Today, the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, issued a notice of proposed policy, proposing to incorporate a full-fuel cycle analysis into the methods it uses to estimate the likely impacts of energy conservation standards on energy use and emissions.  See Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment; Public Meeting and Availability of Statement of Policy for Adopting Full-Fuel-Cycle Analyses Into Energy Conservation Standards Programs, 75 Fed. Reg. 51,423 (Aug. 20, 2010).  Here is the DOE proposal and a memorandum summarizing the proposal.

In general, DOE is proposing to use full-fuel-cycle measures of energy and greenhouse gas emissions, rather than the primary energy measures it currently uses.  DOE is also proposing to work with the Federal Trade Commission to make full-fuel-cycle energy and emissions data available to the public to enable consumers to make cross-class comparisons.  DOE is proposing this policy change to implement the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences that DOE consider moving over time to use of a full-fuel-cycle measure of energy consumption for assessment of national and environmental impacts, especially levels of greenhouse gas emissions, and to providing more comprehensive information to the public through labels and other means, such as an enhanced website.  DOE is soliciting public comment on its proposed policy, its methods for modeling energy consumption and emissions impacts, and the ways in which this information can be disseminated to the public.

DOE will hold a public meeting on its proposal on Thursday, October 7, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT, in Washington, DC, and will accept written comments from interested parties up to October 19, 2010.