Simple cost effective measures
Motors and Drives are typically a major user of electricity and power in commercial and industrial installations. Motors are used in applications across most installations and are often overlooked for energy measures as they are considered essential pieces of equipment and must be left active for plants operational activities. There are some small low or no cost measure that users can adopt to minimise the usage of machinery in their industrial process.
Simple cost effective measures
Operation time
All machinery should have an operating schedule attached to it so operators know if and when it should be turned off. Use an hour's run meter to measure how long equipment has been running and compare with the required hours of operation. Reduce the operating time of motors whenever possible by improving control of motor driven loads and switch them off either manually or automatically when not required.
Maintenance
Have a schedule and procedure for motor maintenance and ensure staff promptly report faulty or noisy motors. Have a plan for repairing failed motors, which compares long-term repair vs. replacement costs.
Lighting levels
Match the right size motors to the right loads ensuring that they are typically on 75% loading. The 'loading' of a motor is the amount of work it does compared with its capability.
New equipment
Always specify high efficiency motors and new equipment should be sourced from SEAI's Accelerated Capital Allowance list
Variable speed drive
A Variable Speed Drive (VSD) is a system that can control rotational speed and torque on an AC motor by adjusting the power supplied to the motor to match the load requirement. A small reduction in the power load can have significant benefits for the consumption of electricity on sites motor installations.
For more information, contact SSE Airtricity's Commercial Energy Efficiency Department on 01 655 6031 or via email to kevin.hourigan@airtricity.com