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No spin: Regulators eye new rules for ceiling fans
The Obama administration on Thursday said the energy standards for ceiling fans are woefully out of date.
The Department of Energy (DOE) noted in its fall 2012 regulatory agenda that it would tackle the issue, and on Friday will officially announce the start of the rule-making process.
According to documents on its website, the DOE is soliciting comments on a wide variety of aspects to be included in the final regulation — including the specific definition of a ceiling fan, how to handle more “decorative” ceiling fans and various ways of measuring the energy output from these types of fans.
Next week, the DOE and its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy will hold a meeting — also available for viewing on the Web — to listen to feedback from the industry and stakeholders.
The bulk of industry and public influence happens before a rule is even drafted, because final regulations cannot dramatically change from the proposal, or the agency could face major litigation.
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act requires the agency to set conservation standards for the products, but “all amended energy efficiency standards must be technologically feasible and economically justified,” the department says.
