DOE Proposes Withdrawal of Determination of Miscellaneous Gas Products as a Covered Consumer Product – Comments Due April 14, 2025. Yesterday, DOE issued a Federal Register Notice proposing to withdraw a previous determination that “miscellaneous gas products” are covered products subject to DOE minimum efficiency requirements.  “Miscellaneous natural gas products” cover several indoor and outdoor “decorative” gas appliances such as fireplace log sets, gas lights, etc. as well as outdoor heaters including patio heaters.  As background, on April 8, 2022,  AGA and the American Public Gas Association (APGA)  filed joint, timely comments (attached) on the Department of Energy’s  February 7, 2022 preliminary determination that a number of miscellaneous  natural gas products are covered products and therefore subject to possible  minimum efficiency requirements. That notice proposed to cover the indoor and outdoor “decorative” gas appliances as well as outdoor heaters including patio heaters as outlined above.   Our comments recommended that DOE implement the recommendations from the recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (“NASEM report”) into all its appliance rulemakings, whether for test procedures or energy conservation standards.  The NASEM report comprehensively evaluated the agency’s appliance rulemaking process and identified several key areas in which DOE can improve its rulemaking process.  We urged the DOE to address these recommendations as it considers possible requirements and considers developing efficiency test procedures for these gas products.  Our comments also challenge the DOE contention that these miscellaneous gas products are a “covered product” under federal legislation and that there would be the possibility of substantial energy savings with a minimum efficiency requirement. Unfortunately, DOE ignored our comments and issued a final determination on September 6, 2022 Federal Register Notice in which they determined that they could cover these products. Yesterday’s DOE Federal Register Notice proposes to reverse that determination that would keep those natural gas products outside the list of natural gas products subject to DOE efficiency regulations. AGA is please with the DOE proposed reversal on its previous determination and plans to provide comments supporting this “common sense “action. Comments are due by April 14, 2025

AGA, APGA and NPGA File Comments in Support of the DOE Postponement of Appliance Efficiency Standards for Gas-Fired Instantaneous Water Heaters.

In last weeks Update on End Use Codes and Standards, we reported that DOE had announced the postponement of the implementation of seven of the Biden-Harris administration’s efficiency standards for home appliances, six electric and one for gas-fired instantaneous water heaters (giwh’s). We provided the lengthy background of the DOE activities on giwh’s. Yesterday, AGA, the American Public Gas Association (APGA) and the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) submitted the attached, joint timely comments in support of the DOE to 1. To delay the effective date, 2. Reiterated prior extensive comments submitted in this proceeding back on September 26, 2023, in response to the notice of proposed rulemaking that  provided substantial feedback outlining multiple errors and concerns with the proposal that remain pertinent to the final rule and the delay in the effective date since many of the concerns raised remain unaddressed by DOE and, 3. Urge DOE to further delay the effective date of this rule and address the errors and concerns that the DOE flawed analysis erroneously supported the elimination of specific types of non-condensing giwh’s  and issuance of a  “new energy efficiency category for giwh’s” that would maintain non-condensing giwh’s. We will keep the committee updated on any new developments on this important DOE rulemaking.

AHRI Releases the January, 2025 Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data.

For those interested in shipment trends for residential and commercial gas and electric storage type water heaters, residential gas and oil furnaces, electric heat pumps and air-conditioners, click here for the March 14, 2025 Air-Conditioning Heating, & Refrigeration (AHRI) Press Release that provides the January, 2025 U.S. Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data. For previous monthly shipment releases and historical data, please click here . You may also wish to share this information with other groups or individuals within your organization that would be interested in this shipment data.

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.