EU 2019/1781 comes into force: Energy efficiency requirements don’t stop here

This is only the latest stage in the EU’s decade-long roadmap of efficiency improvements, including motors and now VSDs – but what’s next? Here, Marek Lukaszczyk, European and Middle East marketing manager at WEG, explains the short-term and long-term considerations for industry.

In 2019, the EU member countries passed more demanding requirements for motors, outlined in the new regulation, EU 2019/1781. This will repeal and replace the earlier regulation 640/2009, which allowed IE2 motors to be used with VSDs. 

Initial calculations based on the Working Plan – the umbrella initiative associated with the earlier regulation – estimated the potential to deliver a total in excess of 260TWh of annual final energy savings in 2030, across the continent. This is equivalent to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 100 million tonnes per year in 2030. Electric motors were one of the priority product groups listed in the Working Plan, with the earlier legislation estimating 10TWh of annual final energy savings from this product group in 2030.

By introducing the new regulation EU 2019/1781, additional net electricity savings of 10TWh per year are expected to be achieved. This should reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 3Mt CO2 equivalent, annually, by 2030.

What are the 2021 changes?

From 1 July, lower efficiency products will no longer be accepted, as a wider range of motors is brought into scope and held to higher standards. 

Read the full article in the June issue of DPA