[Federal Register: April 3, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 63)]
[Notices]
[Page 15872-15874]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03ap07-47]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy
(DOE).
ACTION: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request.
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SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on the proposed revision and
three-year extension to the following EIA Forms:
EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers
Survey.''
EIA-63B, ``Annual Photovoltaic Module/Cell Manufacturers
Survey.''
EIA-902, ``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers
Survey.''
DATES: Comments must be filed by June 4, 2007. If you anticipate
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the
person listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESS: Send comments to Fred Mayes. To ensure receipt of the comments
by the due date, submission by FAX (202-287-1964) or e-mail
fred.mayes@eia.doe.gov is recommended. The mailing address is Energy
Information Administration, EI-52, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department
of Energy, Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, Fred Mayes may be
contacted by telephone at 202-287-1750.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of any forms and instructions should be directed to Fred Mayes
at the address listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments
I. Background
The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275, 15
U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. 95-91, 42
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the EIA to carry out a centralized,
comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program
collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information
on energy resource reserves, production, demand, technology, and
related economic and statistical information. This information is used
to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer term
domestic demands.
The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.),
provides the general public and other Federal agencies with
opportunities to comment on collections of energy information conducted
by or in conjunction with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA
to prepare data requests that maximize the utility of the information
collected, and to assess the impact of collection requirements on the
public. Also, the EIA will later seek approval by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) under Section 3507(a) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995.
Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers
Survey,'' collects information on the distribution of solar thermal
panels by manufacturers; Form EIA-63B, ``Annual Photovoltaic Module/
Cell Manufacturers Survey,'' collects information on the distribution
by manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) cells/modules; and Form EIA-902,
``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers Survey,'' collects
information on distribution of geothermal heat pumps by manufacturers.
Specifically, all forms collect information on manufacturing, imports,
exports, and shipments. The EIA has been collecting the above
information annually and proposes to continue the surveys. The data
collected will be disseminated in electronic products and electronic
data files for use by government and private sector analysts. For
details on EIA's renewables information program, please visit the
renewable and alternative fuels page of EIA's Web site at http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelrenewable.html
.
II. Current Actions
EIA proposes to collect information on Forms EIA-63A, EIA-63B, and
EIA-902 using EIA's Internet Data Collection (IDC) system as the
primary mode for reporting information. Survey respondents must provide
an e-mail address to EIA to receive instructions on the procedures for
submitting information electronically. The IDC system utilizes secure
socket layer software to encrypt and protect the information
transmitted between a respondent and EIA. All software that is
necessary to report electronically is provided by EIA at no cost to the
respondents. Respondents need to register one time with EIA and receive
a mailing identification and code prior to reporting electronically.
The EIA has completed an extensive review and update of the
renewable survey collection instruments. The objective of the review is
to provide a standardized survey instrument and unified data collection
approach for all three renewable forms. All three forms collect
information from manufacturers of renewable energy equipment. The
proposed forms revision is the result of efforts, which includes input
from the renewable energy industry, other industry users of the data,
government agencies, consumer groups, and private sector analysts. EIA
will be requesting approval for its revisions and a three-year
extension for its renewable surveys with the following proposed survey
changes.
Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey.''
The EIA proposes the following revisions, additions, and deletions
to harmonize the data requested across the three surveys.
(1) Addition: Item 3.1 (a) Collector Manufacturing.
(2) Addition: Item 4.3 Average Thermal Performance Rating of
Collector.
(3) Revision: Item 4.3 Market Sector becomes Item 4.4 Domestic
Shipments by Sector.
Collect domestic shipments by sector instead of total
shipments by sector.
Change the sector headings from Residential, Commercial,
Industrial, Utility, and Other to Residential, Commercial, Industrial,
Electric Power, and Transportation.
(4) Revision/Deletion: Item 4.4 End Use becomes Item 4.5 Domestic
Shipments by End Use.
Collect only domestic shipments by end use instead of
domestic and foreign shipments by end use as the total number of
shipments.
Delete ``other'' end use type category under Item 4.4.8
Other (describe).
(5) Revision/Deletion: Item 4.9 becomes Item 4.10. Delete the
seller type category Item 4.9 (f) Other (describe).
Form EIA-63B, ``Annual Photovoltaic Modules/Cells Manufacturers
Survey.''
The EIA proposes the following revisions, additions, and deletions
to harmonize the data requested across the three surveys.
(1) Addition: Item 3.4 What percentage of your company's total
sales
[[Page 15873]]
volume do photovoltaic-related activities compose?
(2) Addition: Item 4.3 Energy Conversion Efficiency.
(3) Revision: Item 4.4 Domestic Shipments by Sector.
Collect only domestic shipments by sector instead of
domestic and foreign shipments by sector as the total number of
shipments.
Change the sector headings from Residential, Commercial,
Industrial, Utility, and Other to Residential, Commercial, Industrial,
Electric Power, and Transportation.
(4) Revision/Deletion: Item 4.3 End Use becomes Item 4.5 Domestic
Shipments by End Use.
Collect only domestic shipments by end use instead of
domestic and foreign shipments by end use as the total number of
shipments.
Delete ``Other'' as an end use category.
(5) Revision/Deletion: Item 4.9 becomes Item 4.10. Delete the
seller type Item 4.9 (g) Other (describe).
(6) Addition: Item 6.1 Shipments by Origin.
(7) Addition: Item 6.2 Shipments by Destination.
Form EIA-902, ``Annual Geothermal Heat Pump Manufacturers Survey.''
The EIA proposes the following revisions, additions, and deletions
to be consistent with the data elements collected across the three
surveys.
(1) Addition: Item 2.0 Manufacturing Status.
Collect the same Manufacturing Status information as
collected on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal Collector
Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B, ``Annual Photovoltaic
Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''
(2) Addition: Item 3.0 Manufacturer and Marketing Data.
Collect the same Manufacturer and Marketing data as
collected on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal Collector
Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B, ``Annual Photovoltaic
Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''
(3) Revision/Addition/Deletion: Item 4.0 Geothermal Heat Pump
Shipment Data.
Category headings in section 2.0 ``Shipments In Calendar
Year,'' have been moved to Section 4.0 on the new proposed form.
Specifically, ``Total Shipments by Type of Heat Pump'' is moved to Item
4.1, ``Number of Heat Pumps;'' ``Total Rated Capacity'' is moved to
Item 4.2, ``Total GHP Shipments (total rated capacity in tons);''
``Average Cooling Efficiency (EER)'' is moved to Item 4.4, ``Average
Cooling Efficiency (EER);'' and ``Average Heating Efficiency (COP)'' is
moved to Item 4.5, ``Average heating Efficiency (COP).''
Addition: Item 4.3 Total Value of GHP Shipments (dollars).
Item 5.0 ``Domestic Shipments by Sector is moved to Item
4.6 and the rows and columns are transposed.''
Add Item 4.7 Domestic Shipment by End Use.
Add Item 4.8 Imports.
Add Item 4.9 Exports.
Add Item 4.10 List of Country (ies) of Origin of Imports
to collect the same information as on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar
Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B, ``Annual
Photovoltaic Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''
Add Item 4.11 List of Country (ies) of Destination for
Exports to collect the same information as on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual
Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B,
``Annual Photovoltaic Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''
Move preceding Item 4.0 Domestic Shipments by Customer
Type to proposed Item 4.12 Shipments by Customer Type.
(4) Addition: Item 5.0 Systems Data.
Add a new Item 5.0 ``Systems Data to collect the same
information as collected on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual Solar Thermal
Collector Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B, ``Annual
Photovoltaic Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''
(5) Revision/Deletion: Item 6.0 Geographic Data.
Item 3.0 ``Shipments by Destination is moved to Item 6.2
of the proposed revised form and the three column headings ``ARI-320,
ARI-325/330, and Other (Non-ARI Rated GHPs)'' are collapsed into a
single column heading. Item 6.1 was added to collect the same
geographic information regarding imports as on Form EIA-63A, ``Annual
Solar Thermal Collector Manufacturers Survey,'' and Form EIA-63B,
``Annual Photovoltaic Modules/Cells Manufacturers Surveys.''
III. Request for Comments
Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment
on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are
provided to assist in the preparation of comments. Please indicate to
which form(s) your comments apply.
General Issues
A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the
information have practical utility? Practical utility is defined as the
actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking into
account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the
agency's ability to process the information it collects.
B. What enhancements can be made to the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected?
As a Potential Respondent to the Request for Information
A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be
collected?
B. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If
not, which instructions need clarification?
C. Can the information be submitted by the due date?
D. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to
average 3.25 hours per response for Form EIA-63A, 3.25 hours per
response for Form EIA-63B, and 3.25 hours per response for Form EIA-
902. The estimated burden includes the total time necessary to provide
the requested information. In your opinion, how accurate is this
estimate?
E. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for
the time it will take to complete the collection. Will a respondent
incur any start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual costs
for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with
the information collection?
F. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of
this collection of information? Such actions may involve the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
G. Does any other Federal, State, or local agency collect similar
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the
methods of collection.
As a Potential User of the Information To Be Collected
A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information
disseminated?
B. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be
collected?
C. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
D. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they
useful? If so, what are their weaknesses and/or strengths?
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB
[[Page 15874]]
approval of the form. They also will become a matter of public record.
Statutory Authority: Sections 3506(c)(2) and 3507(a) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et
seq.)
Issued in Washington DC, March 27, 2007.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-6123 Filed 4-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P