In a new whitepaper, ABB reveals potential for significant energy efficiency improvements in industry and infrastructure enabled by the latest and most high-efficiency motors and variable speed drives. ABB calls on governments and industry to accelerate adoption of the technology to help combat climate change.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), industry accounts for 37% of global energy use and some 30% of global energy is consumed in buildings, says ABB. While mostly hidden from public view, electric motors – and the variable speed drives which optimize their operation – are embedded in almost every built environment.
Motor and drive technologies have seen exceptionally rapid advancement in the past decade, with today’s innovative designs delivering remarkable energy efficiencies, according to ABB. However, a significant number of industrial electric motor-driven systems in operation today – in the region of 300 million globally – reportedly are inefficient or consume much more power than required, resulting in monumental energy wastage.
Independent research estimates that if these systems were replaced with optimized, high-efficiency equipment, the gains to be realized could reduce global electricity consumption by up to 10%, according to ABB. In turn, this would account a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions needed to meet the 2040 climate goals established by the Paris Agreement.
For more information on ABB’s white paper, “Achieving the Paris Agreement: The Vital Role of High-Efficiency Motors and Drives in Reducing Energy Consumption,” visit: www.energyefficiencymovement.com
