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It’s Time To Think About Your Motor Energy Usage

posted by: Supply Link Fri Dec 12 2010 | 10:36:34 AM
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It’s Time To Think About Your Motor Energy Usage
On December 19, 2010, new energy legislation will take effect which impacts the manufacturing of certain industrial motors. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) legislation sets stringent new efficiency standards for a broad range of General Purpose and some Definite Purpose 3-phase motors. Motor designs which do not meet the mandated legislation requirements can no longer be manufactured after December 19, 2010. The legislation allows existing inventory of affected motors to be made available until quantities are depleted.
 
Electric motors are the largest electric technology in place in terms of energy use, which is why the Department of Energy created minimum efficiency performance standards set forth in regulations like EISA. Electric motors convert an estimated 40 to 60 percent of all electricity generated in the world into mechanical energy. Electric energy used by motors in industrial and commercial facilities can be up to 70 percent of the total electric energy output.
 
End users need to pay close attention to the amount of energy their motors consume. There are many NEMA Premium® motor replacements available that will help save money in the long run. Installing energy efficient motors will also help organizations achieve their sustainability goals.
 
Here’s a couple of things to remember:
 
  • The Department of Energy currently estimates that there are more than 12.4 million electric motors exceeding 1 hp in service in the United States, and that nearly 3 million of these workhorses will fail next year. About 600,000 of the failed motors will be replaced. So the chances are good that you will have to select the right motor replacement for a failed unit sooner rather than later.
     
  • A properly installed motor may last up to 20-30 years. In fact, the energy consumed by a motor over its useful life costs many times its purchase price. Studies have shown that the purchase price of a motor represents about 3 percent of its lifetime cost, while the electricity it consumes accounts for more than 97 percent. Consider focusing your efforts on evaluating the energy use specifications of the motor than the unit purchase cost.
     
  • Estimates from the Department of Energy indicate that by switching all in-service motors in the U.S. from standard efficiency to NEMA Premium® efficiency motors could save more than $10 billion annually and reduce carbon emissions by nearly 80 million metric tons - the carbon equivalent of taking 16 million autos off the road.
     
  • A number of utilities and state agencies now offer incentive programs in the form of rebates and cost-sharing programs that encourage their customers to install energy efficient motors. Check with your State Department of Energy or local utility to find out more details about these programs.
For more information, visit nema.org http://www.nema.org/gov/energy/efficiency/premium/
 
 -John Sladek, MRO Product Writer