Data on electric motors and their energy usage
Most EA readers will be well aware of the continued importance of industrial electric motors in regards to global energy consumption. Supplemented by some of the latest numbers from recent trade shows, we’re here to offer you an annual update of sorts, containing vital information on where these numbers reportedly stand.
According to EASA’s 2024 Industry Research, which was recently summarized in a presentation by Jerry Peerbolte at the 2024 EASA Convention and Solutions Expo in Las Vegas, here are some of the latest figures, with a focus on electric motor manufacturers and other key vendors and suppliers. Interviews and research on energy consumption in the industrial sector found that over 40% of motors operate pumps, fans and blowers. 65% of pumps and 61% of fans/blowers operate under constant load. Meanwhile, in the commercial sector, over 46% of motors operate pumps, fans and blowers, with 78% of pumps and 72% of fans/blowers operating under constant load. The same research found that Variable speed drives (also known as variable frequency drives, or VFDs) can reduce energy consumption by 30 to 50%.
The EASA research was compiled with help from the Department of Energy’s 2021 US Industrial Motor Systems Market, which it used as a baseline; but augmented using the following methodology: One-on-one interviews with key executives from twelve companies/organizations across the USA, Canada and Europe; 27 separate interviews; and “more facts about electric motors and VSDs” from industry professionals and trusted sources in general.
Other figures in the report show that electric motors currently account for at least 46% of the world’s energy usage, and that 80% of motors today operate ‘direct’ (without a drive attached).
Peerbolte noted that pumps, fans, and blowers still make up a bulk of motor applications in 2024, present in both the industrial and commercial sectors. He also mentioned that ABB forecasts the number of motors will double by 2040. “Energy costs are skyrocketing abroad,” Peerbolte noted, adding that “the utility industry is preparing for as much of a tripling of electricity demand by 2050.”
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