Motor efficiency in the U.S.: The next step

摘要

First we had energy efficient. The 1992 Energy Policy Act (EPACT) mandated specific full-load efficiency levels for standard "general purpose" low-voltage three-phase motors, 2-4-6 pole, from 1 to 200 hp, whether manufactured in the U.S. or imported. Those requirements took effect in October 1997. The energy legislation was simple enough. Arriving at practical levels was easy; NEMA had already set them up. To avoid dealing with a patchwork of state-by-state requirements, manufacturers backed a single federal approach, and the efficiencies adopted were what manufacturers had determined achievable.