Cool and Calculating Customer Cuts

When your annual electricity bill is around £3 million, even a small percentage saving on energy costs represents a significant sum. So a leading automotive component manufacturer in Belfast decided to take steps to cut its energy bill down to size.

Seeing the future

Electric motors at their site accounted for approximately 70% of their electricity usage, so these were targeted as the focus for their energy-saving efforts.

ERIKS suggested the use of their web-based Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator, which in effect gives a glimpse into the future, by showing the lifetime operational cost of any installed electric motor asset.

The Calculator was set-up for use, enabling all appropriate personnel at the customer’s site to calculate the annual running costs and CO2 emissions of any existing motor, and to compare them with an IE3 (premium efficiency standard) replacement.

Energy efficient solution from WEG

Having demonstrated that significant savings could be made, ERIKS specified an upgrade package to the customer for their existing motors recommending WEG’s W22 IE3 range of electric motors as the ideal replacement.

The W22 range of motors was designed by WEG to provide significantly lower energy consumption in conjunction with reduced noise and vibration levels, greater reliability and easier maintenance. The innovative design directs airflow over the fins optimising the cooling system of the motor. The flexibility of the machine is demonstrated by the terminal box which can be mounted either on top of the motor or to the left or right hand side without disassembling the motor thus making it adaptable to the location. The WISE® insulation system increases the windings dielectric resistance allowing the use of variable frequency drives up to 575V without further modifications, giving further opportunity to save energy and extend the life time of the motor.

The W22 IE3 motors meet and exceed the energy saving requirements set out by the EuP Commission Regulation 640/2009 governing the eco-design requirements for electric motors, the next phase which comes in to force in January 2015. An IE4 efficiency rated motor is also available as a standard of the W22 range as is a W22 IE5 Permanent Magnet Motor and Drive System. The same test was repeated on the replacement motor, once installed, to confirm the TCO Calculator’s figures were correct.

15 and counting savings

To date, the customer has replaced 15 motors with new WEG IE3 equivalents – achieving capital payback on all motors within two years. This success has encouraged the customer to continue the replacement programme for 30 more motors in the coming months, to complete phase one of the motor upgrade project.

Savings so far total £100,000, and additional benefits include a reduced carbon footprint, qualifying the customer for an enhanced capital allowance.

The indisputable figures provided by the ERIKS TCO Calculator have helped to win support for the motor upgrade project from the customer’s Senior Management right through to the Purchasing Department, Maintenance Team and Energy Engineer.

As the customer acknowledged:

“The ERIKS TCO Motor Calculator has provided robust and reliable information to enable our business to make the right energy-saving decisions.” Which is a benefit almost beyond calculation."

Click here for more information on on the ERIKS TCO Calculator Motor Efficiency and TCO