美国通报电器标准节能计划：家用炉子和商用热水器节能标准

编号：G/TBT/N/USA/1655/Add.3

标题：家电标准节能计划：家用炉子和商用热水器节能标准

机构：能源部能效和可再生能源办公室

行动：通知拟议的解释性规则；征求意见

概述：2021年1月15日，能源部（DOE或部门）在《联邦公报》中发布了一项最终解释规则，确定在住宅炉子、商用热水器和类似位置的产品或设备的情况下，根据经修订的《能源政策和保护法》（EPCA），使用非冷凝技术（和相关通风）构成了与性能相关的“特征”，不能通过采用节能标准来消除。能源部认为重新审视其解释是明智的。出于本文件中所述的原因，该部门建议回到其以前的长期解释（在2021年1月15日最终解释规则之前生效），根据该解释，用于供应加热空气或热水的技术不是性能相关的“功能”，根据EPCA，该“功能”提供了独特的消费者效用。能源部要求对其拟议的解释作出评论。一旦能源部达成最终解释，能源部计划再次评估修订后的节能标准是否会带来显著的能源节约，在技术上是否可行，在经济上是否合理，是否符合其解释。

DOE将在2021年9月27日之前接受有关该拟议解释性规则的评论、数据和信息。

英文原文：

TITLE: Energy Conservation Program for Appliance Standards: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Furnaces and Commercial Water Heaters

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy

ACTION: Notification of proposed interpretive rule; request for comment

SUMMARY: On 15 January 2021, the Department of Energy (DOE or Department) published a final interpretive rule in the Federal Register determining that, in the context of residential furnaces, commercial water heaters, and similarly-situated products or equipment, use of non-condensing technology (and associated venting) constitutes a performance-related "feature" under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (EPCA), that cannot be eliminated through adoption of an energy conservation standard. DOE deems it prudent to revisit its interpretation. For the reasons stated in this document, the Department proposes to return to its previous and long-standing interpretation (in effect prior to the 15 January 2021 final interpretive rule), under which the technology used to supply heated air or hot water is not a performance-related "feature" that provides a distinct consumer utility under EPCA. DOE requests comment on its proposed interpretation. Once DOE has arrived at a final interpretation, the Department plans to again evaluate whether amended energy conservation standards would result in significant savings of energy, be technologically feasible, and be economically justified, consistent with its interpretation.

DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this proposed interpretive rule no later than 27 September 2021.

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