On August 13, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice in the Federal Register proposing to determine that natural draft commercial packaged boilers meet the criteria for covered equipment under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA). Commercial packaged boilers are currently included as covered equipment under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 431 (subpart E of 10 CFR part 431). Until recently, DOE was regulating commercial packaged boilers without distinction between boilers manufactured and shipped as natural draft or mechanical draft. However, in 2009 DOE amended the federal minimum energy conservation standards for commercial boilers and adopted efficiency levels for natural draft commercial packaged boilers consistent with the requirements of ASHRAE Standard 90.1. DOE is initiating this coverage determination to explicitly clarify its statutory authority under EPCA to cover natural draft commercial packaged boilers. DOE will accept comments until September 12. AHRI is working with boiler manufacturers to develop an industry position.
For more info, contact kamrane@ahrinet.org.
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