New standards for industrial motors in the EU - are you ready?

23/06/2011

What is the new standard?

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As of the 16th June, a new standard comes into play, introducing minimum efficiency standards for motors in the European market. The EU MEPS (European Minimum Energy Performance Standard) scheme covers 2-, 4- and 6-pole single speed, three phase induction motors in the power range 0.75 kW to 375 kW. Motor manufacturers are now required to show the IE (International Efficiency) class, year of manufacture and efficiency values on motor rating plates and in product documentation.
Under the scheme, standard efficiency (IE1) motors are no longer available on the European market. IE2 is now the European minimum standard.

So, why the need for such legislation?

Motors are all around us. Amazingly, electric motors consume about 45% of all electricity produced in industry, which means that just about every second power plant serving industry, is powering electric motors. The introduction of minimum efficiency standards will have a huge impact on consumption levels. Europe is expected to save about 135 TWh by 2020, which is the equivalent to the output of 22 nuclear reactors or the energy consumption of 32 million EU households.

And what does it mean for end-users?

Your installed base is fine at the moment. But over time, any motors that you replace will need to meet these minimum standards. Now is a good time to log your motors and find out which would benefit from being high efficiency. After all, over the lifetime of any new motor, the savings achieved through higher efficiencies will far exceed the increased initial purchasing cost.

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