DOE Issues an Onerous Final Rule Pertaining to Standards for Commercial Water Heating Equipment Requires Condensing Technology for Gas-fired Commercial Water Heaters.
Today, DOE issued a Federal Register final rule (attached) pertaining to energy conservation standards for commercial water heating (CWH). In this final rule, DOE is adopting amended standards for CWH equipment and is requiring gas-fired storage water heaters and storage-type instantaneous water heaters to have a 95% thermal efficiency (condensing) and 96% thermal efficiency for gas-fired instantaneous water heaters and hot water supply boilers except storage-type instantaneous water heaters. The effective date of this rule is December 5, 2023. The actual effective date for requiring all gas commercial water heaters manufactured to meet these minimum efficiency requirements will be on or after October 6, 2026. Since this is a final rule, options to obtain modifications to these minimum efficiency requirements for commercial gas water heaters will need to be considered outside the DOE normal regulatory process.
Reminder – Comments on the DOE NOPR for Consumer (Residential) Boilers are Due October 13, 2023 – Proposes 95 % AFUE for Gas-fired Hot Water Boilers.
As reported in the August 18, 2023 BECS Update, we provided the DOE August 14, 2023 Federal Register notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) pertaining to energy conservation standards for consumer boilers. In this NOPR, DOE proposes amended standards for gas-fired hot water boilers at a 95% AFUE minimum efficiency requirement (condensing technology) and for gas-fired steam boilers, an 82% AFUE minimum efficiency requirement (non-condensing technology). DOE is proposing a slight increase for consumer oil boilers and no increase for consumer electric boilers. Note that DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this NOPR until October 13, 2023 . Comments can be submitted to docket number EERE–2019–BT– STD-0036, by email ([email protected]), Federal eRulemaking portal (http://www.regulations.gov). Attached for your ready reference, is a draft outline of the comments AGA is using to develop comments on the gas hot water boiler proposal. BECS committee utility members are encouraged to review the items in the outline and provide comments on the proposal, specifically identifying issues that the 95% AFUE requirement will have on consumers in your service territory.
EPA “Energy Transition to and from Gas Cooking: A Global Perspective” Webinar on October 11.
Attached is an announcement from EPA including registration information, on the upcoming October 11, 2023 webinar from 10 am to 11:30 am conducted by Colorado State University staff on gas cooking that according to the notification, “focuses on a comprehensive perspective on energy transitions in cooking, encompassing both the adoption of gas as well as alternative methods worldwide. This webinar offers insights into the evolving clean cooking arena, presenting diverse viewpoints on the benefits and challenges associated with cooking with gas.” AGA staff will be on the webinar and BECS Committee members are encouraged to sign up for the program.
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.