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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 167 / Wednesday, September 1, 2021 / Proposed Rules
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machine cleaning and rinsing performance scores. Id.
As noted, EPCA authorizes DOE to design test procedures that measure energy efficiency, energy use, water use in the case of showerheads, faucets, water closets and urinals, or estimated annual operating cost of a covered product during a representative average use cycle or period of use. 42 U.S.C.
6293b3 Also as noted, in determining whether a new or amended energy conservation standard is economically justified, EPCA requires DOE to consider any lessening of the utility or the performance likely to result from the imposition of a new standard. 42 U.S.C. 6295o2BiIV;
42 U.S.C. 6295o4; 42 U.S.C. 6316a.
As indicated by comments summarized above, multiple test procedures from industry and international organizations are available for measuring clothes washer cleaning performance among other attributes. DOE may conduct research and testing that uses these or other established test methods as part of an energy conservation standards rulemaking to evaluate any lessening of the utility or the performance of the covered products likely to result from the imposition of potential new or amended standards, as required by EPCA. For example, in the most recent energy conservation standards final rule for CCWs, published on December 15, 2014 December 2014 Final Rule, DOE conducted performance testing using AHAMs HLW12010 test procedure to quantitatively evaluate potential impacts on cleaning performance, rinsing performance, and solid particle removal as a result of higher standard levels. 79 FR 74492, 74506.
DOE is not, however, proposing to add a cleaning performance test procedure to the proposed new Appendix J or to Appendix J2 in this NOPR.
G. Consumer Usage Assumptions In the May 2020 RFI, DOE requested information on whether, in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 6293b3, the consumer usage factors incorporated into the test procedure produce test results that measure energy efficiency and water use of clothes washers during a representative average use cycle or period of use. 85 FR 31065, 31077. DOE
also sought comment on whether testing cycle configurations with usage factors below a certain percentage would be unduly burdensome to conduct and would not be considered to be reasonably designed to measure energy and water use during a representative average use cycle or period of use
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because they are rarely used by consumers. Id.
AHAM commented generally that it supports updating the test procedure to reflect average use cycles, but commented that any updates must reflect changes observed in national, statistically significant field use studies and must not impact repeatability or reproducibility, or be unduly burdensome to conduct. AHAM, No. 5
at p. 12 AHAM stated that should it find data that would assist DOE in its rulemaking, it will provide it as soon as possible. AHAM, No. 5 at p. 15
Discussion and consideration of consumer usage assumptions are provided in the following paragraphs.
1. Annual Number of Wash Cycles Section 4.4 of Appendix J2 provides the representative average number of annual clothes washer cycles to translate the annualized inactive and off mode energy consumption measurements into a per-cycle value applied to each active mode wash cycle.
Separately, the number of annual wash cycles is also referenced in DOEs test procedure provisions at 10 CFR
430.23j1iA and B, j1iiA
and B, and j3i and ii to calculate annual operating cost and annual water consumption of a clothes washer.
In the August 1997 Final Rule, DOE
estimated the representative number of annual wash cycles per RCW to be 392, which represented the average number of cycles per year from 1986 through 1994, based on P&G survey data provided to DOE as described in a NOPR published on March 23, 1995. 60
FR 15330, 1533; 62 FR 45484, 45501.
In the March 2012 Final Rule, DOE
updated the representative number of wash cycles per year to 295 based on an analysis of the 2005 RECS data. 77 FR
13887, 13909. More recently, in the May 2020 RFI, DOE presented an analysis of the 2009 RECS data, which suggests 284
cycles per year, and of the 2015 RECS
data the most recent available which suggests 234 cycles per year. 85 FR
31065, 31079.
In the May 2020 RFI, DOE requested data and information on whether any further adjustments to the number of annual wash cycles are warranted to reflect current RCW consumer usage patterns, as suggested by RECS data. Id.
AHAM supported using 2015 RECS
data as a basis for determining annual use cycles. AHAM, No. 5 at p. 15
AHAM stated that its survey of members found that the average number of annual cycles is 233, which supports DOEs analysis of the 2015 RECS data indicating 234 cycles per year. Id.

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NEEA supported keeping the current number of wash cycles per year or increasing it slightly. NEEA, No. 12 at p. 24 NEEA stated that findings from its 2014 laundry study indicate 313 annual use cycles for RCWs. Id. NEEA stated that its study was developed to represent the distribution of average household size, which NEEA claims principally determines the number of annual laundry cycles. Id. NEEA
recommended that DOE not use the RECS methodology, which NEEA stated relies on consumer recollection of typical number of clothes washer loads, and which NEEA asserts is likely to be less accurate. Id.
DOE appreciates the submission of data by NEEA but notes that the survey results represent regional usage the Pacific Northwest during a 4 to 6-week period in 2012, as described in the referenced report. As such, these findings do not provide a basis for estimated national average usage. In lieu of such data, DOE finds that the 2015
RECS survey is the most reliable source available for nationally representative annual usage data.
Based on the data from the 2015 RECS
survey, DOE is proposing to update the number of annual wash cycles to 234 in the proposed new Appendix J. This update would impact the per-cycle lowpower mode energy consumption value included in the calculation of IMEF and EER. The per-cycle low-power mode energy consumption would be divided by a smaller number i.e., 234 instead of 295, and would therefore increase by around 25%. See further discussion of the proposed changes to the calculation of low-power mode energy in section III.G.3 of this document.
DOE is not proposing to change the number of annual wash cycles in Appendix J2 because such a change would impact measured energy efficiency. DOE proposes to make such changes only in the proposed new Appendix J, which would be used for the evaluation and issuance of updated efficiency standards, and for determining compliance with those standards.
In addition to other changes discussed in section III.H.6 of this document, DOE
is proposing to update 10 CFR
430.23j1i and j3i such that the annual operating cost and annual water consumption calculation would reflect the new proposed number of annual wash cycles when a clothes washer is tested using the proposed new Appendix J, if finalized.
DOE requests comment on its proposal to update the number of annual wash cycles to 234 in the
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