues: (1) Is this collection of Energy (DOE) issues this Order SSPC 90.1). ASHRAE has an established
necessary to the proper functions of the finalizing DOE’s determination that the program for regular publication of
Department; (2) will this information be 2016 edition of the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES addenda, or revisions, including
processed and used in a timely manner; Standard 90.1: Energy Standard for procedures for timely, documented,
(3) is the estimate of burden accurate; Buildings, Except Low-Rise Residential consensus action on requested changes
(4) how might the Department enhance Buildings improves overall energy to the Standard. More information on
the quality, utility, and clarity of the efficiency in buildings subject to the the consensus process and ANSI/
information to be collected; and (5) how code compared to the 2013 edition of ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1–2016 is
might the Department minimize the Standard 90.1. available at: https://www.ashrae.org/
burden of this collection on the DATES: This Order applies as of
resources-publications/bookstore/
respondents, including through the use February 27, 2018. standard-90-1.
of information technology. Please note To meet the statutory requirement,
ADDRESSES: A copy of the final analysis
that written comments received in DOE conducted a preliminary analysis
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES

is available at https:// to quantify the expected energy savings
response to this notice will be
www.energycodes.gov/development/ associated with Standard 90.1–2016
considered public records.
determinations. relative to the previous 2013 version.
Title of Collection: National Blue
Ribbon Schools Program. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The preliminary analysis is available at:
OMB Control Number: 1860–0506. Jeremiah Williams; U.S. Department of https://www.regulations.gov/
Type of Review: An extension of an Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and document?D=EERE-2014-BT-DET-0009-
existing information collection. Renewable Energy, 1000 Independence 0001.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:49 Feb 26, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\27FEN1.SGM 27FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 39 / Tuesday, February 27, 2018 / Notices 8465

Site vs. Source Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY require that the necessary
Comment: EEI’s first comment on this topic determinations be made after public
was that DOE should only use site energy National Energy Technology notice and opportunity for filing written
and energy cost results in its determination Laboratory comments and objections.
and that source energy results should not be PQ Corporation, has applied for a
used.
Notice of Intent To Grant a Partially partially exclusive license to practice
DOE response: DOE notes that EEI Exclusive License the invention and has a plan for
submitted a similar comment on the Notice AGENCY: National Energy Technology commercialization of the invention.
of Preliminary Determination for Standards Laboratory, Department of Energy. DOE intends to grant the license, upon
90.1–2010 and 2013. DOE continues to a final determination in accordance
ACTION: Notice of intent to grant a
believe that source energy estimates are of with 35 U.S.C. 209(c), unless within 15
partially exclusive license.
interest to many stakeholders and are days of publication of this notice,
important to the discussion of global SUMMARY: The National Energy NETL’s Technology Transfer Program
resources and environmental issues. Technology Laboratory (NETL) hereby Manager (contact information listed)
However, DOE realizes that site energy is the gives notice that the Department of receives in writing any of the following,
energy that typically appears on utility bills Energy (DOE) intends to grant a partially together with supporting documents:
and that is seen by the consumer, and that exclusive license to practice the (i) A statement from any person
energy cost (as shown on energy bills) is a invention described and claimed in U.S. setting forth reasons why it would not
metric also important to many consumers. It Patent Application Number 15/782,315 be in the best interest of the United
is for these reasons that DOE provides all and International Patent Application States to grant the proposed license; or
three metrics—site energy, source energy, Number PCT/US2017/056421, ‘‘Stable (ii) An application for a nonexclusive
and energy cost—in its determinations. license to the invention, in which
Immobilized Amine Sorbents for REE
Comment: EEI also stated that the value applicant states that it already has
and Heavy Metal Recovery from Liquid
associated with source energy for electricity brought the invention to practical
Sources’’ to PQ Corporation, having its
overstates losses and does not appropriately application or is likely to bring the
principal place of business in Malvern,
characterize the significant improvements in invention to practical application
Pennsylvania. The invention is owned
the overall efficiency of the electricity sector expeditiously.
by the United States of America, as
because: (1) DOE considered only The proposed license would be
commercial customers; (2) the U.S. Energy
represented by DOE.
partially exclusive, subject to a license
Information Administration (EIA) fossil fuel DATES: Written comments, objections, or
and other rights retained by the United
heat rate assigned to renewable energy is too nonexclusive license applications must
States, and subject to a negotiated
high; (3) estimates of primary energy values be received at the ADDRESS listed no
royalty. The exclusive fields of use are:
should look forward not backward; and (4) later than March 14, 2018. Objections
removal of rare earth elements from
estimates of primary energy values should submitted in response to this notice will
liquids, coal tailings, fly ash and acid
account for regional differences in electricity not be made available to the public for
mine drainage; removal of heavy metals,
generation and renewable portfolio inspection and, to the extent permitted
such as copper, lead and arsenic from
standards. by law, will not be released under the
liquids; and removal of barium and
DOE response: DOE notes that EEI Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C.
strontium from liquids. DOE will review
submitted a similar comment on the Notice 552.
all timely written responses to this
of Preliminary Determination for Standards ADDRESSES: Comments, applications for notice, and will grant the license if, after
90.1–2010 and 2013. DOE continues to nonexclusive licenses, or objections expiration of the 15-day notice period,
believe that its use of EIA data, conversion
relating to the prospective partially and after consideration of any written
factors, and treatment of renewable energy is
exclusive license should be submitted to responses to this notice, a determination
appropriate and remains consistent with past
Jessica Lamp, Technology Transfer is made in accordance with 35 U.S.C.
determinations and DOE’s Appliance and
Program Manager, U.S. Department of 209(c) that the license is in the public
Equipment Standards Program (AESP)
Energy, National Energy Technology interest.
analyses. While it is true that the site-to-
Laboratory, P.O. Box 10940, Pittsburgh, Dated: February 6, 2018.
source conversion factor used in this analysis
is derived from EIA data for commercial
PA 15236–0940 or via facsimile to (412)
Grace M. Bochenek,
sector energy use, analyzing the data from all
386–4183.
Director, National Energy Technology
sectors results in the same conversion factor. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laboratory.
The determination methodology does not Jessica Lamp, Technology Transfer [FR Doc. 2018–03936 Filed 2–26–18; 8:45 am]
calculate the future impact of the new Program Manager, U.S. Department of
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
Standard, and thus DOE believes that using Energy, National Energy Technology
conversion factors from the year of Laboratory, P.O. Box 10940, Pittsburgh,
publication of the Standard is appropriate. PA 15236; Telephone (412) 386–7417; DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
DOE notes that it makes analyses available Email: jessica.lamp@netl.doe.gov.
for states on the future impact of energy SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section Office of Energy Efficiency and
codes, which are beneficial for determining 209(c) of title 35 of the United States Renewable Energy
the long-term benefits of new code adoption. Code gives DOE the authority to grant
Finally, the use of the conversion factor from exclusive or partially exclusive licenses Notice of Request for Information (RFI)
2016 in this analysis also mitigates the in Department-owned inventions where on Expanding Hydropower and
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES

impact of using the fossil fuel equivalency a determination is made, among other Pumped Storage’s Contribution to Grid
approach to determine the conversion factor things, that the desired practical Resiliency and Reliability
for electricity because the proportion of
application of the invention has not AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and
renewable sources in the overall fuel mix was
been achieved, or is not likely to be Renewable Energy, Department of
very small in 2016.
achieved expeditiously, under a Energy (DOE).
[FR Doc. 2018–03931 Filed 2–26–18; 8:45 am] nonexclusive license. The statute and
ACTION: Request for information (RFI).
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P implementing regulations (37 CFR 404)

VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:49 Feb 26, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\27FEN1.SGM 27FEN1
Document Created: 2018-02-27 01:14:49
Document Modified: 2018-02-27 01:14:49
Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of order.
Dates		This Order applies as of February 27, 2018.
Contact		Jeremiah Williams; U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, EE-5B, Washington, DC 20585; (202) 441-1288; [email protected]
FR Citation		83 FR 8463