Energy.gov

After collaborating with the Department of Energy and considering comments from stakeholders, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a final rule last week that allows CBP to refuse admission into the customs territory of the United States for sale within the United States of covered products that fail to meet an applicable DOE energy conservation standard.

The Department of Energy has settled civil penalty actions it initiated against nine companies for the manufacture and sale in the United States of products that fail to meet federal energy conservation standards. The covered consumer products and commercial/industrial equipment found in violation included automatic commercial ice makers, distribution transformers, external power supplies, showerheads and lighting products. The companies ceased all sales within the United States of the products that violated federal energy conservation standards.

The Office of Enforcement recently resolved enforcement actions against thirty-nine companies for failure to submit the required certification reports that their covered products or equipment comply with federal energy and water conservation standards. DOE assessed civil penalties averaging about $8,000 per manufacturer for a wide variety of products, including lighting products, home appliances, and commercial walk-in cooler/freezer components.

Midea America Corp., Hefei Hualing Co., Ltd., and China Refrigeration Industry Co., Ltd. (“Midea”)—all subsidiaries or affiliates of GD Midea Holding Co., Ltd.—agreed to pay $4,562,838 after admitting in a Compromise Agreement [insert link] that one refrigerator-freezer basic model and three freezer basic models fail to meet the relevant federal energy conservation standards.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Enforcement issued a Notice of Noncompliance Determination (Notice) on October 11, 2012, to YMGI Group, LLC (YMGI) regarding through-the-wall split system central air conditioner basic model TTWC-18K-31B.  DOE enforcement testing revealed that this model operates at a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) of 8.3.  The current federal standard requires that through-the-wall split system central air conditioners operate at a SEER of 12 or greater.

The Office of Enforcement recently settled enforcement actions against ten companies for failure to submit the required certification that products comply with the federal energy conservation standards.  Several companies were subject to higher penalties due to a history of noncompliance with the certification regulations.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (“DOE”) Office of Enforcement recently issued a Notice of Noncompliance Determination to Sears, Roebuck & Co. (“Sears”) regarding two Kenmore-brand chest freezers, basic model 255.19502010 (“19502” or “1950”) and basic model 255.19702010 (“19702” or “1970”), which are privately labeled and distributed in commerce in the U.S. by Sears and manufactured in China.

Cooper Power Systems, LLC (“Cooper”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cooper Industries notified the U.S. Department of Energy’s (“DOE”) Office of Enforcement that it had distributed three noncompliant basic models (five total units) of liquid-immersed distribution transformers in U.S.

U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) testing has identified one refrigerator and three room air conditioners that do not meet the ENERGY STAR program’s applicable energy efficiency requirements.

Avanti Products (“Avanti”) refrigerator basic model BCA4560W-2 and three Friedrich Air Conditioning Company (“Friedrich”) room air conditioner basic models (WS12C10, WS13C30, and US12C30) were selected for testing as part of the DOE ENERGY STAR Verification Testing Program.

The Department of Energy today announced common-sense energy efficiency standards for residential clothes washers and dishwashers that will save consumers $20 billion in energy and water costs.