DOE Proposes New Energy Standards for Battery Chargers

WASHINGTON — The Department of Energy this past week proposed a new energy conservation rule for battery chargers for consumer products.

A public meeting via webinar has been scheduled on Thursday, April 27, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. More information can be found here.

Webinar registration information, participant instructions, and information about the capabilities available to webinar participants will be published on DOE’s website.

Specifically, the DOE is proposing new multi-metric energy conservation standards for battery chargers. 

The proposed standards, which are expressed in max active charge energy and max standby and off modes power values, are shown in the accompanying table.

These proposed standards, if adopted, would apply to all battery chargers manufactured in, or imported into, the United States starting on the date two years after the publication of the final rule for this rulemaking.

The DOE has estimated that the total conversion costs associated with bringing products into compliance is $398.2 million.

But the DOE also contends that the proposed energy conservation standards for battery chargers would save a significant amount of energy. 

Relative to the case without amended standards, the lifetime energy savings for battery chargers purchased in the 30-year period that begins in the anticipated year of compliance with the amended standards (2027-2056) amount to 1.2 quadrillion British thermal units, or quads. 

This represents a savings of 17.6% relative to the energy use of these products in the case without amended standards.

The cumulative net present value of total consumer benefits of the proposed standards for battery chargers ranges from $3.7 billion (at a 7% discount rate) to $7.5 billion (at a 3% discount rate). 

This NPV expresses the estimated total value of future operating-cost savings minus the estimated increased product costs for battery chargers purchased in 2027-2056.

In addition, the proposed standards for battery chargers are projected to yield significant environmental benefits. DOE estimates that the proposed standards would result in cumulative emission reductions (over the same period as for energy savings) of 40 million metric tons.

For additional information contact Jeremy Dommu, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Office, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121 or via email at [email protected]., or Melanie Lampton, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (240) 751-5157. Email: [email protected].

For further information on how to submit a comment, review other public comments and the docket, or participate in the public meeting, contact the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program staff at (202) 287-1445.

The department will accept comments, data and information regarding this notice of proposed rulemaking no later than May 15, 2023.

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue