Rinnai America Corporation, the number one selling brand of tankless water heaters in North America, calls on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to revise its proposed efficiency standards for tankless water heaters. In its current form, the draft rule will unreasonably restrict consumer access to certain tankless water heater products, disproportionately impacting middle-income households Read more
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Rinnai America Corporation, the number one selling brand of tankless water heaters in North America, calls on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to revise its proposed efficiency standards for tankless water heaters. In its current form, the draft rule will unreasonably restrict consumer access to certain tankless water heater products, disproportionately impacting middle-income households and small businesses.
The draft rule would raise standards for tankless gas-fired water heaters to over 91 percent efficiency, while leaving the standards for tank gas-fired water heaters relatively untouched at 70 percent efficiency. While tankless water heaters are the more environmentally friendly option, achieving 91 percent efficiency with non-condensing technology is technologically impossible.
“As currently drafted, DOE’s proposed rule will create an uneven market that effectively bans an already energy efficient product and puts American jobs at risk,” said Frank Windsor, president of Rinnai America Corporation. “Consumers who rely on access to tankless water heaters will see their options limited, resulting in higher energy bills and shorter appliance lifespans, while the very environmental goals prompting this rule will go unfulfilled. We urge DOE to re-consider this untenable rule for standards that better protect American consumers and drive our energy efficiency goals forward.”
Members of the public who wish to submit a comment on the draft rule to DOE or their representative in Congress rule may do so HERE.
Rinnai America Corporation employs over 600 people across the United States at its headquarters, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers. In the last five years, Rinnai has invested more than $100 million as part of its commitment to developing a strong domestic manufacturing base to serve the North American market.
For more information on Rinnai and its portfolio of products, visit www.rinnai.us.
Analysis finds the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code can reduce deaths from extreme heat by as much as 80 percent As heat alerts affected nearly 110 million people, a third of the U.S. population across 15 states, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a new report on July 13 called “Enhancing Resilience in Buildings Through Read more
Analysis finds the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code can reduce deaths from extreme heat by as much as 80 percent
As heat alerts affected nearly 110 million people, a third of the U.S. population across 15 states, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a new report on July 13 called “Enhancing Resilience in Buildings Through Energy Efficiency.” The report – which followed a study by a team of energy experts from DOE’s Building Energy Codes Program, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory – outlines the value for states and communities that adopt the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC) to enhance resilience in response to more frequent and intense extreme weather events attributed to a changing climate.
The report underscores the impact of the 2021 IECC in protecting occupants from extreme temperatures due to power outages associated with hazard events.
The report’s findings serve as a clarion call for policymakers to adopt the IECC. The IECC’s requirements:
- Improve envelope efficiency in buildings to permit occupants to shelter in place safely for more than four days during a disaster-induced power outage coupled with extreme heat or cold.
- Extend habitability by as much as 120% during extreme cold and 140% during extreme heat and reduce deaths by up to 80% during extreme heat and 30% in extreme cold.
- Provide, for new single-family buildings, benefit-cost ratios from 2 times to over 6 times, making a strong financial argument for adoption.
For additional information on the report and the Code Councils’ continued advocacy for building resiliency, visit www.iccsafe.org/energy and www.energycodes.gov/energy-resilience.
After undergoing extensive testing by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Rheem®, a global manufacturer of HVACR and water heating products, was honored to be acknowledged for its exemplary performance in the Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge. Focused on residential, centrally ducted, electric-only heat pumps, the DOE’s Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge Read more
After undergoing extensive testing by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Rheem®, a global manufacturer of HVACR and water heating products, was honored to be acknowledged for its exemplary performance in the Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge.
Focused on residential, centrally ducted, electric-only heat pumps, the DOE’s Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge assessed heat pump performance in the Canadian and northern US climate, where temperatures can get much colder than 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Following testing, it was determined that Rheem’s residential heat pump had delivered outstanding results in the challenge.
Rheem has a legacy of developing state-of-the-art heat pump technology. With a variety of leading products already in market, Rheem improved its existing innovative design to deliver 5% higher COP during heating at 5 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature than the DOE challenge specification, making it ideal for heating homes in the targeted climate regions. The Rheem heat pump also performed at a 9% higher HSPF2 than the DOE challenge specification, highlighting the unit’s incredible efficiency.
The DOE launched the Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge to accelerate development and commercialization of next-generation heat pumps by supporting American innovation and manufacturing. The DOE recognized the need for an efficient heating and cooling system based on updated state and federal policies and the growing demand for decarbonization. Rheem has always been at the forefront of sustainability efforts, especially since announcing its “A Greater Degree of Good” initiative, and has made notable progress toward the 2025 sustainability goals which encompass intelligent products, responsible processes and inspired people.
“Rheem is committed to making a difference with the products we create, and our sustainability efforts know no bounds,” said Jeff Goss, Director, Product Management, at Rheem. “We were not surprised that our team of dedicated, innovative engineers at Rheem developed a residential heat pump that was able to provide 77 percent of nominal heating capacity at −15 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature and provided uninterrupted heating operation at −23 degrees Fahrenheit ambient temperature surpassing expectations and delivering top quality performance.”
Heating and/or cooling a home, along with water heating, account for 40% of the primary energy consumption in buildings in the United States and are a major source of carbon emissions. As Rheem’s heat pumps run on electricity, they reduce the need for natural gas, making them an ideal solution for homeowners to reduce emissions and increase energy efficiency. Heat pumps are more efficient than electric resistance heating, and Rheem’s heat pump needs less supplementary heating due to its improved performance in cold ambient temperatures. Together, these elements, and their ability to function at a wider range of ambient temperatures, make them a more sustainable heating option.
To learn more about Rheem’s innovation pipeline, including its full line of cost-effective, eco-friendly products, visit Rheem.com.
U.S. Department of Energy Awards $10 Million in Funding The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is partnering with Colorado State University (CSU) and 2G Energy to examine decarbonized district energy systems with renewable propane-powered combined cooling heat and power (CCHP). The project is one of six that was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy Read more
U.S. Department of Energy Awards $10 Million in Funding
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is partnering with Colorado State University (CSU) and 2G Energy to examine decarbonized district energy systems with renewable propane-powered combined cooling heat and power (CCHP).
The project is one of six that was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to receive $10 million in funding from the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) through the Technical Partnerships Funding Opportunity. The Opportunity supports funding for renewably supplied district energy systems and the development of regional smart manufacturing pilot initiatives.
“District energy systems provide multiple buildings with heating and/or cooling from a central plant,” said Jim Bunsey, director of commercial business development at PERC. “These systems increase efficiency and reduce emissions compared to individual building systems. They also provide a reliable and resilient source of thermal energy that is particularly useful for large energy users such as manufacturing facilities, healthcare campuses, and military bases.”
While district energy systems traditionally use fossil fuels, they can also incorporate renewable fuels for enabling low-carbon, flexible, energy-efficient CHP systems, which support the electrical grid.
“The research will help show that district energy systems can operate seamlessly with renewable fuels,” said Bunsey. “By incorporating propane-powered CHPs into these systems, it’s possible to provide necessary energy services in conjunction with onsite solar generation and simultaneously support the electrical grid.”
With the awarded funds, CSU will conduct a field demonstration of an integrated CCHP unit in a district energy system that uses the waste heat to drive a turbo-compression chiller, a technology developed at the university.
“This is important research for the commercial industry as it could be used to power critical infrastructure and facilities such as schools, hospitals, and large commercial complexes,” Bunsey said.
To learn more about this project and the benefits of propane, visit Propane.com.