Residential Boilers

Summary:  DOE has published a Federal Register notice pertaining to energy conservation standards for consumer boilers. DOE previously proposed amended standards for consumer boilers in a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2023.

Type of regulation: Energy Conservation Standard

Rulemaking Link: Rulemaking Webpage

Docket ID: EERE-2019-BT-STD-0036

Updates:

• Posted: March 25, 2021 — Request for Information (RFI); Early Assessment Review
• Posted: April 9, 2021 — RFI; Early Assessment Comment Period Extended
• Posted: May 4, 2022 — Notice of Webinar and Availability of Preliminary Technical Support Document
• Posted: August 14, 2023 — Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• Posted: August 31, 2023 — Notice of Public Meeting and Webinar

Comment period close date: October 13, 2023

Where to comment: EERE-2019-BT-STD-0036-0052

AHRI comments submitted:

Posted:

• 2021-03-31 — AHRI Request to extend the public comment period from a 30-day period to a 60-day period, making a new comment date of May 26, 2021
• 2021-05-26 — AHRI Comment response to the published Request for information
• 2022-07-06 — AHRI Comment response to the published Notification of availability of preliminary technical support document and request for comment
• 2023-08-23 — AHRI Request for an additional in-person public meeting at the Department, as well a comment period extension of an additional 30 days from October 12, 2023 to November 13, 2023

Staff contact: Stacy Tatman.

Summary: DOE has published a Federal Register final rule pertaining to test procedures for consumer boilers. DOE amends its test procedure for consumer boilers established under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA). Under EPCA, DOE is obligated to review its test procedures for covered products at least once every seven years. The revisions include: incorporating by reference the latest versions of the industry standards currently referenced in the Federal test procedure; relocating the test procedure to a new appendix separate from the residential furnace test procedure; removing an extraneous definition from its regulatory definitions; and making clarifying corrections to calculations.

Type of regulation: Test Procedure

Rulemaking Link: Rulemaking Webpage

Docket ID: EERE-2019-BT-TP-0037

Updates:

• Posted: May 15, 2020 — Request for Information (RFI)
• Posted: March 15, 2022 — Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
• Posted: March 13, 2023 — Test Procedure Final Rule
• Posted: April 12, 2023 — Final Rule Effective Date

AHRI comments submitted:

Posted:

• 2020-06-15 — AHRI Comment response to the Request for information
• 2022-05-16 — AHRI Comment response to the published Notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment

Staff Contact: Stacy Tatman.

Under EPCA, DOE is obligated to perform a 7-year lookback for covered products test procedures. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(1)(A))

Residential boilers manufactured and distributed in commerce, as defined by 42 U.S.C. 6291(16), must meet the energy conservation standards specified in the Code of Federal Regulations at 10 CFR 432(e)(2).

References:

• Final Rule: Standards, Federal Register, 81 FR 2320 (January 15, 2016)
• Docket No. EERE-2012-BT-STD-0047 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.

To determine that residential boilers that are currently manufactured or distributed into commerce are in compliance with DOE standards, manufacturers must follow the test procedure methods specified at Appendix N to Subpart B of 10 CFR 430