The Copper Development Association (CDA) recently announced its support of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association NEMA Premium Efficient Motor Program, a set of national electric motor efficiency standards projected to save more than 5800GWh of electricity and prevent the release of almost 80 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere over the next 10 years. The standards are generally 1% to 2% stronger than minimum federal standards set by the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
According to David Brender, CDA National Program Manager, electric motor-driven systems consume more than 60% of all industrial electricity generated in the United States each year. “With so much at stake, this program not only brings this urgent message to the industrial community, but offers real solutions at a time when electricity consumption and generation are critical issues impacting production and profitability,” he says.
Brender also points outs that the average electric motor can cost up to 25 times its purchase price in operating costs over just one year. “With electric rates rising across the country, and peak prices several times the average, the benefits of higher efficiency motors have never been clearer,” he says. “These motors incorporate a complement of premium materials that enable them to run cooler, last longer, and perform more efficiently.”
Products equipped with motors that meet or exceed the new specifications can bear the NEMA Premium label. For more information on the Copper Development Association and the role of copper in electric motors, visit www.copper.org.