NEMA launches energy-efficient motor program

The Motor and Generator Section of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) announced Oct. 11 that it will establish a premium motor energy efficiency program. Traditionally, there has been no industry consensus specification defining high- or premium-efficiency motors. NEMA says recent power supply issues and utility deregulation have focused attention on the need to help motor users optimize motor system efficiency.

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 imposed energy efficiency standards on many classes of motors. Since then, many users and motor repair shops were confused by the lack of consistency in describing performance of integral motor premium efficiency, according to NEMA. By agreeing on a North American premium motor program, NEMA adds that motor manufacturers expect this confusion to be greatly reduced.

They also expect demand for NEMA-compliant premium efficiency motors to eventually exceed demand for products required by the Energy Policy Act. Integral horsepower motors became efficiency-regulated under the act; minimum efficiency levels known as energy efficient were established for 1-hp to 200-hp, general purpose motors. The new premium motor program will go beyond the act to include up to 450-hp motors.

Using industrial motor research data from the U.S. Department of Energy Data, NEMA estimates its premium motor program, including commercial and agricultural applications, could save 5.8 gigawatts of electricity, and prevent the release of nearly 80 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere over the next 10 years. This is equivalent to keeping 16 million cars off the road in the next decade.

NEMA Motor and Generator Section member firms include: Emerson Electric, General Electric, Marathon/Lincoln, Siemens Energy and Automation, Toshiba International, Rockwell Automation, Sterling Electric, WEG Electric, Leeson Electric, Brook Crompton NA, ElectraGear, Ametek, Howell, Imperial Electric, Peerless Winsmith, SEW-Eurodrive, and Onan Corp.

For more information, visit www.nema.org or www.controleng.com/freeinfo .

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