Motor-drive packages for next-level energy savings Advances by suppliers , coupled with green legislation such as the EU ’ s Ecodesign Directive – which mandates that energyusing and energy-related products must meet certain environmental requirements – continuously stimulate the production of more efficient motors and drives . Industries could trim their power usage , on average , by 25 percent by simply switching to modern motors paired with VSDs .
VSD technology reduces energy waste by matching the motor speed and torque to the actual requirements of the process , rather than allowing motors to run at full speed all the time . Yet only around 23 percent of the world ’ s motors use this technology . The fact that the number of industrial motors is expected to double by 2040 makes this disparity a fundamental challenge to address . Fortunately , the Ecodesign Directive is actively encouraging the use of motors which meet international efficiency ( IE ) standards .
From July 2023 , some motor types will have to meet a rating of IE4 ( the second highest class currently available ) as the minimum efficiency standard .
However , it ’ s possible to futureproof operations with the even more efficient IE5-rated technology already available in a synchronous reluctance ( SynRM ) motor and VSD package . This offers better savings on energy consumption , downtime , maintenance , and other ongoing costs than standard induction motors , which are the current industry norm .
A collective effort to drive sustainability For Swedish group Ikea , the world ’ s leading decoration and furniture retailer , sustainability is a main driver of innovation and growth , alongside a commitment to renewable energy . The group installed HVAC systems equipped with ABB ’ s drives in two of its largest stores in Spain . The result was an increase of 25 percent in energy efficiency for each system .