RESEARCH SHOWS ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS A DECISIVE FACTOR IN ELECTRIC MOTOR CHOICE
RESEARCH FROM 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.
Conducted in June 2024, the research gathered responses from industrial decision-makers across the UK, US, Germany, Italy, France, Australia, UAE, Japan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, South Korea, and India. Respondents represented a range of industries, such as manufacturers of OEM machinery, energy/power, food and beverage, metals, and chemicals. A key finding was that 91% of businesses said that energy efficiency now critically influenced their choice of electric motors. Furthermore, 94% of businesses are either currently investing or planning to invest in sustainability initiatives.
Nearly all businesses (94%) are investing or planning to invest in sustainability and especially energy efficiency. Most are aware of energy efficient motors' role in achieving their sustainability goals, with 91% saying that this influences their choice. Nearly all businesses also recognise that energy efficient motors can add value to their products and businesses.
An emerging theme throughout the report is that end-user businesses place a greater emphasis on sustainability, often due to increased pressure from customers, which is reflected in their increased investment in energy efficiency. However, 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).
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. The 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 long-term savings as the main return on investment (ROI) from their energy efficiency initiatives.
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 1%, and the remaining 97% will be spent on electricity.
But it’s not all about cost. Quality and ability to integrate are also key attributes that businesses look for from a supplier.
When looking specifically at the digitalisation of electric motors, there is a clear trend for electric motor suppliers to utilise data insights and remote monitoring to improve their service offerings. 99% of businesses believe there is added value in running digitally connected electric motors, specifically for their capability for predictive condition monitoring to enhance motor availability and safety.
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This article appeared in Renew magazine. To read more or request your personal digital or print edition of Renew, click here.
