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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 58 / Monday, March 29, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
power and to introduce a new combined efficiency metric, Combined Energy Efficiency Ratio CEER, that accounts for energy consumption in active mode, standby mode, and off mode. 76 FR 971.
The previous room AC test procedure incorporates by reference three industry test methods: 1 American National Standards Institute ANSI/
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers AHAM RAC12008, Room Air Conditioners ANSI/
AHAM RAC12008,5 2 ANSI/
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers ASHRAE Standard 16
1983 RA 2009, Method of Testing for Rating Room Air Conditioners and Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 162009,6
and 3 IEC Standard 62301, Household electrical appliances Measurement of standby power first edition June 2005 IEC Standard 62301 First Edition.7
On May 8, 2019, DOE published a Decision and Order, granting a waiver for certain room AC models with
variable-speed capabilities in response to a petition from LG Electronic USA, Inc. LG. 84 FR 20111 LG Waiver.
As required under the waiver, the specified LG variable-speed room ACs must be tested at four different outdoor temperatures instead of a single outdoor temperature, with the unit compressor speed fixed at each temperature. This approach for the alternate test procedure was derived from the current DOE test procedure for central air conditioners 10 CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix M appendix M. The LG Waiver provides definitions for each fixed compressor speed, adjusts the annual energy consumption and operating cost calculations that provide the basis for the information presented to consumers on the EnergyGuide Label, and requires that compressor speeds be set in accordance with instructions submitted to DOE by LG on April 2, 2019.8 84 FR
20111, 2011820121.
On May 26, 2020, DOE published a Decision and Order, granting a waiver to GD Midea Air Conditioning Equipment Co. LTD. Midea for six variable-

speed basic models with the condition that Midea must test and rate these models according to an alternate test procedure that is substantively consistent with that prescribed by in the LG Waiver, and report product-specific information that reflects the alternate test procedure. 85 FR 31481 Midea Waiver.
On June 11, 2020, DOE published a notice of proposed rulemaking June 2020 NOPR proposing amendments to the test procedures for room ACs to: 1
Update to the latest versions of industry test methods that are incorporated by reference; 2 adopt new testing provisions for variable-speed room ACs that reflect the relative efficiency gains at reduced cooling loads; 3 adopt new definitions consistent with these two proposed amendments; and 4 provide specifications and minor corrections to improve the test procedure repeatability, reproducibility, and overall readability. 85 FR 35700.
DOE received comments in response to the June 2020 NOPR from the interested parties listed in Table II.1.

TABLE II.1JUNE 2020 NOPR WRITTEN COMMENTS
Commenters
Reference in this NOPR

Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
California Investor-Owned Utilities
Appliance Standards Awareness Project ASAP, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ACEEE, Natural Resources Defense Council NRDC.
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

AHAM
California IOUs
Joint Commenters

Keith Rice
GE Appliances, a Haier Company

Rice
GEA

Subsequent to the publication of the June 2020 NOPR, on September 23, 2020, DOE granted GE Appliances, a Haier Company GEA an interim waiver from the room AC test procedure for the 18 basic models listed in GEAs petition, using an alternate test procedure consistent with that granted to Midea in the Midea Waiver. 85 FR
59770. GEA Interim Waiver Additionally, on February 14, 2020, DOE published its updated Process Rule to improve the internal framework for establishing new energy efficiency regulations, with the goal of increasing transparency, accountability, and certainty for stakeholders. 85 FR 8626.
As required under the updated Process Rule, DOE will adopt industry test standards as DOE test procedures for covered products and equipment, unless
such methodology would be unduly burdensome to conduct or would not produce test results that reflect the energy efficiency, energy use, water use as specified in EPCA or estimated operating costs of that equipment during a representative average use cycle.
Section 8c of 10 CFR part 430 subpart C appendix A. See also, 85 FR 8626, 8708.

5 Copies can be purchased from http
webstore.ansi.org.
6 Copies can be purchased from http
www.techstreet.com.

7 Copies can be purchased from http
webstore.iec.ch.
8 While the instructions provided by LG on April 2, 2019 are listed in the docket for this rulemaking,
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II. Synopsis of the Final Rule In this final rule, DOE amends the existing test procedure for room ACs to:
1 Incorporate by reference current versions of the applicable industry standards; 2 adopt test provisions for variable-speed room ACs that reflect energy efficiency during a representative average use cycle; 3
update definitions to define key terms
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NEAA

Commenter type Trade Association.
Utility.
Efficiency Organizations.
Efficiency Organization.
Consultant.
Manufacturer.

and support the adopted provisions for testing variable-speed room ACs; and 4
update specifications and implement minor corrections to improve the test procedure repeatability, reproducibility, and overall readability.
DOE has determined that the amendments will both provide efficiency measurements more representative of the energy efficiency of variable-speed room ACs and will not alter the measured efficiency of singlespeed room ACs, which constitute the large majority of units on the market.
DOE has determined that the amended test procedure will not be unduly burdensome to conduct. DOEs actions are summarized in Table II.2 and addressed in detail in section III of this document.
they were marked as confidential and were treated accordingly.

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