Media Reports that DOE Issuing a Pre-Publication of a Notice of Proposed Rule Making for Consumer Water Heaters.

This evening, some media outlets are reporting that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is issuing a pre-publication Federal Register notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) proposing to modify the minimum efficiency requirements for consumer (residential) water heaters and are citing this link DOE EERE_ECS Consumer Water Heaters_NOPR_0.pdf (energy.gov) . The pre-publication is unsigned by the DOE but it is expected that this will be the document that DOE will officially issue.  AGA staff has done a very preliminary review and it appears that for residential gas storage heaters, the minimum efficiency level for the most popular sizes from 20 gallon to 55 gallon would not require condensing technology. However, there is a concern that the proposed level would reduce the vent temperatures that could result in excessive condensation developing in the vent that could result in venting problems. We are reviewing the levels being proposed to obtain technical data to help ensure that the levels proposed by DOE do not result with problems in gas water heater vents in field installations. For the most popular sizes for gas instantaneous water heaters, less than 2 gallon and greater than 50,000 Btu/hour, DOE is proposing an efficiency level that requires condensing technology. This level would eliminate the manufacturing of any instantaneous gas water heaters that are non-condensing and that can be common vented with other non-condensing gas appliances such as gas furnaces.    Finally, for the most popular electric storage water heaters, tank sizes from 20 gallon to 120 gallon, to meet the proposed efficiency level, heat pump technology would be required. Note that there are a number of other types of water heaters listed in the pre-publication and there is a need for a review those water heater types and sizes, as well as all of the technical and economic justification for the proposal and BECS Committee members are requested to review the proposal and provide us with feedback on the levels included in the NOPR as soon as possible.  Finally, when the NOPR is published in the Federal Register, comments will be due 60 days after publication, and the notice will provide registration information for a Webinar on the NOPR that the pre-publication announces that will be held on September 13, 2023.

State Codes Activity Update.

Attached is a weekly feature of the “Friday Update” covering state code calendar activities as presented by the online utility “Fiscal Note,” which is sponsored by APGA and AGA Code and Standards. Please review the update and determine if there are state code activities that impact your service territory or organization.