CEE's 2006 Program Summary for Motors and Drives is now available. Click here for the summary, which includes detailed information from 48 CEE members and covers 180 programs.

CEE launched its Premium Efficiency Motors Initiative in 1996 to encourage the manufacture and sales of energy-efficient industrial motors.

Motors account for about 50 percent of all U.S. energy use and two-thirds of all industrial energy use. Because many motors operate 80 or more hours per week, even small increases in efficiency can yield huge energy savings. When running continuously at or near full load, the annual energy cost for running a motor can be 10-25 times its purchase price. This makes the incremental price increase of a premium-efficiency motor insignificant.

On June 20, 2001, CEE and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) agreed to co-promote a new set of specifications for premium-efficiency motors. For further details, see the CEE press release or refer to the NEMA Web site.

CEE is using the NEMA Premium efficiency specifications as they apply to 114 classes of motors covered by this initiative. The specifications for these motors are, on average, 1-2 percent higher than the federal minimum standards required by the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct). Motors covered by this initiative include the same equipment covered by EPAct: NEMA design A and B, three-phase, integral horsepower (hp), general purpose ODP and TEFC motors (1200, 1800, and 3600 RPMs) from 1-200 hp.

Utilities and other market transformation programs in 13 states are using the initiative as the basis for their motors programs and a growing number of manufacturers are producing motors that meet CEE's efficiency guidelines.

CONTACT
For more information about CEE's Premium-Efficiency Motors Initiative, contact Kellem Emanuele at 617-589-3949, ext 225.