ABB 13676 Sustainability Guide1 3AFE68902037 REV B 23 1 Lowres

Sustainability guide No.
1
ABB motors and drives
Driving energy efficiency worldwide
Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide
ABB motors and drives
Driving energy efficiency worldwide
Sustainability guide No. 1
3AFE68902037 REV B EN
EFFECTIVE: 23.1.2009
© Copyright 2009 ABB. All rights reserved.

Contents
Chapter 1 – Introduction........................................................................... 7
Chapter 2 - The energy dilemma.............................................................. 8
Growing needs, diminishing resources, increasing environmental concerns 8

Europe could cut energy consumption by 20 percent...................................... 9
Climate consensus: something has to be done............................................... 9
Atmospheric warming reaches new levels..................................................... 11
Industry uses over 40 percent of total world electricity................................... 11
Chapter 3 - Europe takes action............................................................. 14
The EU’s bold advance.................................................................................. 14

Momentum is building up.............................................................................. 15
Raising awareness among decision makers.................................................. 15
Most productive employees........................................................................... 16
Management must be proactive.................................................................... 16
ESCO: an efficient financing model................................................................ 17
Monitoring systems essential......................................................................... 17
Chapter 4 - Sustainable and efficient energy use.................................. 19
Quick, effective and low cost......................................................................... 19

“Energy efficiency needs to become fashionable”.......................................... 20
Global demand for drives.............................................................................. 20
Two-thirds of industrial electricity used by electric motors.............................. 21
Better control and higher efficiency................................................................ 21
Chapter 5 - ABB motors and drives for efficient control ....................... 23
Potential for major energy savings................................................................. 23

Half speed for only a quarter of the energy.................................................... 23
Subsidies for high efficiency motors............................................................... 24
New standards pave the way for international harmonization......................... 25
Developing an effective motor management policy........................................ 27
AC drives are the ideal solution for speed control.......................................... 28
Looking at the entire life cycle........................................................................ 29
Chapter 6 - Energy audits identify potential savings.............................. 30
Evaluating how energy is used...................................................................... 30

Recommendations based on actual data...................................................... 31
Additional savings from unexpected sources................................................. 31
Payback within months................................................................................. 32
Tools help with financing calculations............................................................. 34

Chapter 7 - Case studies: big savings with modest investments........... 35
China: Plastics plant cuts energy consumption by 30 percent....................... 35

China: Substantial energy savings and reduced emissions............................ 36
Finland: Drives help to cut water utility’s energy bill........................................ 38
Germany: Drives keep natural gas supplies flowing smoothly ....................... 39
Honduras: Sugar plant boosts annual revenues by $1 million........................ 41
India: Improved fan control increases efficiency at cement plant.................... 43
Netherlands / international: High efficiency motors cut running costs............. 44
Sweden: Mining company acquires only high efficiency motors..................... 46
UK: Salt producer saves over 1,600 MWh per year....................................... 47
US: Drives play key role in helping to preserve vegetable crops..................... 49
US: University of Texas saves millions through boiler retrofit........................... 50

Chapter 1 – Introduction
Fossil fuels are non-renewable. Significant untapped reserves

are still available, but their extraction is becoming increasingly
more difficult and expensive. It is clear that if the world continues
to use its fossil fuel resources at present consumption rates they
will be exhausted in a relatively short time.
In a situation where energy needs are rising and supplies are

diminishing, one obvious course of action is to use energy more
efficiently. This guide examines how readily available, tried and
tested technologies – variable speed drives and high efficiency
motors - can help to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
Motor-driven pumps and fans, for example, provide significant

scope for energy saving. Many such applications are operated
in a very inefficient manner: the motor drives the pump or fan
at full speed, and the desired rate of flow of liquid or gas is
achieved by ‘throttling’ the output by means of valves, vanes
or other mechanical devices. Operating this way - running the
motor at full speed and then restricting the output - can be
compared to driving a car with one foot on the accelerator and
the other on the brake.
Pump and fan systems can generally be run more efficiently

be adding a variable speed drive (VSD). A VSD will regulate
the motor speed to match the precise needs of the process
and thereby boost the efficiency of the entire system. In 2008
the worldwide installed base of ABB drives saved about
160 terawatt-hours (TWh), which is equivalent to the annual
consumption of more than 39 million families. The drives also
reduced carbon dioxide emissions by around 135 million tonnes
in the same year.
AC drives and high efficiency motors are being installed in

all kinds of applications all over the world. This guide gives a
number of real-life examples where drives and high efficiency
motors have not only reduced energy consumption but also
provided other benefits – such as better quality products,
reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and less wear and tear on
process equipment.

Chapter 2 - The energy dilemma
Growing needs, diminishing resources, increasing

environmental concerns
Fossil fuels are non-renewable and at present consumption
rates the world will exhaust its fossil fuel resources in a relatively
short time.
New ways of providing energy – such as atomic fusion and

hydrogen fuel cells – will not become properly viable for some
considerable time. Renewable sources can make up part of the
shortfall, but are also subject to limitations. Proposals for wind
turbines invariably meet strong resistance from people living in
the affected locality, for example, and biofuels still need a great
deal of development work before they can be used in place of
existing fuels.
Meanwhile, world energy consumption is steadily rising. World

consumption almost doubled from 1973 to 2004 and continues
to rise, albeit at a slower rate. By 2030 it is estimated that some
25 percent more energy will be used than in 2010.
Figure 2.1. Although renewables and atomic energy have increased their
relative shares of world energy supplies, fossil fuels still provide the major
part of world energy.

The energy dilemma
Figure 2.2. World energy needs appear insatiable. It is expected that energy
use will rise by some 25 percent from 2010 to 2030.
Europe could cut energy consumption by 20 percent

Using the available energy more efficiently is an ideal way to
meet ever-rising energy needs and secure energy supplies.
According to the EU’s Green Paper on Energy Efficiency, the EU

could save at least 20 percent of its current energy consumption.
This is equivalent to the present combined energy consumption
of Germany and Finland, or 60 billion euros per year.
By 2030, on the basis of present trends, the EU will be 90 percent

dependent on imports for its oil; the corresponding figure for gas
will be 80 percent. Making a real effort to cap EU energy demand
at present levels and subsequently reduce it would represent a
big step towards securing EU energy supplies.
The application of energy efficiency measures would also help

to create many new, high quality employment opportunities.
Furthermore, with a successful energy efficiency scheme,
some of the 60 billion euros saved on energy would go towards
increasing the EU’s competitiveness and promoting better living
conditions for its citizens. In this way an average household
could save up to 1,000 euros per year, depending on its energy
consumption.
Climate consensus: something has to be done

The world is “living it up”. Western countries seem to be consuming
ever more energy, and as living standards in the developing
countries improve, the rest of the world is catching up.

The energy dilemma
A consensus among politicians, scientists and industry leaders

has been building: something has to be done. This is underlined
by the results of a study conducted by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which was presented in early
2007 in Paris.
The IPCC study investigates the natural and human drivers of

climate change, examines climate processes, and presents
estimates of future climate change. Analysis of ice cores
spanning many thousands of years shows that global
atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and
nitrous oxide have increased markedly as a result of human
activities since the mid 1700s and now far exceed pre-industrial
values. Global increases in carbon dioxide concentrations are
primarily due to fossil fuel use and land-use change, while
increases in methane and nitrous oxide concentrations are
primarily due to agriculture.
The global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has

increased from a pre-industrial value of about 280 parts per
million (ppm) to a level of 379 parts per million (ppm) in 2005.
The annual rate of increase in the carbon dioxide concentration

was higher during the 10 year period from 1995 to 2005 than at
any time since the beginning of continuous direct atmospheric
measurements.
Figure 2.3. Carbon dioxide emissions have grown in all parts of the world.
The level is now over one and a half times greater than 30 years ago.
10 Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide

The energy dilemma
Atmospheric warming reaches new levels

Increasing levels of carbon dioxide are leading to atmospheric
warming. There is no longer any ambiguity about the warming
of the climate system. It is evident from the many changes
that can be observed: increasing global average air and ocean
temperatures, rising sea levels, and widespread melting of snow
and ice covers.
Of the twelve years between 1995 and 2006, eleven rank among
the 12 warmest years since 1850, when instrumental records of
global surface temperatures started to be kept.
Numerous long-term climate changes have been observed

on the continental, regional, and ocean basin scales. These
include changes in Arctic temperatures and ice behavior,
widespread changes in amounts of precipitation, ocean salinity,
and wind patterns, and changes in extreme weather conditions
including droughts, heavy precipitation, heat waves, and tropical
cyclones.
Projections indicate that warming of about 0.2°C per decade can

be expected during the next two decades. Even if concentrations
of all greenhouse gases and aerosols were kept constant at year
2000 levels, a further warming of about 0.1°C per decade would
be expected.
Continued greenhouse gas emissions at or above current

rates would cause further warming. They would also induce
many changes in the global climate system during the present
century that would very likely be greater than those observed
during the previous one hundred years. Even if greenhouse gas
concentrations were to be stabilized, anthropogenic warming
and sea level rise would continue for centuries due to the
timescales associated with climate processes and feedback
systems.
If all the ice in Greenland melted, the sea level would rise by
seven meters. Even with less dramatic changes the world faces
a rise in sea level of between 20 centimeters and one meter,
depending on the estimate, during this century.
Industry uses over 40 percent of total world electricity

The world is demanding more and more electricity. From 1973
to 2004 world electricity consumption almost tripled. Industry
accounts for just over 40 percent of total consumption.
Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide 11

The energy dilemma
Energy saving is without doubt the quickest, most effective and

most cost-efficient way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
as well as improving air quality, particularly in densely populated
areas.
The IPCC’s Mitigation of Climate Change report finds that

in order to satisfy demand for energy it is often more cost-
effective to invest in improving end-use energy efficiency than
in increasing energy supply. Improving efficiency has a positive
impact on energy security, local and regional air pollution
abatement, and employment.
The report also concludes that economic potential in the

industrial sector is predominantly found in the energy intensive
industries. The available mitigation options are not being fully
used either in the industrialized or developing nations.
Many industrial facilities in developing countries are new and

incorporate the latest technology with the lowest specific
emissions. However, many older, inefficient facilities remain in
both industrialized and developing countries. Upgrading these
facilities can deliver significant emission reductions.
The slow rate at which capital goods are turned over, lack of
financial and technical resources, and limitations in the ability
of firms, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, to
access and absorb technological information are key barriers
to the full application of the available mitigation options.
Figure 2.4. World consumption of electricity has almost tripled in thirty years.

The energy dilemma
The Motor Challenge Programme - a voluntary scheme promoted

by the European Commission to help companies improve
the energy efficiency of their electric motor driven systems
- estimates that such systems account for approximately 65
percent of the electricity consumed by industry in the EU.
Switching to energy efficient motor driven systems throughout

Europe could produce savings amounting to 202 billion kWh in
electricity consumption, which is equivalent to a reduction of
10 billion euros in annual operating costs for industry.
Potential electricity savings (billion kWh/year)

EU-15 EU-25 France Germany Italy UK
High efficiency
24 27 4 6 4 3
motors
Variable speed
45 50 8 10 7 6
drives
Applications
(pumps, fans, 112 125 19 26 17 15
compressors)
Total 181 202 31 42 28 24
Table 2.1. Switching to energy efficient motor driven systems in the EU could
save over 200 billion kWh annually.
Rising energy prices have forced companies to seek ways

of limiting their energy consumption. In the UK it has been
estimated that the chemical industry uses 22 percent of all
the energy used by UK manufacturing. This industry accounts
for 2 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP)
and employs some 230,000 people. It is facing average price
increases of 70 percent for gas and 60 percent for electricity,
prompting companies within the industry to look for ways
of further improving their energy efficiency before their
competitiveness is eroded by cheaper imports. Energy price
rises are affecting companies across the board, from large
multinationals to small, local businesses, and not only in the
chemical industry but in printing, food production and other
energy intensive sectors, too.
Sources:
EU Green Paper on Energy Efficiency
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Climate Change 2007
International Energy Agency: Key World Energy Statistics 2006
www.abb.com/energyefficiency
www.energywatch.org.uk
www.leonardo-energy.org
Energy Efficient Motor Driven Systems, The Motor Challenge Programme

Chapter 3 - Europe takes action
The EU’s bold advance

November 2006 saw agreement on a new energy efficiency
action plan by European energy ministers. The measures
proposed in the plan will lead to an estimated 20 percent
improvement in energy efficiency by 2020. In March 2007 the
Council of Europe adopted a significant energy and climate
package, which is based on three main elements: building a
true internal energy market, shifting to low carbon energy, and
promoting energy efficiency.
The EU is now committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions

by at least 20 percent by 2020. Furthermore, the Heads of State
and Government have endorsed a binding target of 20 percent
for the share of overall EU energy consumption to come from
renewable supplies.
“Climate change is definitely the headline issue, but security of

energy supply is also a critical topic,” says Ms. Sirkka Vilkamo,
Deputy Director General and Head of the Renewables and Energy
Efficiency Division at Finland’s Ministry of Trade and Industry.
At present there are around 20 EU Directives which relate to

energy. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, for
instance, stipulates certain measures but does not specify
numerical objectives. There is certainly good potential for
savings in this area, as around 40 percent of the energy
consumed in the EU is used for heating and cooling buildings.
The Energy Services Directive passed in May 2006, by contrast,
does lay down numerical objectives. This Directive applies to all
energy using sectors, with the exception of businesses involved
in emissions trading, and aviation and maritime bunker fuels.
It provides an indicative 9 percent objective for energy saving
over the period 2008–2016.
“In 2016 we have to be able to show that we have achieved

savings of 9 percent. This does not mean, however, that in 2016
we should be consuming 9 percent less energy than in 2008.
The obligation is to implement measures that generate savings
– so the idea is that if we had not done anything we would be
consuming 9 percent more in 2016,” explains Heikki Väisänen,
Senior Adviser at the Energy Department of the Finnish Ministry
of Trade and Industry.

Europe takes action
It is difficult to show that savings have really taken place when

energy consumption is steadily on the rise. The challenge for
member states is to prove that something that no longer exists
– the kilowatt-hours of energy consumption taken out of use
– did in fact once exist.
Momentum is building up
In all fields and sectors there is a lot that can be done. The goal
of increasing energy efficiency by 20 percent implies a reduction
in energy consumption of 13 percent from today’s levels.
The underlying objective of increased energy efficiency is to

reduce climate change. Ideally, this is something that the whole
world should be involved in, but the EU is prepared to act alone
if other parties are not yet prepared to participate.
The two key drivers are the need to avoid compromising current
operations and the desire to cut emissions. While renewable
energy has been more of an issue in the public debate, recent
studies show that improving energy efficiency has been seen as
a more efficient tool at the EU level and even at the world level.
The EU has played an active role with new energy efficiency
initiatives, and will now also be active on the global scale.
“Looking back over the last ten years, there has been a lot of
talk about energy efficiency. Now there is real momentum to do
something. The objectives set by the EU clearly show its current
ambitions,” Väisänen says.
“Now we have actual numerical objectives the pressure is really

on. This makes the whole thing much more serious. Emissions
trading has been one way of steering developments in the right
direction,” says Sirkka Vilkamo.
Raising awareness among decision makers

Heikki Väisänen acknowledges that improving energy efficiency
is not in itself part of the basic business of companies. However,
companies and government can work together because better
energy efficiency also makes businesses more competitive.
Energy costs may be small relative to a company’s turnover,

meaning that the financial advantages of energy efficiency are
not particularly visible. However, better energy efficiency can
significantly lower production costs and provide the best return
on investment. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness
of energy efficiency among decision makers. In Väisänen’s
experience, the main issue is often not that of finding the
necessary funding but simply of making the decision to use it.

Europe takes action
“We have been running an energy efficiency agreement

scheme for the last ten years. Its greatest value has been in
getting companies interested in the benefits energy efficiency
can provide. In addition, those companies that were already
interested have received extra support for their work. One of the
benefits of the energy efficiency agreements is that they provide
a network through which knowledge can be shared,” he says.
When a company decides to enter into an agreement, it makes

a commitment to analyze its existing situation and improve its
energy efficiency - by boosting the efficiency of its production
process, for instance. In return the company can be granted
subsidies for energy audits and energy efficiency investments.
Energy efficiency agreements now cover more than 60 percent

of the total energy consumption in Finland. Väisänen believes
that a voluntary agreement-based system provides the optimum
cost-efficiency because it leaves room for individual thinking
and flexibility in the measures taken.
Most productive employees

The energy efficiency improvements achieved have to be
measurable for feedback purposes. Heikki Väisänen compares
the feedback loop to the real-time fuel consumption displays
found in many cars. Drivers remain strongly motivated to
drive economically when they see how it reduces their fuel
consumption and benefits them financially.
“The employees involved in company energy programs may

well be the most productive members of the workforce. There
are not very many people who can directly contribute, say, half
a million euros per year to their company’s bottom line,” he
says. He stresses that companies should not limit their energy
efficiency activities to standalone projects: best practices can
and should be duplicated in other plants.
“Companies should also ensure that energy efficiency is

established as part of their purchasing guidelines. Class A
equipment may be slightly more expensive than less efficient
products, but the difference in price is rapidly recovered when
operating costs are taken into consideration.”
Management must be proactive

Sirkka Vilkamo points out that the signing of an agreement
is only the first step: it has to be adopted by the company’s
management. She says that energy audits, one of the obligations
contained in the agreements, can be compared to periodic
health checks.

Europe takes action
Heikki Väisänen explains that the audit approach provides a

solid basis for subsequent action: “All the companies that have
joined the scheme have started by doing an energy audit. Based
on the audit findings, the company then decides when and how
it will take the next step. In industry, investment payback times
of two to three years are usually feasible, while in other sectors,
such as local authorities, the payback time can be between five
and ten years.”
The agreements have prompted a wide range of measures

aiming to increase energy efficiency. These include acquisition
of new production equipment, VSDs, compressed air and heat-
recovery systems.
ESCO: an efficient financing model

“There is also an alternative way of financing the investments. It
is known as energy performance contracting - the investments
are paid back over time by the energy savings that are realized,”
says Väisänen.
These Energy Service Company (ESCO) operations can achieve

even better efficiencies by implementing entire projects
- from energy audits to financing and investments. In many
companies in Finland this concept has established itself as an
everyday way of implementing investments to boost energy
efficiency. Previously the ESCOs had to take out a loan to cover
the investment, but now the usual practice is for the ESCO
contract to be sold to a commercial finance provider once the
investment has been commissioned and the level of realized
savings verified.
Further work needs to be done to gain broader acceptance for

ESCO agreements, but – as Heikki Väisänen confirms – once a
company has tried the system it is then easier to put together
a second agreement to implement improvements elsewhere at
the same site. Energy efficiencies are often built on a step-by-
step basis.
Monitoring systems essential

Heikki Väisänen believes that energy efficiency agreements will
play a decisive role in ensuring that the EU’s energy efficiency
goals are reached, especially because it is necessary to collect
information on the amount of savings realized.

Europe takes action
There are differences between the member states in respect of

the amount of information on energy efficiency that is collected,
and the methods used to calculate energy savings. The Energy
Services Directive seeks to harmonize the methodologies used
for calculating savings. While this is a necessity for certain types
of measures, it may however prove quite problematic with others.
Climate conditions pose quite different challenges between
Northern and Southern Europe, for instance. Guidelines on the
methodologies for calculating energy savings are now being
developed but it remains to be seen how much harmonization
can finally be achieved.

Chapter 4 - Sustainable and efficient
energy use
Quick, effective and low cost

Many solutions have been put forward to combat climate
change. Renewable energy, carbon capture and biofuels
stand out among the main ones. All three approaches are
valid and must be pursued, but at present most of the required
technologies are either not yet ready to be applied in practice,
still too expensive, or involve undesirable side effects.
By contrast, ABB supplies technologies that can help to reduce

carbon dioxide emissions immediately – and they can be deployed
quickly and at low cost. The idea is to use energy more efficiently.
ABB has been developing energy efficient technologies for
many years, and solutions incorporating these technologies can
produce big savings in energy and emissions.
ABB supplies technologies that can help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
immediately.
In industry the biggest reductions in emissions in the short term

will come from measures to run processes more efficiently. Of
total electricity consumption, industry accounts for about 40
percent, of which two-thirds is used by electric motors. VSDs
can reduce the energy consumption of motors by 50 percent
in many applications, and yet less than 10 percent of motors
are operated by drives. This represents a fantastic opportunity
to bring about a dramatic reduction in emissions using readily
available, low cost and proven technology.

Sustainable and efficient energy use
“Energy efficiency needs to become fashionable”

ABB’s mission is to pursue ‘power and productivity for a better
world’. Panu Virolainen,, Vice President, Technology, of ABB’s
Low Voltage AC Drives business feels that the idea behind the
mission is nowadays so self-evident that it does not require any
explanation. After a moment’s thought he adds that in practice it
means that ABB helps customers to use electrical power effectively
and increase industrial productivity in a sustainable way.
For large corporations energy efficiency may also have become

a self-evident way to increase productivity and curb rising
energy costs. It is among small and medium sized enterprises
that the savings and benefits are less obvious. Virolainen says
– somewhat jokingly - that energy efficiency needs to become
fashionable to become more widely adopted.
In fact, market statistics indicate that energy efficiency is on

the way to becoming a fashion. Sales of AC drives have been
growing steadily at an annual rate of 6–10 percent.
“We are now seeing the same kind

of urgency as there was in the 1970’s
when the oil crisis caused energy prices
to sky-rocket. ABB came up with a
solution to save energy by controlling
the frequency of the power supply. Since
then the technology has evolved into a
highly reliable and cost-effective means
of controlling industrial processes,”
Virolainen says.
In the 21st century energy saving

is still a hot topic, but there is
also another major concern:
greenhouse gas emissions have
to be cut. AC drives are much
smaller and cost a lot less than 30 years ago. Prices of electronic
equipment have been heading downwards for a number of years
and, coupled with rising energy costs, this means that payback
times for energy saving equipment have become much shorter.
As a result, installing AC drives on even small machines has
become an attractive option.
Global demand for drives

Pumps, fans, compressors and extruders account for a large
proportion of industrial drive applications. Virolainen states
that the actual operation point of these originally designed to
be. In many cases energy is wasted because the flow of liquid
or gas is regulated by means of a brake or throttle mechanism.
The idea behind an AC drive is to adjust the speed to match
the point of operation.

The worldwide installed base of ABB drives saved about 160 TWh
in 2008, which is equivalent to the annual consumption of more
than 39 million families. The drives also reduced carbon dioxide
emissions by around 135 million tonnes in the same year.
With high powered machinery even incremental changes in

energy efficiency can bring about big savings relative to the
purchase price but, as Virolainen points out, the trend is to equip
smaller and smaller machines with AC drives.
In Japan, for instance, many rooms have individual ventilation

equipment consisting of a small motor, a ventilator and an AC
drive. These low-cost integrated packages are used to control
the airflow in all rooms individually. “This equipment is widely
used in Japan, where energy prices have generally been very
high. Europe has not yet caught up in this respect,” says
Virolainen.
Two-thirds of industrial electricity used by electric motors

In industry, 65 percent of total electricity consumption is used
for driving electric motors. Using AC drives, motor speeds can
be controlled according to demand, making possible savings
of up to 70 percent in energy consumption.
In Europe, demand for AC drives has been significantly boosted

by emissions trading and other measures to cut back carbon
dioxide emissions. Demand has also been increased by the
fact that there are now only limited oil resources available at
affordable prices. For its part, the US has also started to look
for ways to reduce its dependence on oil. Utilizing the available
energy more efficiently is one of the most obvious solutions.
China, by contrast, has different problems. Production volumes

are growing so rapidly that it is not possible to build sufficient
power plants to meet the demand. In order to keep its growth
on track, China will have to save energy. India faces the same
kinds of challenges.
Better control and higher efficiency

ABB has a well-established procedure to help customers
save energy. This begins with an energy audit, which usually
produces clear suggestions for areas that can be improved.
Large companies have tended to lead the way, because energy
is usually a major cost for them.

The main argument for acquiring AC drives is to save energy

but, as Panu Virolainen explains, drives also provide better
control over the entire process. Using drives could mean that a
production machine can be used for different kinds of materials
or manufacturing recipes, for instance.
When fixed-speed motors without drives were used, speed

changes required the use of infinitely-variable speed drives,
belts or gear boxes. Hydraulics were also often needed, which
could mean oil leakages. Speed control mechanisms often led
to losses in power transmission.
Today’s AC drives eliminate these kinds of problem. A further

factor in favor of drives is that the prices for mechanical solutions
are not decreasing – and in some cases are even increasing
gradually - while the prices of AC drives have declined steadily
with advances in control electronics.
The scientific principles underlying the operation of AC drives

have remained the same for a number of years. They have
become the foundation for a proven technology that has
been enhanced with software based solutions for controlling
properties such as pressure, temperature, or flow rates.

Chapter 5 - ABB motors and drives for
efficient control
Potential for major energy savings

With electric motors accounting for an estimated 65 percent
of industrial energy use, any increases in efficiency clearly
provide the potential for major savings. The energy consumption
of electric motors can be reduced in two main ways – by
implementing efficient speed control and by increasing the
efficiency of the motors themselves.
VSDs are by far the most effective method of controlling motor

speeds. In practice, however, control is often still implemented
with throttling valves in pump systems, vanes in fan applications,
or gears or belt drives in rotating machinery. Belt drives,
gearboxes and hydraulic couplings all add to the inefficiency
of the system, and require the motor to run at full speed all of
the time. In addition, mechanical drives can be noisy as well as
difficult to service, as they are situated between the motor and
the driven machinery.
Mechanical drives often seem cost-effective at first sight,

but they waste energy. Running a motor at full speed while
throttling the output is rather like trying to control the speed
of a car by keeping one foot on the accelerator and the other
one on the brake – part of the output produced is immediately
wasted. Taken over industry as a whole, the total amount of
energy wasted in this way is huge: of the estimated 65 percent
of industrial energy that is used by electric motors, some 20
percent is lost by throttling mechanisms.
Half speed for only a quarter of the energy

In pump and fan applications, VSDs can cut energy bills by as much
as 60 percent. A pump or fan running at half speed consumes only
one quarter as much energy as a unit running at full speed.
As a small reduction in speed can make a big difference in energy

consumption, and because many pump and fan systems run at
less than full capacity for much of the time, VSDs can produce
huge savings. This is particularly so when compared to motors
that are continuously running at full speed, even though motors
have improved in efficiency by an average of 3 percent over the
last decade. It has been estimated that AC drives supplied by
ABB over the past ten years for the speed control of pumps
and fans have reduced electricity consumption by around
160 TWh per year worldwide.

ABB motors and drives for efficient control
Regulating motor speeds has the added benefit that production

increases can easily be accommodated without the need for extra
investment, as AC drives can easily manage speed increases of
5–20 percent. By matching the performance of the motor to the
needs of the process, drives can produce major savings when
compared to the wasteful practice of running the motor at full
speed against a restriction to modulate output. In an ideal world,
energy would be applied with pinpoint accuracy when and where
it was needed, and no energy would be wasted.
Despite the obvious energy saving advantages, 97 percent

of all motors in applications under 2.2 kW have no form of
speed control at all. This corresponds to some 37 million
industrial motors sold annually worldwide. This might have
been understandable in the past, as a small drive cost in the
region of $500 (400 euros) per kW. Drives across the range have
become smaller and cheaper over the past few years, however,
and now start at around $150 (100 euros) per kW.
This can make investment in a VSD a viable proposition on

energy grounds alone. In addition, the new generation of drives
is smaller and so installation might be possible in places where
space constraints were an issue in the past. The latest drives
are also more energy efficient than their predecessors.
ABB is leading the way in developing drive technology, with

state-of-the-art control techniques such as direct torque control
(DTC). A feature of DTC which contributes directly to energy
efficiency is motor flux optimization, which greatly improves
the efficiency of the total drive (the controller and the motor),
especially in pump and fan applications. The drives themselves
are becoming leaner too, not only smaller in size but more
energy efficient to manufacture, with smaller circuit boards and
enclosures made of recyclable plastic.
Subsidies for high efficiency motors

In many countries financial incentives are now available to
encourage investment in high efficiency motors. The Danish
Energy Agency is one of the leading organizations in the field.
It has published a list of high efficiency motors and offers
a subsidy of $10 (7.70 euros) per kilowatt for both new and
replacement units purchased from the list. This scheme is
promoted direct to the 4,000 largest motor users.
The USA and Canada have introduced the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act (EPAct). Among other legislation to improve
the environment, this specifically targets motors from 0.75 to
150 kW as prime candidates for improvement. A scheme similar
to the Danish one has been adopted, with a published list of
high efficiency motors and reduced electricity tariffs for users
of the listed products.
The US Department of Energy also requires the efficiency rating

to be indicated on the motor nameplate, the energy efficiency to
be displayed prominently in all literature and marketing material,
and the inclusion of other markings to facilitate the enforcement
of energy efficiency standards. Failure to comply with these
requirements results in severe penalties.
New standards pave the way for international harmonization

The IEC has introduced two new standards relating to energy
efficient motors. IEC/EN 60034-2-1 specifies new rules
concerning efficiency testing methods and IEC 60034-30 defines
new efficiency classes for motors.
ABB welcomes the new IEC standards, as their effect will be to

level the playing field for motor manufacturers. The new standard
will tighten up procedures and enable manufacturers to publish
more accurate efficiency values. The new classification standard
harmonizes the currently differing requirements around the world
regarding efficiency levels of induction motors. It will hopefully
put an end to the difficulties experienced by manufacturers
when producing motors for a global market.
Emissions will be reduced significantly if a majority of motor

manufacturers take steps to improve the efficiency of their
products. Motor users will benefit by having access to more
transparent and easier to understand information, and will be
encouraged to install high efficiency motors exclusively.
IEC/EN 60034-2-1, which came into force in September 2007,

introduces new rules concerning the testing methods to be
used for determining losses and efficiency. The documentation
supplied with the motor must state which method is used. Of the
methods available under the new standard, ABB uses the indirect
method with stray load losses determined by measurement.
The resulting efficiency values differ from those obtained under

the previous IEC testing standard, IEC 60034-2: 1996. It must
be noted that efficiency values are only comparable if they are
obtained using the same method.

Figure 5.1. The EU has published energy efficiency categories for motors. There
are three class levels: Eff1, Eff2, and Eff3, applying to low voltage two- and
four-pole motors rated from 1.1 to 90 kW. The aim is to phase out production
of less energy efficient machines.
IEC 60034-30 was introduced in October 2008 and defines three

IE (International Efficiency) efficiency classes for single-speed,
three phase, cage induction motors.
— IE1 = Standard efficiency (efficiency levels roughly equivalent

to EFF2 under the European efficiency scheme)
— IE2 = High efficiency (efficiency levels roughly equivalent to
EFF1 under the European scheme and identical to EPAct in the
USA for 60 Hz)
— IE3 = Premium efficiency (new efficiency class in Europe and
identical to “NEMA Premium” in the USA for 60Hz)
Efficiency levels defined in IEC 60034-30 are based on tests
methods specified in IEC 60034-2-1: 2007.
Compared to the ‘old’ CEMEP efficiency classes (EFF1, EFF2

& EFF3) in Europe, the scope been expanded to include 2-, 4-
and 6-pole motors and rated outputs from 0.75 to 375 kW. The
new efficiency classes therefore cover almost all motors. Two
drawbacks of the old European system were that there was no
mandatory minimum efficiency and the system was not congruent
with classification systems applied in other parts of the world.
IEC 60034-30:2008 does not include rules on implementation

of the new efficiency classes. In EU countries implementation
is subject to a decision by the European Commission, while
elsewhere it is subject to national legislation. ABB is closely
monitoring the drafting of this legislation and is taking steps to
ensure its products will comply with the new requirements when
they enter into force.

Developing an effective motor management policy

Motors can be designed to minimize losses and thus increase
efficiency by improving those aspects of design and construction
that give rise to the main losses. The greatest losses are the
iron losses that occur in the rotor and stator, accounting for 50
percent of the total loss. These losses can be reduced by using
low loss steel and thinner laminations. Copper losses account
for 20 percent, and can be decreased by using an optimum slot
fill design and larger conductors. Bearing friction and windage
losses total 23 percent and can be reduced by using a smaller
cooling fan. Stray losses, which account for 7 percent of the
total, can be reduced by improving the slot geometry.
Users can also do a great deal to ensure they are getting the
highest efficiency from their motors. A motor management policy
is a very useful tool in this respect and should be put in place.
One policy decision should be to select high efficiency motors
when purchasing new equipment, and minimum acceptable
efficiency values should be specified. The policy should also
include criteria for deciding whether to replace or rewind a failed
motor. This ensures that the decision can be made long before
actual failure occurs.
The table below shows an example life cycle cost assessment, in

this case a comparison between two standard 15 kW electric motors
of different designs running at 12 kW. Motor A is manufactured by
ABB, motor B by a competitor. Although motor A requires more
copper and iron to manufacture than motor B, this makes motor
A more efficient in operation, meaning that it uses less electricity
than motor B over its lifetime. The example assumes that both
motors operate for 8,000 hours per year for 15 years.

Environmental impact Motor A: 12 kW Motor B: 12 kW

over life cycle 91.1% efficiency 91.1% efficiency
Use of resources
Coal (kg) 16,370 20,690
Gas (kg) 2,070 2,620
Oil (kg) 3,240 4,090
Steel (kg) 27 24
Copper (kg) 0.9 0.8
Aluminum (kg) 4 4
Silicon (kg) 1.1 1.0
Emissions
Carbon dioxide (kg) 62.940 79.560
Sulfur dioxide (kg) 495 626
Nitrogen dioxide (kg) 136 172
Hydrochloric acid 8.8 11.1
Metals (g) 538 538
Heavy metals (g) 1.1 1.1
Solid waste (kg) 117 106
Particles (kg) 30.4 38.4
Other (kg) 12 1 5
Total EPS indices 8.260 ELU of which 10.430 of which
99.4% 99.5%
from operation from operation
(EPS = Environmental Priority Strategies in Product Design; ELU =
Environmental Load Units)
Table 5.2. Environmental impact of two standard 12 kW motors of different

designs. Motor A is from ABB.
AC drives are the ideal solution for speed control

VSDs can save a lot of energy and money in applications where
demand varies. They enable users to minimize their equipment
life cycle cost and improve performance.
Electric motors are behind virtually everything that moves, and

are by far the biggest users of electricity in industry and building
systems. The energy efficiency of many motor installations can be
dramatically improved with VSDs which ensure that motors only
run at the speeds and times required. Drives are inexpensive and
easy to install, but most motors are nevertheless left running at a
single speed for long periods of time, often without any working
load.
The potential savings are significant – a pump or a fan running

at 80 percent speed only uses 64 percent of the energy and
slightly more than 50 percent of the power used by one running
at full speed. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many

motors are oversized, using more energy than the application

actually needs. This is because motors are only available with
a certain number of fixed speeds. Users tend to get the next
bigger sized motor relative to the requirement and then throttle
the output, for instance by using a valve to reduce the water
flow in a pumping application.
By reducing the speed of the motor, a drive can help to ensure

that a pump, for instance, uses no more energy than necessary
to achieve the required flow. In addition to the energy savings,
other benefits include accurate control and less mechanical wear,
reducing maintenance and extending the lifetime expectancy
of the system. While payback times of two to three years are
normal, payback times as short as six months can sometimes
be achieved on the basis of energy savings alone.
Looking at the entire life cycle

Motors are often overlooked when energy efficiency measures
are under consideration because the large numbers of motors
in use mean that each individual unit may seem insignificant in
isolation. However, it is precisely their great number that makes
motors so important.
To minimize running costs, users should look at the whole life

cycle, starting with the acquisition of new equipment and new
plant design. How much less would the equipment cost over
its life cycle if a VSD were fitted from the outset? Getting an
oversized motor means paying for output that is not needed,
and it also translates into inefficiency because the motor is not
fully used.
Taking a proactive approach to energy efficiency can help

companies of all sizes to achieve substantial savings. Many
pump and fan applications run at constant speeds, even though
variable speed operation would often give far better performance
at much lower cost. If a 100 kW fan is throttled by 50 percent,
for instance, the investment in a VSD would probably have a
payback time of less than two to three years.
Drives operate by switching the fixed mains supply voltage to

a variable voltage and frequency in response to an electrical
control signal. When coupled to a fan or pump motor, the change
in frequency will result in a corresponding change in motor
speed. This means that the motor speed can be set on the basis
of external parameters such as water flow or air temperature.

Chapter 6 - Energy audits identify
potential savings
Evaluating how energy is used
Few industrial systems are, in practice, optimally dimensioned
from the point of view of energy efficiency. It is an extremely
challenging task to design an optimized plant with hundreds
of actuators, valves, pumps, fans, etc. for a complex process
while taking into account a range of parameters from varying
demand to ageing equipment. The investment cost for both
the (re)design and selection of control technology still remains
a major decision criterion, even if it only represents less than 5
percent of the plant’s life cycle costs.
In order for a company to reduce its energy costs, it needs to

evaluate how it uses energy. An energy audit is a systematic
examination of key pump and fan applications that includes
the monitoring of energy consumed both before and after the
change to VSDs.
The audit defines where and how much energy can be saved by
installing VSDs. These figures are then translated into a potential
monthly saving indicating how much energy costs could be
reduced by installing the recommended equipment.
Users sometimes find it hard to believe that a 20 percent reduction

in speed can produce a 50 percent saving in energy. The savings
can be verified, however, and the best way to start is with an energy
audit. ABB’s Energy Audit Scheme produces recommendations
backed up by careful analysis of collected data.
Figure 6.1. At 50 percent airflow, the commonly used guide vane system uses
over three times the energy of a VSD and motor combination.

Energy audits identify potential savings
Recommendations based on actual data

The audit process begins with a briefing where the customer
describes the process and its operation to ABB’s audit staff.
The audit team explains in detail how the audit is performed
and also outlines the costs.
“The investments that are recommended

as a result of the audit will be paid for by
the energy savings realized. The payback
time can be as short as six months,
and in most cases the investments are
fully covered in 2-3 years,” says Jukka
Tolvanen, Energy Efficiency Market
Manager at ABB LV drives.
The first meeting prepares the

ground for further analysis, which
is preceded by a walk-through of
the production facilities. This gives
the audit team the opportunity to
gather more detailed information
about equipment such as pumps,
fans, and extruders that are
operating in the process. The exact output values of all the motors are
not always known, but the plate values can be noted.
During the walk-through the auditors also collect other relevant

information about how the machines are used. Information on
whether or not machines are driven at full power, operated
continuously, and whether or not they are throttled, is important
for the audit process.
“Data loggers are installed and left on-site – in some cases for
a few weeks - to record data on parameters such as power,
current, and flow. In some cases a compact, transportable AC
drive unit is brought in to provide real usage data to justify the
investments,” Jukka Tolvanen explains.
The audit is usually restricted to the motors or parts of the

production process that provide the biggest potential for savings.
Based on the data collected during the audit, ABB computes
how much energy and carbon dioxide emissions could be saved
by installing VSDs. After the first audit is completed and any
recommended investments have been implemented, further
audits are often commissioned.
Additional savings from unexpected sources

Jukka Tolvanen says that in many cases installing drives not only
saves energy but also leads to savings in other areas that are
more difficult to evaluate beforehand: “Calculating the power

savings is relatively easy, but once the new equipment is in

place we often realize that the temperature and noise levels in
the plant have decreased dramatically.”
When machines are operated at the required speed and only

when necessary, they need less cooling. This usually means
that they do not need servicing as often, which, in turn, provides
further cost savings. Sometimes there has even been a decrease
in the consumption of raw materials – in one plant there was
a fan that was always run at full power, and it turned out that
lightweight particles of the raw material were simply being
blown away.
“In another instance an audit recommended that the plant’s

compressors should be fitted with AC drives. When this was
done it not only reduced the overall energy consumption but
also resolved an overheating problem. Previously, when the
compressor in question reached a certain temperature it was
automatically turned off to protect the machine. Once drives
had been fitted the compressors could be operated without
interruption,” Jukka Tolvanen recalls.
“In the longer term there will be an increasing diversity of motors

and drives, meaning that customers are likely to need even more
help to get the most out of their equipment. While customers
focus on their own businesses, we can use the audit process
as a stepping stone towards achieving greater efficiencies for
them.”
An energy audit is often very revealing for customers, as it shows

them how they can cut their energy bills and let the savings
pay for the new equipment. In many countries there are Energy
Saving Companies (ESCOs) that offer lease-back arrangements
to finance the investment in new equipment.
Payback within months

The payback time for VSDs is often a matter of months on the
basis of energy savings alone. In addition, by optimizing the speed
to match the requirements of the process, users often find they
get better product quality and reduced maintenance costs.
To take an actual example from manufacturing industry, a UK

company installed an ABB drive to operate a fan. By reducing the
speed by 20 percent the drive produced a 56 percent reduction
in power (from 118 to 51 kW), saving over 440,000 kWh a year.
The cost of the drive was GBP5,600 (8,000 euros) and the energy
savings amounted to GBP17,000 (24,300 euros) per year or
GBP1,400 (2,025 euros) per month. The straight payback was
therefore just four months. The drive has naturally continued
to save money for the company every month, and will do so

for the rest of its life. There are few other investments that can
offer this type of payback – boosting the company’s profits by
GBP17,000 (24,300 euros) per year would require a significant
increase in sales.
The rewards for investing in energy efficient motors are less

dramatic but still worth pursuing, as direct-on-line installations
are so common. The electricity consumed by the motor
represents the overwhelming part of its lifetime cost. The
purchase cost is very small in comparison and is overtaken by
the electricity cost after three months of continuous operation.
A 90 kW energy efficient motor can cost GBP1,500 (2,140 euros)
more to buy than a standard efficiency model, but can save over
GBP10,000 (14,290 euros) over the course of a ten-year service
life compared to the standard efficiency unit.
In addition, because the high efficiency motor has lower energy

losses it will have a lower running temperature giving improved
reliability. This makes high efficiency motors a better choice in
critical applications, for instance in the paper industry where
downtime costs are high.
Figure 6.2. Savings begin to accumulate after a relatively short period of time:
in this example the payback period is just four months.
In the UK small and medium sized companies may be eligible

for favorable loans to help purchase energy saving equipment.
Many other countries have their own systems for financing
energy efficient investments.

Tools help with financing calculations

ABB offers two different tools to help make financing and
investment decisions easier:
• PumpSave for comparisons between variable speed

AC drives and other pump control methods.
• FanSave for comparisons between variable speed
AC drives and other fan control methods.
These tools help users to calculate the payback period for

investments in ABB drives. The Net Present Value (NPV) of the
investment can also be calculated, taking the actual cost of
capital and equipment service life into consideration. Customers
can download these tools from www.abb.com/drives or ask for
assistance from their local ABB office or ABB drives channel
partner.
Companies seeking to cut their energy costs do not even need

to use their own cash resources or bank borrowing facilities.
Other ways of financing AC drive and motor packages include
(availability may vary depending on country or region) hire
purchase arrangements, finance leases, operating leases,
and Energy Service Company (ESCO) agreements.

Chapter 7 - Case studies: big savings
with modest investments
China:
Plastics plant cuts energy consumption by 30 percent
The Petrochemical Plastic Factory in Daqing, northern China,
manufactures a range of petroleum-based plastics and synthetic
materials. Annual output is some 8,000 – 9,000 tons.
Issue
Productivity at the Daqing plant was below expectation because

the motor used to drive the continuous mixer was limited to
two speeds. The 1,300 kW motor, which was acquired 20 years
ago, is a 6- and 8-pole, 6.0 kV machine with two fixed operating
speeds of 750 and 1,000 rpm. Fixed speeds meant that the mixer
could not run at its optimal operating point, and could not react
to the sudden load changes that occur during the polyethylene
mixing process. This led to poor product quality and frequent
breakdowns, which reduced output.
Solution
ABB was asked to investigate how the mixer’s performance

could be improved in order to boost productivity without any
loss of consistency to the plastics being mixed. The answer was
an ABB drive, together with a locally supplied input isolation
transformer.
An important aspect of this solution is the use of a sine filter,

which eliminates harmonics to the motor, allowing the existing
motor to continue in use without derating. The ABB drive enables
the motor speed to be varied from 500 to 1,000 rpm. As a result
the mixer works at its optimal operating point with the added
advantages of smooth starting and rapid reaction to sudden
load changes. Both product quality and process efficiency have
improved substantially.
Benefits
Power requirements are reduced as the motor speed can now be

varied to precisely match the demands of varying mixer loads.
Loads can range from less than six to around ten tons of mix
materials. With a load of approx. 9.5 tons, the motor previously
used 1,215 kW. Following installation of the ABB drive, the same
mixer load requires only 1,150 kW of motor power.

Case studies: big savings with modest investments
The plant estimates that the drive has reduced energy

consumption by 30 percent. The payback period for the
complete system has been calculated at around two years. The
drive is of standard design and can therefore be easily retrofitted
to existing motors. In the case of the Daqing plant, connecting
the drive to the existing motor simply meant changing the motor
connection from star to delta.
Location Petrochemical Plastic Factory, Daqing, China

Segment and application Plastics - Mixer
ABB drive enables variable speed operation
instead of previous fixed speeds
Savings and benefits - 30 percent reduction in energy consumption
- improvements in process efficiency and
product quality
China:
Substantial energy savings and reduced emissions
China’s energy needs are growing as its economy expands.
Many Chinese companies have embraced VSD control
technology, with the dual aims of saving energy and cutting
back greenhouse gas emissions. The three examples below,
representing three different industries, show the kinds of savings
that are being achieved.
Cement: A cement factory in Jiangsu Province has installed a

number of ABB drives to operate kiln fans. The drives replace
hydraulic couplings on a production line. The resulting energy
savings amount to 2.8 kWh/t, which totals 4,200 MWh annually.
In addition to producing savings of RMB1.68 million (163,110
euros), the drives have also reduced carbon dioxide emissions
by 2.1 million kg annually. Estimated payback time for the system
is 1-2 years. The introduction of drives has also reduced reactive
power issues.

Water: A Beijing water utility designed a new booster pump

station with ABB drive control instead of throttling. The station
handles the water supply for around 200,000 inhabitants, and the
energy savings through the use of drives have been calculated
at approximately 30 percent. This represents an annual energy
saving of about 1,000 MWh. Greenhouse gas emissions are also
reduced: the drives based pumping station releases 500,000 kg
less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than it would if throttling
were used. The system’s payback time has been estimated at
18 months.
Aluminum: The Qinghai branch of Aluminium Corporation of

China acquired seven 315 kW drives to control fans in an exhaust
gas cleaning system. The fans, with a combined rating of 1,820
kW, were previously run at a fixed speed. The drives have
brought about annual energy savings of around 8,000 MWh. In
addition greenhouse gas emissions have been cut by 4 million
kg yearly. The drives have not only increased the efficiency of
the plant, they have also enhanced system stability. The payback
time for the investment is one year.
Location Cement factory, Water utility, Beijing Aluminium Corporation

Jiangsu Province of China, Qinghai
Segment and Cement – Fans Water – Pumping Metal - Fans
application
ABB drives operate ABB drive control at ABB drives control fans
kiln fans booster pump station in exhaust gas cleaning
system
Savings and - annual energy - annual energy saving - annual energy savings
benefits savings of 4,200 MWh approx. 1,000 MWh of approx. 8,000 MWh
- 2.1 million kg annual - 500,000 kg less CO2 - 4 million kg annual
reduction in CO2 emissions reduction in CO2
emissions emissions

Finland:
Drives help to cut water utility’s energy bill
Pietarsaaren Vesi, the water utility which serves the town of
Pietarsaari in Finland, states that ABB drives and new pumps
have reduced energy consumption by 30 percent and helped to
maintain more stable pressure in the distribution system.
Issue
Pietarsaari’s water supply is taken from a local river. Following

treatment, the water is pumped to a 1,500 cubic meter above-
ground storage tank and pressure boosting station. The pressure
boosting station feeds water directly into the distribution system
and seeks to maintain constant pressure in the pipes. The station
is equipped with two 75 kW and one 37 kW electric pumps, with
a diesel-powered pump as back-up.
The drives at the pressure boosting station feature intelligent

pump control (IPC), an optional software package for ABB drives
which incorporates all the functions generally required by pump
users. The Pietarsaari installation uses IPC’s multipump control,
pump priority, and flow measurement functions. Multipump
control is used to operate several pumps together. Each pump
is controlled by its own drive, with one being speed adjusted
and the rest run at constant speed. This results in smooth
control with no pressure peaks. Fail-safe operation is achieved
by implementing the control connections in a star configuration,
which also provides instant system recovery capability.

Pump priority control balances the operating time of all the pumps
in the system over the long term. This facilitates maintenance
planning, and can boost energy efficiency by operating pumps
closer to their best efficiency point. In water supply systems
the consumption rate is generally greater during the day, so the
drives are programmed to operate the higher capacity pumps
during daytime and the smaller unit at night.
Benefits
Pressure control is crucial in this application, as the pressure

boosting station supplies water directly to the distribution system.
The industrial drives with IPC maintain stable pressure without any
‘hammer’ effect. This reduces pipeline stress, resulting in fewer
leaks and reduced maintenance requirements. At the same time
the use of drives avoids the disturbance to the electrical network
that is often caused by direct-on-line starting.
According to Pietarsaaren Vesi, the upgrade has resulted in

significant energy savings over the previous direct-on-line
configuration: “Together with our new pumps, the drives have
enabled us to reduce our energy consumption by about 30
percent. The pressure in the system is much more stable, which
has reduced leaks, reduced maintenance needs, and increased
end-user satisfaction,” says Jan Snellman, Automation Engineer.
Location Water distribution system in Pietarsaari,

Finland
Segment and application Water - Pumps
ABB drives with intelligent pump control
operate pumps at a pressure boosting station
Savings and benefits - 30 percent reduction in energy consumption
- more stable pressure reduces pipeline
stress
Germany:
Drives keep natural gas supplies flowing smoothly
WINGAS GmbH is one of Germany’s major gas suppliers, with
pipelines bringing gas from northern Russia and the North Sea
to the nation’s most important industrial centers. The company
is a joint venture between Wintershall AG of Germany and
OAO Gazprom of Russia. WINGAS uses ABB drives to operate
compressors at its compressor station at Weisweiler and gas
storage facility at Rehden.

Issue
To transport natural gas efficiently over large distances the gas
has to be compressed. To build up and maintain the required
pressure, compressor stations are located at intervals along
the pipelines.
Solution
The WINGAS compressor station on the WEDAL (Western

German Link) pipeline at Weisweiler uses an ABB drive to power
a 12.5 MW compressor. This drive unit has been in operation
since the beginning of 1999.
ABB has also supplied two 12.5 MW drive units to power

compressors at the natural gas storage facility at Rehden. The
compressors boost the gas pressure to 300 bar to enable it to
be injected into rock, which provides a natural storage medium.
The Rehden facility has a capacity of 4.2 billion cubic meters of
natural gas, making it the largest of its kind in Western Europe .
Benefits
The use of ABB drives provides considerable savings in energy

and maintenance costs and thus high productivity. Further
benefits include minimum noise levels and zero carbon dioxide
emissions.
When compared with gas turbines, ABB drives have lower initial
investment costs and operating expenses and, therefore, shorter
amortization times. The drive system used by WINGAS has
demonstrated its reliability and proven technology in numerous
installations. Standardization has positively impacted the costs,
availability and reliability of this type of large drive.

ABB has so far supplied and installed more than 120 medium
voltage VSDs for chemical, oil and gas applications. More than
1,950 MV drives, with a total power of 8,100 MW, are in use
worldwide and represent the entire range from 300 kW to
100 MW. Customers can choose from various drive systems
such as voltage-source converters, thyristor-controlled motors
and sub-synchronous converter cascades for motors with
speeds up to 7,000 rpm.
Location WINGAS compressor station at Weisweiler

and storage facility at Rehden, Germany
Segment and application Oil and Gas - Compressors
ABB drives control compressors that
compress gas for transportation and storage
Savings and benefits - low energy consumption
- savings in maintenance costs, higher
productivity
- zero carbon dioxide emissions
Honduras:
Sugar plant boosts annual revenues by $1 million
Compania Azucarera Hondurena S.A. is one of the largest sugar
companies in Honduras. The company’s Santa Matilde sugar
plant operates 155 days per year and has a capacity of 10,200
tons of cane per day, with an increase to 12,000 tons per day
expected. To optimize energy use at the plant, the company
replaced five steam turbines, which were used to drive the cane
mill, with ABB drives and induction motors.
Issue
Sugar plants produce steam by combustion of bagasse, which

is the principal waste product from sugar production. Part of the
steam is used to power turbines, which in turn drive the cane-
crushing mills. The rest of the steam is used to generate electricity
for use in the plant. Under normal operating conditions, sugar
plants generate enough electricity to satisfy their own energy
requirements and can at times sell energy to the grid.
The cost of electricity in Honduras is relatively high because it is

mainly generated with fuel oil. It therefore makes sound business
sense to minimize energy use at the plant so that more energy
can be delivered to the grid.
Solution
By using VSDs and electric motors instead of steam turbines to

operate the cane mill, the steam can now be used exclusively
to generate electricity, which will feed the whole plant and can
be sold to the grid.
According to Jorge Arriaga, Engineer at the plant, “The people

at Santa Matilde are very pleased with the performance of the
ABB drives. Our plant’s overall energy efficiency has increased
tremendously since we replaced the steam turbines with drives.
Today, we are not only energy self-sufficient, but we have also
increased our annual revenues by around $1 million by selling
excess energy to the grid. Furthermore, the process runs much
more smoothly than before.”
Benefits
In the past, the cane mill was driven by five 750 kW steam turbines
for a total of 3,750 kW. Given that the turbines require 35 pounds of
steam per kilowatt, about 131,000 pounds of steam were required
to drive the cane mill. After replacing the steam turbines with
electrical drives, the 131,000 pounds of steam could be used to
generate electricity at a rate of 12.7 pounds/kW.
This results in additional generation of 10,300 kW/h, which is

used to feed the drives. Furthermore, excess energy totaling
around 6,550 kW can be sold to the grid. This creates about
$1 million (769,200 euros) per year in additional revenue for
the company. As a result the payback time for the MV drive
investment was about one year.
Location Compania Azucarera Hondureana sugar mill at

Santa Matilde, Honduras
Segment and application Food and beverage – Sugar cane mill
ABB drives and induction motors used to drive
cane mill
Savings and benefits - increased energy efficiency, with excess energy
worth approx. $1 million sold annually
- smoother process operation

India:
Improved fan control increases efficiency at cement plant
The Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd (CCCL) plant in Karikkali,
India, has an annual capacity of approx. 1.2 million tons. It
was India’s first cement plant to install ABB drives for speed
and torque control of the bag house, raw mill, cement mill and
preheater fans.
Issue
Electrical energy costs represent about 15–20 percent of the

total production cost of cement, putting cement plants among
the largest industrial energy consumers. Large fans account
for the majority of the electricity consumed. In the past, Indian
cement producers have used Cascade converters - also known
as Slip Power Recovery Systems (SPRSs) - to control the speed
of the process fans. However, due to inherent problems with
SPRSs such as poor operation in weak networks and increased
harmonics, producers are now considering the use of VSDs.
Solution
VSDs can reduce energy consumption from around 90 to 70

kWh/ton of cement produced. The method used to control the
flow rate not only has a major impact on costs, but will also affect
productivity. ABB drives feature flux optimization to reduce total
energy consumption when operating below the nominal load.
Total efficiency can be improved by up to 10 percent.

Benefits
According to CCCL’s Deputy General Manager, K. Narayanan,

“Medium voltage VSDs represent a new concept for the Indian
cement industry. Compared to the SPRSs used in the past, ABB’s
MV AC drives offer much more operating flexibility with speed
variation from 0 to 100 percent, while considerably reducing
maintenance costs.”
“Another advantage of drives is that the high starting currents

- quite normal with any of the conventional starting circuits
– now belong to the past. VSDs bring down the ratings of the
various starting circuit components and reduce stresses. We
are very pleased with the performance of the ABB drives we’ve
installed.”
Compared with the operating speed range of Cascade

converters (60–100 percent), VSDs offer much higher flexibility
over the entire speed range (0–100 percent).
The use of an IGCT (Integrated Gate Commutated Thyristor)

power semiconductor as an integrated protection device reduces
the ABB drive’s parts count, providing outstanding reliability and
availability. In addition, the ride-through function enables the
drive system to withstand power supply disturbances.
Location Chettinad Cement Corporation, Karikkali,

India
Segment and application Cement - Fans
ABB drives for speed and torque control
of bag house, raw mill, cement mill and
preheater fans
Savings and benefits - total efficiency improvement of up to
10 percent
- enhanced flexibility
- reduced maintenance costs
Netherlands / international:
High efficiency motors cut running costs
DSM is a highly integrated group of companies that supplies
the life sciences and material sciences sectors with a range of
products including high performance materials, polymers and
industrial chemicals. It has annual sales of 6.3 billion euros and
22,000 employees in over 200 locations worldwide.

Issue
“We have found that repaired motors are less energy efficient
than new ones. If we compare a new high efficiency motor with
an old motor, we see a considerable difference: the energy
efficiency of the old motor decreases after it is repaired”, says
Maintenance Engineer Peter Pieters.
Solution
“When deciding whether to purchase a new motor or repair an

old one, we consider the price of the new motor and how it will
depreciate over the following four years,” says Pieters.
Benefits
“Even the most expensive new high efficiency motor will cost
less over the long term – taking into consideration the initial
investment, the life expectancy of the bearings and energy
losses. We use around 20,000 motors at DSM, so choosing
new high efficiency motors will lead to a very significant annual
reduction in running costs.”
“DSM is committed to reducing energy consumption. By

improving the energy efficiency of our motors and equipment as
well as of our energy resources such as electricity and steam,
we are making our own contribution to a better world,” adds
Ben Odman, Director of Electrical Engineering and Consultancy
at DSM.
Location Facilities in the Netherlands and worldwide

Segment Chemicals
Savings and benefits - significant reduction in running costs
- supports commitment to reduce energy
consumption

Sweden:
Mining company acquires only high efficiency motors
LKAB is an international high technology minerals group based
in Sweden. It supplies upgraded iron ore products and industrial
minerals, and employs over 3,500 people.
Issue
Electric motor efficiency is extremely important to LKAB. The

company uses almost 15,000 electric motors at its mines and
other facilities, accounting for 90 percent of LKAB’s annual
electricity consumption of around 1.7 TWh. This figure represents
1 percent of Sweden’s total electricity consumption.
Solution
Nearly ten years ago, LKAB placed itself firmly in the forefront of
industrial energy efficiency when it announced that it would only
acquire energy efficient motors in the future. “They are slightly
more expensive to purchase, but you save money in the long
run – the purchase price represents only about 1 percent of the
total costs associated with running the motor over its service
life,” says LKAB’s Lennart Mukka. For LKAB and other industrial
customers, ABB’s process performance high efficiency motors
are now the obvious choice.
Benefits
By replacing its existing motors with high efficiency motors,

LKAB has achieved significant savings. At the same time, energy
efficient motors provide LKAB with the operating capacity it
needs without additional maintenance load.

A further benefit of ABB process performance motors is that ABB

can – on request – guarantee their efficiency. The advantages
of this became clear to LKAB during the 1990s, when electric
motors were audited at one of its plants. The audit revealed that
motors supplied by other manufacturers were often less efficient
than specified by the vendor. In contrast, when ABB markets its
high efficiency motors as “the most energy efficient motors in
the world”, it can back its claims with an efficiency guarantee.
Location Mines and other facilities in Sweden

Segment Mining
Savings and benefits - significant savings in energy costs
- capacity needs met without additional
maintenance load
UK:
Salt producer saves over 1,600 MWh per year
UK salt producer Salt Union has the capacity to produce around
one million tons of salt every year at its Runcorn site. The
company says that ABB equipment costing just GBP20,000
(28,570 euros) has cut energy consumption by over 60 percent,
resulting in savings exceeding GBP100,000 (142,850 euros) per
year.
Issue
As part of the production process, salt is passed through dryers

which use fans to suck air in. As well as food-grade, pure
dried vacuum salt, the plant also produces a courser granular
product used in applications such as dishwashers. The dryer
for this product previously used a fan to suck air through at a
rate controlled by a damper. The damper was 95 percent closed
during normal operation, so most of the energy consumed was
being used to suck air through the narrow constriction.
Solution
An energy audit was performed by Central Electrical, an ABB

Drives Alliance member, to determine the potential for energy
savings. The original fan motor was rated at 337 kW, but Central
Electrical’s calculations showed that 132 kW should be sufficient
to create the draft needed by the dryer. “That’s a huge energy
saving when you think we run the unit for about 8,000 hours a
year,” says Dave Mullin, Electrical Plant Improvement Engineer.
“In fact, it’s equivalent to over 1,600 MWh per year.”

The reason why the original fan was significantly oversized can
be traced back to a previous process. The dryer was formerly
used to process vacuum salt crystals, which are much smaller
than the spherical, 2-3 mm diameter particles in granular salt.
These fine crystals created a far bigger pressure drop across
the dryer than the coarse product that is processed today.
The old fan was replaced by a smaller version, operated by
a 132 kW four-pole motor coupled to an ABB drive.
Benefits
The resulting energy savings now average GBP9,000 (12,860

euros) a month, or GBP100,000 (142,850 euros) per year. “The
fan was probably on the generous side to start with. Years ago
it was common for engineers to add a safety margin,” Dave
Mullin explains. “But once the duty changed it became grossly
oversized.”
Ken Tym of Central Electrical says that this type of problem is

common: “Industries and processes change, but there are a lot
of areas that manufacturers don’t seem to consider. Sometimes
the main task is to inform end users about the energy savings
that are achievable.” At Salt Union, energy-saving initiatives are
not confined to the process. Even the small amount of waste
heat produced by the ABB drive is being put to work warming
up the switch room in winter.
Location Salt Union, Runcorn, UK

Segment and application Food and beverage - Fans
Oversized fan replaced and fitted with an
ABB drive
Savings and benefits - energy consumption reduced by over
60 percent
- savings exceeding GBP100,000
(142,850 euros) per year

US:
Drives play key role in helping to preserve vegetable crops
Onions and potatoes are big business in certain parts of the
US. In Oregon, Washington and Idaho, for example, onions
contribute over $125 million (96 million euros) to the economy
annually. The impact of potato production for the same three
states is even more significant – upwards of $1 billion (769.2
million euros) annually.
Issue
To ensure high quality, onions and potatoes must be stored

at optimal temperatures and humidity levels. JMC Ventilation
Refrigeration, LLC, specializes in custom ventilation and
refrigeration systems for potato and onion storage. The
Kennewick, Washington-based company applies new and
existing technologies to provide precise, on-site and remote
environmental control that helps ensure vegetable quality and
reduce mass loss (shrinkage), while saving energy.
Solution
A crucial component in JMC’s systems, ABB VSDs with Ethernet

communications, are used to control fan motor speed and
airflow, which directly affects temperature and humidity. “Part of
what our system has to do,” JMC founder Joel Micka explains,
“is to deliver a certain amount of air – typically, about 20 cfm
(cubic feet per minute) per ton for potato storage units. In the
state of Washington, our average-size storage is 10,000 tons.
So we would be supplying 200,000 cfm of air.”

Benefits
The University of Idaho recently studied the impact of VSDs on

potato storage facilities and reported that the average annual
saving in fan energy is 40 percent, and the average mass-loss
saving is 0.81 percent. The researchers also found that color, sugars
and other quality characteristics are not impacted by VSD use.
Controlling the air supply helps reduce mass loss (shrinkage)

for potatoes. “Typically farmers get paid by the weight of their
potatoes, and the potato is about 80 percent water,” explains
Micka. “To maintain high humidity, we use the drive to slow down
the fan at certain times of the year so that it supplies less air
to the potatoes and, in turn, reduces shrink loss.” He goes on
to say that the safety and efficiency the new systems provide
through remote control and monitoring are even more important
than the energy savings. This is because storage facilities are
often located many miles from the main offices.
Location Potato and onion storage facilities in Idaho,

Oregon and Washington State, US
Segment and application Food and beverage - Fans
ABB drives control fans that keep temperature
and humidity at constant levels
Savings and benefits - annual saving in fan energy 40 percent
- reduction in shrink loss of the produce
US:
University of Texas saves millions through boiler retrofit
The University of Texas at Austin is the flagship institution of
the University of Texas system. Heating and energy for the 200
buildings on the University’s campus are supplied by boilers
and gas turbines at the Hal C. Weaver Power Plant.
An emissions-control project is providing substantial savings for

the University. With annual electricity savings of 746,000 kWh
and fuel savings of hundreds of millions of BTUs, the project
payback time is less than one year.
Issue
“Our objective as we began the boiler retrofit was to reduce NOx

emissions, but improved combustion efficiency meant that we
ended up increasing our energy output while cutting the amount
of gas used. This allowed us to bank our standby boilers, saving us
hundreds of thousands of dollars per year,” says Juan M. Ontiveros,
Director of Utility and Energy Management at the University.

Solution
The upgrade incorporates the Benz Air Compu-NOx control

platform, which uses AC drives and fans, instead of dampers, for
precise metering of airflow. Prior to installation of the ABB drives,
the fans always ran at the same speed and the quantity of air
was controlled through inlet dampers. This was inefficient under
partial-load conditions, and wasted both power and money. By
removing the dampers in favor of AC drives to control the fan
speed, less horsepower is used to drive the fans.
Benefits
“Initial projections targeted savings of $500,000 (384,600 euros)

annually for the first boiler retrofit, but due to fuel price increases,
the University stands to save an additional $1 million (769,200
euros) from the retrofit of Boiler 3. When Boiler 7 is brought
online, the University may save up to $6,000 (4,615 euros) per
day from that unit’s boiler banking capabilities,” says Robert
Benz, President of Benz Air Engineering Co., Inc., which handled
installation of the new technology.
Nitrogen oxide emissions have been cut dramatically by the project.

Before the upgrade, Boiler 3 alone emitted 151.7 tons of nitrogen
oxide per year, which has been reduced to 21.0 tons per year.
With energy and fuel costs soaring, the payback on the Compu-
NOx system will be less than 12 months. The system will then
continue to produce savings for years to come through its fuel
gas recirculation and VSD fan control systems.
Location Power Plant at University of Texas,

Austin, US
Segment and application Power plant - Fans
ABB drives control fans for precise airflow
to the boiler
Savings and benefits - annual energy savings of some
USD 1.5 million
- major reduction in nitrogen oxide
emissions


Internet
www.abb.com/drives
www.abb.com/motors
© Copyright 2009 ABB. All rights reserved. 3AFE68902037 REV B EN 23.1.2009 Specifications subject to change without notice. Ad agency PIIRTEK#13676

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Sustainability guide No.

© Copyright 2009 ABB. All rights reserved.

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide 

Chapter 2 - The energy dilemma.............................................................. 8

Growing needs, diminishing resources, increasing environmental concerns 8

Chapter 3 - Europe takes action............................................................. 14

The EU’s bold advance.................................................................................. 14

Chapter 4 - Sustainable and efficient energy use.................................. 19

Quick, effective and low cost......................................................................... 19

Chapter 5 - ABB motors and drives for efficient control ....................... 23

Potential for major energy savings................................................................. 23

Chapter 6 - Energy audits identify potential savings.............................. 30

Evaluating how energy is used...................................................................... 30

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide 

China: Plastics plant cuts energy consumption by 30 percent....................... 35

 Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide

Fossil fuels are non-renewable. Significant untapped reserves

In a situation where energy needs are rising and supplies are

Motor-driven pumps and fans, for example, provide significant

Pump and fan systems can generally be run more efficiently

AC drives and high efficiency motors are being installed in

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide 

Growing needs, diminishing resources, increasing

New ways of providing energy – such as atomic fusion and

Meanwhile, world energy consumption is steadily rising. World

 Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide

Europe could cut energy consumption by 20 percent

According to the EU’s Green Paper on Energy Efficiency, the EU

By 2030, on the basis of present trends, the EU will be 90 percent

The application of energy efficiency measures would also help

Climate consensus: something has to be done

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide 

A consensus among politicians, scientists and industry leaders

The IPCC study investigates the natural and human drivers of

The global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has

The annual rate of increase in the carbon dioxide concentration

10 Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide

Atmospheric warming reaches new levels

Numerous long-term climate changes have been observed

Projections indicate that warming of about 0.2°C per decade can

Continued greenhouse gas emissions at or above current

Industry uses over 40 percent of total world electricity

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide 11

Energy saving is without doubt the quickest, most effective and

The IPCC’s Mitigation of Climate Change report finds that

The report also concludes that economic potential in the

Many industrial facilities in developing countries are new and

12 Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide

The Motor Challenge Programme - a voluntary scheme promoted

Switching to energy efficient motor driven systems throughout

Potential electricity savings (billion kWh/year)

Rising energy prices have forced companies to seek ways

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide 13

The EU’s bold advance

The EU is now committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions

“Climate change is definitely the headline issue, but security of

At present there are around 20 EU Directives which relate to

“In 2016 we have to be able to show that we have achieved

14 Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide

It is difficult to show that savings have really taken place when

The underlying objective of increased energy efficiency is to

“Now we have actual numerical objectives the pressure is really

Raising awareness among decision makers

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide

Sustainability guide No. 1 - Driving energy efficiency worldwide