ABB: Unlocking Energy Efficiency

Industrial motors are the driving force behind modern society. They play a vital role in powering processes and systems across various sectors. From pumping clean water and operating heating, ventilation and air condition (HVAC) systems, to powering the machinery and conveyors that produce our everyday goods, these workhorses are everywhere. Globally, there are over 300 million industrial electric motors in operation and, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), they account for some 45 percent of the world’s total electricity consumption. 

As the world shifts towards a more sustainable future, energy efficient solutions are gaining momentum and are readily available. This adoption, coupled with the transition to renewable energy sources, will be critical in achieving a truly sustainable industrial landscape and reaching the 1.5°C global warming target. 

A practical solution lies in enhancing the efficiency of motors to reduce energy consumption – a move that aligns with climate objectives and yields substantial cost savings. The IEA emphasises that replacing all motors and drives with high-efficiency upgrades could potentially reduce global electricity consumption by at least 10 percent. This underscores the significant impact that can be achieved by prioritising energy-efficient technologies in industrial operations. 

Embracing energy efficiency through cutting-edge motor and variable speed drive (VSD) solutions is a crucial step in the right direction, offering a win-win scenario for both the environment and economic sustainability. 

The power of energy audits

While businesses are eager to enhance their energy efficiency, many struggle to know where to start. An ABB survey revealed that while 97 percent of industry leaders actively want to invest in making their operations more energy-efficient, only 41 percent know how to do so effectively.

This is where energy audits come in. They provide a comprehensive analysis, identifying the areas with the greatest potential for energy savings across hundreds of motor systems within a plant or facility. Armed with this invaluable information, maintenance teams can make informed decisions, targeting motors with the highest energy-saving potential, ultimately leading to reduced energy consumption and cost savings.

Data collection can be accomplished through various means: manually with an expert visiting the site, or digitally with data gathered remotely for regular energy-use updates. By using this operational data, experts can analyse the current performance of motor systems against their potential performance if upgraded or resized. This allows businesses to calculate energy savings, emissions avoidance and the anticipated return on investment (ROI).

Most importantly, energy audits can be conducted without disrupting normal operations. Based on the audit findings, a plan can be developed to implement efficiency improvements in the least disruptive manner. For example, upgrades can be seamlessly integrated into routine maintenance schedules, minimising downtime. By following the outcomes of energy audits, businesses can make strides towards energy efficiency, unlocking cost savings, reducing their environmental footprint and positioning themselves as industry leaders in sustainability. 

Practical strategies from energy audits 

A common approach to improving energy efficiency in motors is to add a VSD. Drives allow operators to adjust the speed or torque of a motor in accordance with the demands of the task. By doing so, they significantly reduce energy consumption and associated costs – reducing a motor’s speed by just 20 percent can lead to a 50 percent reduction in energy use. The potential benefits are clear and, while at least half of all industrial electric motors could benefit from VSDs, only a quarter currently use them.  

Another effective strategy is upgrading to more energy-efficient motors. Many motors currently in operation rely on IE1 or IE2 technology, where the higher IE ratings established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) indicate greater efficiency. However, modern motors can achieve IE5 levels of efficiency, offering 40 percent lower energy losses compared to IE3 motors, resulting in reduced energy consumption and lower CO emissions. And progress in efficiency is continuing. ABB has also unveiled a motor based on synchronous reluctance (SynRM) technology that offers the anticipated IE6-level of hyper-efficiency.

ABB has recently launched an energy savings calculator that grants businesses easy access to data insights based on the energy performance of their motor-driven systems. The online tool, which acts as a first step of a comprehensive energy efficiency audit, gives an initial estimate of the potential energy and cost savings they can achieve by upgrading pump and fan systems driven by low-voltage direct online motors. It estimates the energy savings that could be achieved by upgrading to the latest motor and drive technology for optimal energy efficiency gains.

A frequent finding from energy audits is that many motors are oversized, often due to system designers building in substantial safety margins for contingencies that seldom occur. So, resizing them can optimise energy efficiency without compromising performance or reliability. Consider the example of a HVAC motor: they are often specified to operate at maximum loads far exceeding average demands, such as being engineered to handle external temperatures of 40C, which may only occur a few days per year. With a drive it is possible to specify a smaller motor and then overspeed it to handle periods of peak demand.

Importantly, it is crucial to evaluate not just motor efficiency but the whole system. Using the HVAC example, this would include assessing fans, condensers and cooling towers in addition to the motors.

Uncovering global energy savings

To demonstrate the true potential of energy audits in identifying energy savings, ABB conducted audits on more than 2,000 industrial motors across a wide range of sectors and applications in 2023. The findings were remarkable: we identified potential energy savings of 31 percent per motor if they were upgraded to more efficient technology. The highest savings typically came from motors operating without a variable speed drive (VSD). If the suggested upgrades from each audit were implemented, a return on investment (ROI) could be achieved in as little as three months, depending on the local cost of energy.

The audits revealed a total of 2.1 terawatt-hours (TWh) of savings over the 20-year lifespan of the 2,000 motors. To put this into perspective, these savings are equivalent to powering 1.25 million houses – the size of a large city – for an entire year.

These audits were conducted across various countries, highlighting the global applicability of energy efficiency measures. However, to illustrate the potential impact, let’s consider a scenario where all motors were operating in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Based on November 2023 data, a 2.1 TWh energy saving would avoid 1.5 million tons of CO2 emissions and have an ROI of six months. Alternatively, if these motors were in Germany, the savings would amount to 940,000 tons of CO2 and an ROI of just three months. These substantial savings would be enough to offset the emissions of a coal plant for three months in the UAE and two months in Germany.

By extrapolating these results to encompass the 300 million industrial motors operating worldwide, the potential impact of upgrading inefficient motors on a global scale becomes staggering.

ABB and CERN’s collaborative study

One notable example was observed at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics. A study conducted by ABB and CERN in 2022 and 2023, which included energy efficiency audits, helped identify potential savings of 17.4 percent across a fleet of 800 motors. The research involved developing a roadmap to reduce the energy consumption of CERN’s cooling and ventilation systems through data-driven energy efficiency audits. The potential annual energy savings identified were up to 31 gigawatt hours (GWh). If achieved, these savings could be sufficient to power more than 18,000 European homes. 

CERN and ABB experts assessed a wide range of data from motors in various cooling and ventilation applications. They combined data from multiple sources, including-digitally connected motors, CERN’s SCASA system and data gathered directly from pumps, piping, and instrumentation. The experts conducted an evaluation of the system’s overall performance, to offer valuable insights and identify the motors that presented the most compelling business case for increased energy efficiency.  

The solution is clear: it is time to prioritise energy efficiency to reduce costs and emissions. Energy audits streamline this process by pinpointing the best opportunities for efficiency improvements, representing a straightforward and practical approach to meeting global Net Zero targets.

For further information on ABB’s energy efficiency solutions, see here. 

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