DOE Seeks Input on Proposed Changes to Appliance and Equipment Energy Conservation Standards Program

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) encourages its members and stakeholders to respond to a Federal Register request for information (RFI) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on a number of possible changes to the design of the U.S. Appliance and Equipment Energy Conservation Standards (ECS) program. The ECS Program establishes test procedures for measuring the energy efficiency of more than 60 products, to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions and save energy and money.

Written comments must be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal by February 26, 2018.

According to the Federal Register notice, the DOE is evaluating the potential advantages and disadvantages of including additional compliance flexibilities in the ECS program, with the goal of reducing compliance costs, enhancing consumer choice, and maintaining or increasing energy savings. These flexibilities could include designs that would use market-based policy mechanisms such as averaging, credit trading, or feebates.

DOE requests feedback on the possible economic efficiency gains, impacts on consumer and manufacturer costs and on energy savings, and suggestions for a pilot product category and/or phase-in of revisions across the ECS program. Comments may also include potential challenges associated with designing and implementing any of these flexible program approaches, as well as possible solutions.

The full Federal Register notice is available here; comments should be submitted to DOE here.