ACEEE & NEMA Agree to New Standards for Industrial Electric Motors

Published March 26, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association have agreed to a new set of proposed energy efficiency standards for industrial electric motors.

ACEEE and NEMA have submitted letters containing these recommendations to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for their consideration in energy legislation now under development.

"These standards will provide major energy and cost savings to industrial and commercial motor users while helping to moderate the growth in electricity demand in this country," said ACEEE's motor expert Dr. Neal Elliott. "In the industrial sector, motors account for over two-thirds of the electricity consumed. These standards will save over 8 trillion kilowatt-hours by 2030, with a net cost savings to electric consumers of almost $500 million."

In brief, the agreement recommends that by a date that is 36 months from the date of enactment, minimum energy efficiency standards be established or increased for three broad categories of electric motors: general purpose, integral-horsepower induction motors; seven types of low voltage poly-phase integral-horsepower induction motors; and general purpose motors of NEMA design "B", with 201 to 500 horsepower.

"This agreement demonstrates the mutual benefits that industry and the energy efficiency community can accomplish by working together," said Susan Coakley, Executive Director of Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, a Lexington, Mass.-based organization that worked with ACEEE and NEMA on developing the proposed standard.

In addition to the standards, NEMA and ACEEE have recommended federal tax incentives for motor manufacturers and end-use purchasers to accelerate the production and installation of premium efficiency electric motors prior to the standards' effective date.

Most of these motors have a useful life of over 20 years, so that any efficient motors purchased in advance of the standards' effective date will yield benefits for many years to come. ACEEE estimated that these tax credits would result in an addition 0.7 billion kilowatt-hours and $40 million in savings.

For more information about the standards, visit ACEEE's website.

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ACEEE & NEMA Agree to New Standards for Industrial Electric Motors

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