In today’s industrial landscape, energy costs are a significant concern for businesses across all sectors. While negotiating the best tariff is important, we have limited control over the unit cost of energy. However, we can have a direct influence on the amount of energy our equipment uses. By implementing energy-efficient technologies and solutions, businesses can dramatically reduce energy consumption, lower operational costs, and improve sustainability.
The Carbon Trust estimates that electric motors and drives account for over 67% of the energy used in industrial applications. Given that motors and drives are such large consumers of energy, targeting these systems offers one of the most effective ways to reduce overall energy usage and operational costs. Especially when they require variable flow, variable speed, or are subject to on/off cycling. Optimising how these systems operate can lead to substantial reductions in energy consumption without compromising performance.
A common and highly effective solution is the installation of Variable Speed Drives (VSDs). These devices adjust the speed of motors to match the specific needs of the application, providing significant energy savings. For example, by reducing motor speed by just 10%, businesses can achieve up to a 27% reduction in energy consumption. If the motor speed is reduced by 20%, energy consumption can decrease by as much as 48%. This demonstrates the immense potential for energy savings when variable speed control is applied to energy-intensive equipment.
