Feature

Hazardous area motors are no longer exempt

Strict regulations are synonymous with hazardous environments. Despite this, changes to legislation can still cause disruption. Marek Lukaszczyk, European and Middle East Marketing Manager at WEG, explains the changing regulations for hazardous area motors and how the new energy efficiency requirements could provide significant financial gain.

01/06/2020 15:56:45

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Europe has over 8 billion electric motors in use, consuming approximately 63 percent of the electricity generated across the continent. Until recently, some of these motors, including those designed for hazardous areas, were exempt from energy efficiency regulations – but these regulations are about to change. The latest changes will include
a wider scope of motors, and for the first time, variable speed drives are included to achieve a higher efficiency standard, starting from January 2021.

Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) was introduced in 2009 by EU Commission Regulation EC 640/2009. The regulation required motors of 0.75-375kW to reach international standards set by
the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for single-speed three-phase motors. IE1 describes standard efficiency, IE2 is high efficiency and IE3 is used for motors with premium levels of efficiency.

Updates to the legislation in 2016 specified that electric motors require an energy efficiency class of at least IE3, or IE2 class if the
motor is used with a variable speed drive (VSD). The regulation, bolstered by improved design and materials for electric motors, brought about huge improvements to the energy consumption.

Unsurprisingly, the electric motor market rapidly reflected the shift in regulation and transitioned to more efficient motors. IE1 and below, which represented 80 percent
of the European market share in 2009, held onto just 17 percent of market share by 2016. During the same period, IE3 premium class motors rose from zero to 29 percent of the market share. Good news for the planet and cost savings for the end user.

Read the full article in the June issue of DPA.

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.