Energy efficiency a decisive factor in electric motor choice

NEW RESEARCH by ABB, in collaboration with Sapio Research, has surveyed nearly 2,400 global businesses to gain insight into the state of the market around energy efficiency, sustainability, digitalisation, and the key role played by electric motors. A key finding was that 91% of businesses said that energy efficiency now had a critical influence on their choice of electric motors. Furthermore, 94% of businesses are either currently investing or planning to invest in sustainability initiatives. 

“This survey provides a valuable insight into how businesses are prioritising energy efficiency not just to meet sustainability targets but also to gain measurable financial returns, said Stefan Floeck, division president IEC Low Voltage Motors at ABB Motion. "ABB is already playing a critical role in this development by demonstrating how investing in state-of-the-art energy-efficient electric motors, such as our IE6 SynRM technology, can enhance operational efficiency and promote sustainable growth."

The role of electric motors in energy efficiency

Nearly all businesses (94%) are investing or planning to invest in sustainability and especially energy efficiency. Most are aware of the role that energy efficient motors can play in achieving their sustainability goals, with 91% saying that this influences their choice. 

This also translates into what these businesses prioritise when it comes to energy efficient motors, with 88% considering it important that manufacturers can produce an environmental product declaration (EPD). ABB is addressing this development through EcoSolutions, a comprehensive program designed to provide complete transparency on the environmental impact of its products across their entire lifecycle, from inception through to disposal. 

Barriers to adoption

The main barriers preventing businesses from investing in higher efficiency motors are seen as higher upfront costs, concerns around integrating with existing systems and potential disruption in production capacity. Higher upfront cost is more of a barrier for higher turnover businesses. 

Cost plays a role as both a barrier and a driver due to the investments required for plant and equipment upgrades. However, 99% of businesses are now tracking the long-term savings as the main return on investment (ROI) from their energy efficiency initiatives.  

Total cost of ownership (TCO) makes the case for energy efficiency

It is important to note that most businesses look at the total cost of ownership (TCO) as the most significant factor when purchasing new electric motors. In fact, over a long lifetime, the cost of an energy-efficient motor is far outweighed by the cost of the electricity to power it. For an IE6 SynRM, the upfront cost will be around 2% of its TCO, maintenance accounts for one percent and the remaining 97% is spent on electricity.

These findings further strengthen the trend for digitalisation with even more reliable and precise solutions delivering operational value and enabling business model transformation.

For more information:

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