The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) finalized new energy efficiency standards for electric motors that will save businesses money and reduce planet-warming emissions. This rule will improve motor efficiency by leveraging investments that manufacturers are already making to meet standards in the EU–a great win for industry and energy efficiency alike.
The agency worked alongside industry and energy efficiency advocates to formulate the rule. A working group, representing a wide array of stakeholders, from motor manufacturers, electric utilities, efficiency and environmental nonprofits provided the below joint recommendations that were adopted by DOE:
- Establish amended energy conservation standards for 100-250 horsepower (hp) electric motors at Super Premium/IE4 efficiency levels
- Establish new energy conservation standards for motors rated over 500 and up to and including 750 hp at Premium/IE3 efficiency levels
- Establish new energy conservation standards for air-over electric motors
According to DOE, the new standards would save American businesses up to $8.8 billion on utility bills and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 92 million metric tons over 30 years of sales.
The working group also recommended that DOE open a new test procedure rulemaking to modify the test procedure to better capture the benefits and representative operation of synchronous and inverter-only motors and to enable fair comparisons among different motor types.
The working group is comprised of National Electrical Manufacturers Association, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Appliance Standards Awareness Project, Natural Resources Defense Council and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.