If you didn’t already know how vital electric motors are to keep US industries moving forward, consider this – Electric motors make up nearly half of the nation’s industrial electricity use.

The Department of Energy is currently proposing new standards for certain commercial and industrial equipment,including commercial and industrial electric motors. EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether more stringent, amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy.  DOE will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, December 11, 2013 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Washington, DC.  The meeting will also be broadcast as a webinar.

In this notice, Click Here To Download  DOE proposes energy conservation standards for a number of different groups of electric motors that DOE has not previously regulated.  According to DOE, the rule could save consumers up to $23 billion and cut emissions of carbon dioxide from electric motors by roughly 400 million metric tons over a 30-year span.

NEMA is anticipating a favorable outcome, and are pleased with the DOE’s careful considerations made in weighing the numerous concerns and comments submitted by advocates and industry to develop the NOPR.  NEMA will continue to explore the details of the NOPR on behalf of its members and will issue public comments in time for the late January 2014 deadline.

Over the past four months, the Energy Department has proposed four other efficiency rules, which include revised standards for commercial refrigeration units, walk-in coolers and freezers, lamp fixtures and furnace fans.