Characterisation of the Electricity Use in European Union and the Savings Potential in 2010

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the study “Actions to Promote Energy Efficient Electric Motors”, carried out recently by the European Union Motors Study Group for the European Commission.

The study characterised the electricity used in the industrial and tertiary sectors and the electricity consumption associated with the different types of electric motors systems in the Member States of the European Union, as well as estimated future evolution until 2010. The study analysed only AC polyphase induction motors above 0,75 kW, used either in industry or in the tertiary sector. The current market for motors and drives in the EU countries was also characterised.

There are many factors which influence the efficiency of a motor system. In this study only improvements in motor efficiency, namely the use of Energy Efficient Motors (EEMs) in new applications or when standard motors need to be replaced, and the application of Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) were quantitatively assessed with regard to their savings potential, in the industrial and tertiary sectors, by the year 2010, because these are the only factors influencing efficiency which savings can be quantified with reasonable reliability. Estimating the penetration of VSDs and EEMs by the year 2010 relies on many economic and technological factors that are very hard to predict. Therefore the estimates of the energy savings potential of VSDs and EEMs have been calculated considering cost-effectiveness constraints and considering that there are no restrictions on cost-effectiveness.