Premium efficiency motors

As part of a concerted effort worldwide to reduce energy consumption, CO2 emissions and the impact of industrial operations on the environment, various regulatory authorities in many countries have introduced or are planning legislation to encourage the manufacture and use of higher efficiency motors in diverse equipment. This article looks at the development of premium-efficiency motors (PEMs) and associated environmental, legal and energy-related topics.

Reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions

Several statements have been made regarding motor use and the advantages of using premium-efficiency or higher efficiency motors. These include:

Based on U.S. Department Of Energy data, it is estimated that the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) premium-efficiency motor program would save 5800 gigawatts of electricity and PReVENT the release of nearly 80 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere over the next ten years. This is equivalent to keeping 16 million cars off the road .

Roughly 30 million new electric motors are sold each year for industrial purposes. Some 300 million motors are in use in industry, infrastructure and large buildings. These electric motors are responsible for 40% of global electricity used to drive pumps, fans, compressors and other mechanical traction equipment. Motor technology has evolved over the last few decades. Superior so-called "premium" products are now available, ready to change the market toward energy efficiency and to contribute in lowering greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

With using best practice energy efficiency of electrical motors can be improved by 20% to 30% on average. Most improvements have a pay back time of 1 to below 3 years. This in addition means a big potential impact on reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions..

Electric motor systems consume large amounts of electrical energy and can provide an opportunity for significant energy savings.Energy represents more than 97 percent of total motor operating costs over the motor’s lifetime. However, the purchase of a new motor often tends to be driven by the price, not the electricity it will consume. Even a small improvement in efficiency could result in significant energy and cost savings. Investing a little more money upfront for a more efficient motor is often paid back in energy savings. Improving energy efficiency reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change..

Definition of motor efficiency

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) recently passed standard IEC 60034-30 (2008), which defines energy efficiency classes for single-speed, three-phase, and 50 Hz and 60 Hz induction motors. The standard is part of an effort to unify motor testing standards, efficiency requirements, and product labeling requirements so that motor purchasers worldwide have the ability to easily recognize premium-efficiency products. Industrial energy managers and end users purchasing for new installations or replacements for motors should be aware of these new efficiency standards.

Unifying Worldwide Efficiency Classifications
The new full-load efficiency standards apply to most worldwide industrial continuous-duty motors with the following parameters: • Single speed, three-phase, and 50 Hz and 60 Hz • 2, 4, and 6 poles (3,000; 1,500; and 1,000 RPM at 50 Hz) • Rated output from 0.75 to 375 kW (1 to 500 hp) • Rated voltage up to 1,000 V • Rated on the basis of either duty type S1 (continuous duty) or S3 (intermittent duty) with a rated cyclic duration factor of 80% or higher.

The table below shows the new IEC 60034-30 (2008) efficiency classes and comparable efficiency levels.

The standard also reserves an IE4 class (Super Premium Efficiency) for the future. The following motors are excluded from the new efficiency standard:

• Motors made solely for inverter operation
• Motors completely integrated into a machine (pump, fan, or compressor) that cannot be tested separately from the machine.

For 60 Hz operation, the IE2 and IE3 minimum full-load efficiency values are virtually identical to the North American National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Energy Efficient and Premium Efficiency motor standards, respectively. (NEMA does specify different full-load efficiency values for motors with Totally Enclosed Fan-Cooled and Open Drip-proof enclosures and from 200HP IEC IE3 efficiency is slightly higher than NEMA Premium Efficiency). The IEC minimum full-load efficiency standards are higher for 60 Hz motors than for 50 Hz motors. This is because as long as the motor torque is constant, I²R or winding resistance losses are the same at 50 Hz and 60 Hz. The motor output power, however, increases linearly with speed, increasing by 20% when the frequency is increased from 50 Hz to 60 Hz. In general, the 60 Hz efficiency is about 2.5% to 0.5% greater than the 50 Hz values. The efficiency gain is greater for smaller motor power ratings.

To show compliance with these new efficiency standards, motors must be tested in accordance with the newly adopted IEC 60034-2–1 testing protocol. This procedure provides test results that are largely compatible with those obtained by the North American IEEE 112B and CSA 390 test methods. The new standard also requires that the motor efficiency class and nominal motor efficiency be labeled on the motor nameplate and given in product literature and motor catalogues in the following format:

IE3 94.5%

New Minimum Energy Performance Standards
While IEC sets guidelines for motor testing and efficiency classes, the organization does not regulate efficiency. With the new efficiency standards in place, the European Commission Eco-design Regulatory Committee recommended in March 2009 that electric motors with an output power of 0.75 to 375 kW equal or exceed new mandatory Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS). The MEPS, expected to be adopted in June 2009, are set at the following levels:

• IE2 by June 16, 2011
• IE3 by January 1, 2015 (for motors >=7.5 to 375 kW) and IE2 only in combination with an adjustable speed drive
• IE3 for all motors by January 1, 2017, (for motors from 0.75 to 375 kW) and IE2 only in combination with an adjustable speed drive.

The new MEPS will supersede the existing voluntary 1999 European Committee of Manufacturers of Electrical Machines and Power Electronics EFF1, EFF2, and EFF3 efficiency standards (CEMEP).

Adoption of the MEPS by the European Commission will put them on a path similar to that taken by the United States in the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 (PDF 151 KB). Download Adobe Reader. This Act increases the U.S. MEPS for 1 to 200 hp, 1,200, 1,800, and 3,600 RPM general purpose motors from the Energy Policy Act of 1992 Energy Efficient (IE2 equivalent) levels to NEMA Premium Efficiency (IE3) levels by December 2010. EISA also establishes an Energy Efficient (IE2) level for motors with output power ratings of 201 to 500 hp. Source for this section: Summer 2009 issue of ENERGY Matters, US Department of Energy

Premium-efficiency motor programs

On December 19, 2007, President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) in law (Public Law 140-110). The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) actively participated in crafting major provisions on EISA. A critical provision that NEMA focused on was increased motor efficiency levels. The Motor Generator section of NEMA joined forces with the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy to draft and recommend new motor efficiency regulations covering both general purpose and some categories of definite and special purpose electrical motors.
The Motor and Generator Section of NEMA established the NEMA Premium program for four main reasons:

• Electric motors have a significant impact on the total energy operating cost for industrial, institutional and commercial buildings.
• Electric motors vary in terms of energy efficiency. The NEMA Premium program will assist purchasers identify higher efficient motors that will save them money and improve system reliability.
• NEMA Premium labeled electric motors will assist users to optimize motor systems efficiency in light of power supply and utility deregulation issues.
• NEMA Premium motors and optimized systems will reduce electrical consumption thereby reducing pollution associated with electrical power generation.

Visit NEMA Premium Motors for more information.
A summary of EISA standards for motors used today can be found here:

Within the EU, the new IEC 60034–30 efficiency classes promote international harmonization. The standard does not specify which motors must be supplied at which efficiency level. On 22 July 2009, Commission Regulation (EC) No 640/2009 implementing Directive 2005/32/EC states that in the EU, with a few exceptions for special purposes, drive motors shall not be less efficient than the IE3 efficiency level as from 1 January 2015.

IEC 60034-30, IE3 Premium Efficiency (%) is presented in the table. [this table data will be completed and corrected within 24 hours]

IE3 Premium Efficiency

Commercial rebate programs

The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has adopted a NEMA-advocated provision that creates a premium energy-efficient motor rebate program, also known as a “crush for credit” program, according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). The program provides a $25 per horsepower rebate and a $5 per horsepower rebate for the disposal of the old motor. The latter program is needed to offset the cost difference between new, more expensive, efficient motors and the lesser cost to repair the older, more inefficient motors, NEMA says. Once signed into law, this program allows the federal government to spend $350 million in incentives for the widespread adoption of NEMA Premium motors.

Within the EU, various Capital Allowance Schemes encourage companies to purchase equipment incorporating premium-efficiency motors. For example, in the UK, the Enhanced Capital Allowances Scheme provides a tax incentive to businesses that invest in equipment that meets published energy-saving criteria. The Energy Technology List (ETL) details the criteria for each type of technology, and lists those products in each category that meet them. It is managed by the Carbon Trust, on behalf of the Government, and has two parts:

• The Energy Technology Criteria List (ETCL), which is reviewed annually as part of to ensure that it reflects technological progress. It sets out the qualifying energy-saving criteria for each class of technology. See how the energy-saving criteria have changed over the years.
• The Energy Technology Product List (ETPL), updated at the start of each month on this website, lists the products and technologies that are eligible for an ECA.

The ETPL also contains details of the maximum claim values for qualifying products which comprise a component in a larger piece of plant and machinery, which does not itself qualify for ECAs.

Key Features of the ECA scheme are:
• Open to all businesses that pay UK corporation or income tax, regardless of size, sector or location.
• Provides 100% first-year capital allowances on investments in energy-saving equipment against taxable profits of the period of investment.
• All the products listed on the ETPL must meet the energy-saving criteria, published in the ETCL.
• Only spending on new and unused energy-saving equipment can qualify for ECAs.
• Capital allowances are available for spending “on the provision of” plant and machinery. This can include certain costs arising as a direct result of the installation of qualifying plant and machinery such as; transport of the equipment to the site, and some direct installation costs. One can refer to the Claiming an ECA section for more information.

A similar scheme in Ireland, Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) run by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) lets a company cut its taxable income by 100% of the capital cost of eligible energy-efficient equipment in the first year of purchase. This compares to just 12.5% for ineligible plant and machinery. With the existing Capital Allowances tax structure, when money is spent on “capital equipment” companies can deduct the cost of this equipment from their profits proportionally over a period of 8 years, i.e. the annual taxable profit is only reduced by 1/8 of the total equipment cost. With new ACA, when money is spent on “Eligible energy efficient capital equipment”, the company can deduct the full cost of this equipment from their profits in the year of purchase, i.e. the taxable profit in year one is reduced by the full cost of the equipment.

See also

• Premium efficiency

Sources

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:191:0026:0034:EN:PDF
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/efficiency/ecodesign/doc/committee/2009-03-27-circulators.pdf
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/eco_design/directive_2005_32.pdf
http://www.nema.org/gov/energy/efficiency/premium
http://www.iec.ch/tiss/directives.htm
http://www.automation.siemens.com/mcms/sites/en/energy-efficient-drives/legislation-standards-energy-efficiency/Documents/New-efficiency-classes-for-motors.pdf
http://www.managenergy.net/products/R535.htm

External links

• [http://www.nema.org/gov/energy/efficiency/premium). NEMA website for the program]