"A penny saved is a penny earned."
Benjamin Franklin

As a distributor, IBT has opportunities to be green by making environmentally conscious and responsible choices. Going green is about savings: energy, environment and money. An even greater spur to IBT is the numerous green actions, small and large, of our various manufacturers.

Did you know that industrial electric motors represent the single largest end-use of electricity (about 25 percent) in the United States? As a result, people are buying more energy-efficient electric motors.

What could an energy efficient electric motor possibly do for you? Invest a little time and research in completing an energy audit and see what benefits a more eco-friendly choice could make for your operation.

An overall energy audit will serve as a benchmark for your current operations. By gathering the necessary data, you can find out:

• Total energy costs by type (electricity, oil, natural gas) for each month
• Cost per unit of energy (by type and time of year)
• Energy consumption of each major fuel-based unit (such as furnace, boiler, etc.)
• Energy consumption of each production process (estimates will help)
• Lighting, power and space heating costs

The economics of energy efficient electric motors are simple. The cost of a motor is relatively less important than the cost of the electricity required to power it. By increasing the efficiency of a motor, the operator saves on the energy necessary to power it.

For example, in one standard evaluation, the electrical energy needed to power a constantly running 50 horsepower motor is about $ 25,000, based on an electricity rate of $ .08 per kWh. A more efficient motor (listed at approximately $ 3,250) will be 1.5 percent more efficient than the current motor. Therefore, the expected energy savings in a one year period can be calculated at $ 375.

Analysts have calculated the potential of a motor with higher efficiency actually increases energy savings within 24 months, due to amortization. The energy savings continue throughout the life of the higher efficiency motor.

Another factor can also have great impact on the real costs and savings of switching to higher efficiency motors: utility company rebates.

Kansas City Power & Light, for example, has a C&I (commercial and industrial) custom rebate program that relates to either new construction or retrofits. A program description is attached. (Check with your local electric utility for their policies and available programs.)

Applicants to KCP&L's program must meet pre-approval requirements and are requested to attach inventory details describing the number and type of motors and/or drives that will be installed, as well as expected annual electricity savings.

For retrofits, these inventories should also indicate the estimated annual hours of use. For new construction, inventories should indicate the number and types of motors that will be installed that exceed standard practice, as well as the estimated annual hours of use.

Drives can also save energy when used in variable torque applications such as pumps, fans and compressors.