Commercial Information Circulars

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e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 111/2

19 September 2011

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 566/2011

US : Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Refrigerators, Refrigerator-Freezers, and Freezers

The US Department of Energy (DoE) issued in the Federal Register (FR) of 15 September 2011 a final rule to adopt more stringent energy conservation standards for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers. The final rule will be effective on 14 November 2011. Refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers must comply with the amended standards as from 15 September 2014. The FR notice is available at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-09-15/pdf/2011-22329.pdf.

DETAILS

2. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA) sets forth a variety of provisions designed to improve energy efficiency. The "Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products other than Automobiles" established under the EPCA consists essentially of four parts: (1) testing; (2) labeling; (3) establishment of Federal energy conservation standards; and (4) certification and enforcement procedures covering most major household appliances. While the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is responsible for labeling, the DoE implements the other three aspects of the program. The DoE is authorised to establish or amend the energy conservation standards which would achieve the maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is technologically feasible and economically justified.

3. The DoE has recently issued a final rule to adopt more stringent energy conservation standards for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers and it has determined that the amended energy conservation standards would result in significant conservation of energy and are technologically feasible and economically justified. The amended standards are the maximum allowable energy use expressed as a function of the calculated adjusted volume of a given product. These standards apply to all products listed in Table I.1 of the FR notice, which are imported into the US starting in 2014. Please refer to the FR notice for details of the amended standards. Traders are also strongly advised to seek clarifications with their importers in the US in order to comply with the necessary requirements.

4. To ensure that the test procedures accurately captures as reasonably as possible the amended energy conservation standards, the DoE has issued another FR notice on the same day to announce a limited reopening of the comment period for the interim final rule to establish amended test procedures for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers for use with the new energy conservation standards. Interested parties may submit comments to the DoE by 17 October 2011. For details of the interim final rule, please refer to Commercial Information Circular No. 47/2011 and the FR notice at:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-09-15/pdf/2011-22330.pdf.

5.Separately, the DoE maintains a website on the Appliances and Commercial Equipment Standards Program, which develops test procedures and minimum efficiency standards for residential appliances and commercial equipment. Traders are advised to visit the website at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/index.html for latest information on the test procedures and energy conservation standards.

ENQUIRIES

6.For enquiries concerning this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5682.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Carmen CHAN)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry