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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is weighing whether (and how) to revise its performance-based standards for Walk-In Coolers and Walk-In Freezers as authorized under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended. These standards relate to the energy efficiency performance of the refrigeration systems used in this equipment. DOE is also examining whether any new developments related to the other primary components used in walk-in applications - i.e., doors and panels - may support a change to the energy efficiency requirements that are currently in place for those components. In addition to being statutorily required to determine whether to amend these standards, DOE is also obligated to review these standards on a six-year cycle to determine whether those standards meet the requirements to be amended. As a result of this effort, DOE may propose to adopt more stringent standards or issue a determination that no amendments to the current standards are required.

In its proposal, DOE has tentatively concluded that amended standards represent the maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in the significant conservation of energy. Specifically, with regards to technological feasibility, equipment achieving these standard levels are already commercially available for all equipment classes covered by this proposal. As for economic justification, DOE’s analysis shows that the benefits of the proposed standard exceed, to a great extent, the burdens of the proposed standards.

Additionally, EPCA directs DOE to provide interested persons an opportunity to present oral and written comments on matters related to any energy conservation standard proposed rule. DOE held an initial public meeting in July 2022 to present the procedural and analytical approaches used to evaluate energy conservation standards for walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers and invite comment on the preliminary analysis. This meeting was held virtually, and attendees included representatives from DOE, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, advocacy groups, and members of the public. DOE held a second public meeting via webinar in September 2023 to present DOE’s analysis and proposals pertaining to energy conservation standards for walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers. Like the previous webinar, attendees included representatives from DOE, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, advocacy groups, and members of the public.

Please note that the 2023 proposal was inadvertently published under the incorrect RIN, 1905-AD79.