Why wait until you can't wait? New Electric Motors Legislation Coming July 2023

But with the current rising cost of energy, you could save more by acting now instead of waiting until you have no choice. ERIKS’ unique Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator, and repair/replace neutrality, make it easy to find out for sure.
 

In July 2021, new legislation came into effect meaning that most new motors sold in the UK (with a few exceptions) must meet the IE3 efficiency standard as a minimum.

From July 2023, further legislation comes into effect making IE4 the minimum standard for motors rated 75-200 kW (2-4-6 pole).

With businesses facing rapid increases in electricity costs, forward thinking businesses are thinking how they can reduce their energy consumption now rather than waiting until it’s too late. The customers are looking at IE4 and beyond even on relatively small motors well outside the scope of the forthcoming legislation.

And ERIKS is helping them to make informed, sustainable, money-saving and energy-saving decisions.
 

A calculated decision

Aware of the need for saving energy and reducing their carbon footprint, a large global pharmaceutical company established a Sustainability Team to consider the business’s potential for reductions in energy use and emissions.

As part of the team’s Energy Kaizen – to make continuous improvements in energy efficiency – they have been holding monthly meetings with ERIKS since 2020. ERIKS has also conducted an energy survey of the company’s sites to identify possible courses of action.

For energy-saving effectiveness, making the switch to IE4 motors is second only to the use of solar and wind as alternative sources of power. The company has already installed wind turbine and solar panels at one site, so ERIKS proposed replacing existing motors with IE4 equivalents as the next most effective step for energy efficiency. Even when power is sustainably generated, if a motor can use it more efficiently then there are cost benefits to be had.

The benefit of working with ERIKS is that customers can ask for a fully calculated proposal, indicating the cost-effectiveness – or not – of switching to IE4 motors. They can also expect complete repair or replace neutrality, as ERIKS have the in-house know-how to repair any motor, and significant stock levels of IE4 motors in the UK.

Replacing a lower-efficiency motor with an IE4 equivalent will generally deliver savings in energy costs, as well as a reduction in carbon emissions. Even if there is a spare motor in the storeroom, it may still be more cost-effective and sustainable to swap to a more efficient IE4 equivalent than to replace with the spare and repair the failed unit for re-use.

However, a motor which is used infrequently and is generally well-maintained may be more cost-effective to repair and continue to run. Either way, you can rely on ERIKS for honest and fully-costed solution - neutral advice.
 

Don't buy now, pay later

Some motor purchasing decisions are still being made on the basis of purchase cost rather than Total Cost of Ownership. As the unique ERIKS TCO Calculator can reveal, this is almost always a mistake.

The energy cost is approximately 97% of a motors lifecycle cost. If the system is suitable for use with a variable speed drive, the system can be optimised to further increase energy savings, especially on fan and pump systems.

With energy prices continuing to increase, now is the time to see how ERIKS can help your business. The choice is yours.