Department of Energy Announces No Changes to Minimum AFUE Ratings for Oil Fired Furnaces

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it will not amend existing minimum Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) energy conservation standards for consumer weatherized oil-fired furnaces (WOF), non-weatherized oil fired furnaces (NWOF) and mobile home oil fired furnaces (MHOF). AFUE is a percentage that measures how much of a furnace’s fuel is used to heat a home. The current minimum AFUE rating for WOF furnaces is 78 percent while the minimum AFUE rating for NWOF furnaces is 83 percent. The DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy made the announcement in Notice of Final Determination, released earlier this week.

The announcement is good news for heating fuel dealers because more stringent AFUE ratings would further constrict the already small and shrinking market for NWOF and WOF furnaces. The DOE is required under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA 42 U.S.C. 6295(m)(1)) to review established AFUE ratings every six years to determine whether more-stringent standards would be technologically feasible, economically justified, and result in significant energy savings. The DOE Notice of Final Determination found that given the small market share of NWOF and WOF furnaces, more stringent minimum AFUE standards, while technologically feasible, would not result in any significant energy savings as required by law. The Notice of Final Determination also maintains the current minimum AFUE standards for weatherized gas furnaces and electric furnaces.