[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 160 (Friday, August 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47791-47793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-13691]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


Federal Energy Management Program; Standard for Premium Energy 
Efficient Electric Motors for Federal Acquisition

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of final determination.

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SUMMARY: The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) requires that in 
the case of electric motors of 1 to 500 horsepower, Federal agencies 
shall select and purchase only premium efficient motors that meet a 
specification designated by the Secretary of Energy (Secretary). DOE 
today designates the specifications developed by the Federal Energy 
Management Program (FEMP) under Executive Order 13123 as the 
specification for premium efficient motors for purposes of Federal 
purchasing. The specifications in today's final standard are identical 
to those in a temporary standard published for public comment on 
February 14, 2006. This final standard is consistent with standards 
recommended by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association 
(NEMA), the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) and other energy 
efficiency groups.

DATES: The effective date of this notice is August 18, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shelley Launey, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Federal 
Energy Management Program (FEMP), EE-2L, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-1573, e-mail: Shelley 
[email protected], or Chris Calamita, U.S. Department of Energy, Office 
of General Counsel, GC-72, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, 
DC 20585-0103, (202) 586-9507, e-mail: Christopher.Calamita@ 
hq.doe.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Generally, section 104 of EPAct 2005 (Pub. L. 109-58; August 8, 
2005) amends Part 3 of Title V of the National Energy Conservation 
Policy Act (NECPA) (codified at 42 U.S.C. 8251 et seq.) to require that 
Federal agencies procure only ENERGY STAR qualified products or FEMP-
designated products. Section 104 also sets forth procurement 
requirements for specific products, including electric motors of 1 to 
500 horsepower. Prior to enactment of EPAct 2005, similar provisions 
for energy-efficient Federal purchasing were established under 
Executive Order 13123, 64 FR 30849, 30851 (June 8, 1999). With respect 
to motors, in response to Executive Order 13123, FEMP worked with NEMA 
and CEE to establish efficiency criteria for low-voltage electric 
motors as a voluntary standard for Federal procurements.
    Part of Title V of NECPA, as amended by section 104 of EPAct 2005 
(42 U.S.C. 8259(b)) requires that in the case of electric motors of 1 
to 500 horsepower, Federal agencies shall purchase only premium 
efficient motors that meet a specification \1\ designated by the 
Secretary no later than 120 days after the date of enactment; EPAct 
2005 was enacted on August 8, 2005. DOE published a temporary standard 
for premium efficient motors for purposes of Federal procurement for 
public comment on February 14, 2006 (71 FR 7749). On February 28, 2006, 
the Federal Register corrected two erroneous values in Table 1 that it 
unintentionally included in the temporary standard notice (71 FR 
10097).
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    \1\ Although section 104 states that ``agencies shall select 
only premium efficient motors that meet a standard designated by the 
Secretary,'' we note that section 104 establishes a procurement 
standard based on efficiency specifications for electric motors.
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    After consultation with NEMA and representatives of energy 
efficiency organizations participating in the CEE Motors Committee, and 
after careful evaluation of the public comments, DOE today designates 
as a standard for premium energy efficient motors rated from 1 to 500 
HP for purposes of Federal procurement, the efficiency levels as set 
forth in Tables 1 and 2 included in this notice.

II. Response to Comments on Temporary Standard

    DOE received one written comment from the Defense Logistics Agency 
(DLA) in response to the February notice. The DLA requested that the 
motor specification apply only to

[[Page 47792]]

commercially available motors for general applications and not to those 
required for special combat or defense related applications. DOE notes 
that the statutory definition of products subject to today's 
procurement requirement specifically excludes energy consuming products 
or systems designed or procured for combat or combat-related missions. 
Additionally, DOE is clarifying in Section III of this notice that the 
final standard is for general purpose motors, as defined by 10 CFR 
431.12. DLA also suggested that DOE incorporate by reference Table 12-
12 of the NEMA Standard MG-1 because it cites both nominal and minimum 
efficiencies. Nominal efficiency is the level to which motors are 
tested; it is the efficiency level which manufacturers include on the 
product nameplate. In actual practice, efficiencies may vary slightly 
from the nominal value, but they must not fall below the minimum level 
specified by the manufacturer.
    For procurement purposes, the nominal efficiency is appropriate 
because this is the certified value of the motor. Also, the nominal 
efficiency is the specification that appears on a motor nameplate and 
as such, is the specification most readily available to a purchaser. 
Because DLA did not provide any compelling need for minimum 
efficiencies, and because a single nominal efficiency level will make 
it easier for agencies to readily identify which motors can be 
purchased under today's procurement standard, DOE is using nominal 
efficiency values identical to those in the current specification for 
premium electric motors contained in Table 12-12 of NEMA standard MG-1 
for the final standard contained here, but is not incorporating Table 
12-12.

III. Discussion of Final Standard

    Today's designation is for electric motors of 1 to 500 horsepower 
as specified in EPAct 2005, that are not designed or procured for 
combat or combat-related missions. Further, the requirement established 
in today's document applies only to the procurement of ``general-
purpose'' motors as defined in 10 CFR 431.12. Some applications require 
definite-purpose, special-purpose, special frame, or special mounted 
polyphase induction motors. However, such motors are not general 
purpose motors as defined in 10 CFR 431.12. Special purpose motors are 
therefore not subject to the procurement requirement in this document. 
Even so, special purpose motors meeting the efficiency levels of this 
specification are often available and are recommended.
    DOE has worked in conjunction with NEMA and CEE to ensure that 
purchasers will not be confused by multiple efficiency specifications. 
The efficiency levels in Tables 1 and 2 are identical to the NEMA 
Premium TM and CEE Premium Efficiency Motors efficiency 
criteria. Tables 1 and 2 can also be found on the DOE FEMP procurement 
Web site at http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/procurement/eep_emotors.cfm, and the NEMA Web site at http://www.nema.org/gov/energy/efficiency/premium/. Motor efficiency is identified on the nameplate by 
``nominal'' efficiency, which represents the average efficiency of a 
large population of motors of the same design. It is certified in 
accordance with NEMA MG 1-1998, ``Motors and Generators,'' and IEEE 112 
Test Method B.
    By using common specifications for premium energy efficient motors, 
NEMA, CEE, and DOE have helped focus market demand by Federal buyers 
and utility company customers on a single standard for energy 
efficiency, thus providing a clear market signal in support of energy 
efficiency to manufacturers, suppliers, specifiers, and installers of 
electric motors.
    FEMP will periodically review the DOE's motor efficiency standard 
and revise it as necessary, in consultation with industry and energy 
efficiency organizations, to reflect technology advances and/or 
changing market conditions.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 8, 2006.
Alexander A. Karsner,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

                   Table 1.--Nominal Efficiencies for Induction Motors Rated 600 Volts or Less
                                                 [Random wound]
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                                Open drip-proof                                    Totally enclosed fan-cooled
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                      HP                          6-pole     4-pole     2-pole     6-pole     4-pole     2-pole
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1.............................................       82.5       85.5      *77.0       82.5       85.5       77.0
1.5...........................................       86.5       86.5       84.0       87.5       86.5       84.0
2.............................................       87.5       86.5       85.5       88.5       86.5       85.5
3.............................................       88.5       89.5       85.5       89.5       89.5       86.5
5.............................................       89.5       89.5       86.5       89.5       89.5       88.5
7.5...........................................       90.2       91.0       88.5       91.0       91.7       89.5
10............................................       91.7       91.7       89.5       91.0       91.7       90.2
15............................................       91.7       93.0       90.2       91.7       92.4       91.0
20............................................       92.4       93.0       91.0       91.7       93.0       91.0
25............................................       93.0       93.6       91.7       93.0       93.6       91.7
30............................................       93.6       94.1       91.7       93.0       93.6       91.7
40............................................       94.1       94.1       92.4       94.1       94.1       92.4
50............................................       94.1       94.5       93.0       94.1       94.5       93.0
60............................................       94.5       95.0       93.6       94.5       95.0       93.6
75............................................       94.5       95.0       93.6       94.5       95.4       93.6
100...........................................       95.0       95.4       93.6       95.0       95.4       94.1
125...........................................       95.0       95.4       94.1       95.0       95.4       95.0
150...........................................       95.4       95.8       94.1       95.8       95.8       95.0
200...........................................       95.4       95.8       95.0       95.8       96.2       95.4
250...........................................       95.4       95.8       95.0       95.8       96.2       95.8
300...........................................       95.4       95.8       95.4       95.8       96.2       95.8
350...........................................       95.4       95.8       95.4       95.8       96.2       95.8
400...........................................       95.8       95.8       95.8       95.8       96.2       95.8
450...........................................       96.2       96.2       95.8       95.8       96.2       95.8
500...........................................       96.2       96.2       95.8       95.8       96.2       95.8
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[[Page 47793]]


                     Table 2.--Nominal Efficiencies For Induction Motors Rated 5 kV or Less
                                                  [Form wound]
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                                Open drip-proof                                    Totally enclosed fan-cooled
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                      HP                          6-pole     4-pole     2-pole     6-pole     4-pole     2-pole
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 250..........................................       95.0       95.0       94.5       95.0       95.0       95.0
300...........................................       95.0       95.0       94.5       95.0       95.0       95.0
350...........................................       95.0       95.0       94.5       95.0       95.0       95.0
400...........................................       95.0       95.0       94.5       95.0       95.0       95.0
450...........................................       95.0       95.0       94.5       95.0       95.0       95.0
500...........................................       95.0       95.0       94.5       95.0       95.0       95.0
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 [FR Doc. E6-13691 Filed 8-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P