BSEE ERP DIRECTIVE


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EFFICIENCY AND ERP COMPLIANCE The drive towards energy cost savings


On January 1 2017, the next wave of ErP requirements comes into force, targeting electric motors typically used in fans, pumps, compressors and air conditioning systems.


Mark McCall, Product Manager at Newey & Eyre, explains the implications for those working in building services and looks at how these measures contribute in the drive towards a sustainable strategy.


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nder the EcoDesign Directive, commonly known as the Energy- related Products (ErP) Directive, electric motors will be subject


to minimum levels of efficiency – this applies to all products that use energy or have an indirect impact in energy usage.


In broader terms, this legislation is part of the Government drive to achieve stringent carbon reduction targets, which has seen a legally binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050 against a 1990 baseline, with an intermediate target of 34 per cent by 2020. Within this context, there is a significant number of initiatives, which include mandatory requirements, relating to sustainable construction – not surprisingly, since the operation of buildings currently accounts for nearly half of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), for example, requires all new buildings to be ‘nearly zero energy’ by 2021 for those in the private sector and 2019 for public sector buildings.


As well as the need to meet mandatory emissions reduction targets, there is a good commercial argument for sustainable buildings in that they also deliver energy cost savings. While upfront costs may, in some cases, be higher there is generally a relatively short payback period followed by ongoing reductions in operational costs. For example, research carried out by construction specialist Sweett Group and BRE found that developers typically invest 2 per cent more when aiming for higher BREEAM ratings but recover those costs in two to five years through savings in energy and water bills.1


The ErP requirements that come into force in January are the third stage of those relating to electric motors. From January 1st, 2017 all squirrel cage motors with a rated output of 0.75 to 375kW must either be supplied as an IE3 efficiency motor or as an IE2 efficiency motor with a variable speed drive variable speed drive (VSD). Choice of


drive engineering is dependent on the application. Where fixed speeds or lower switching frequencies are involved, standard motor starters offer a lower installation cost solution whereas VSDs are more appropriate for applications with variable speeds or frequently alternating loads. IE3 premium efficiency fixed-speed motors will deliver the energy savings that tick the regulatory box. They are, however, characterised by a number of properties, including higher starting currents which means that it is particularly important to use high- quality switchgear and protection components with the correct trip pattern and with a switching duty specifically designed for the IE3 motor being used. IE3 motors achieve the required energy savings, but can be more expensive to purchase leading to a longer payback time.


Standard motor starting and soft start are appropriate in fixed speed control applications where load demands maximum motor speed or mechanical constraints do not permit speed variation. Low voltage switchgear in a well-designed system can achieve significant energy savings, but these relate directly the amount of time the motor is switched off. This can either involve the simple expedient of switching systems off when they are not needed, or designing an intelligent system incorporating techniques for determining precisely when the motor needs to be operational.


Alternatively, significant savings can be achieved by using an IE2 motor with a VSD, which as well as delivering energy savings can offer shorter payback times. In many applications, particularly centrifugal fans and pumps, the energy savings alone provide a conclusive argument for the incorporation of a motor with a VSD. For example, in many fan and pump applications, efficiency gains of between 20 per cent and 70 per cent can be achieved.


Traditionally, VSDs have mostly been specified when part of a larger or more complex control system, chiefly due to a gap in the market for an enclosed direct online (DOL) product that


incorporates the benefits of a VSD. At Newey & Eyre, we have addressed this gap by developing the Newlec EcoStart which is an energy-efficient enclosed motor starter that offers all of the benefits of a VSD that can be combined with an ErP-compliant IE2 to meet the new directives.


In many instances, motors are over- rated for their application and the speed can be reduced overall to deliver energy savings. As an out-of- the-box solution, EcoStart is supplied to run at 85 per cent motor speed which immediately provides up to 40 per cent electrical energy savings. Additionally, it can be set to operate precisely to the requirements of the individual application. As an example of the potential savings, with a 4kW EcoStart motor with three-phase inverter, set to run at 85per cent in a system that is operational for 12 hours a day, 250 days a year, with an electricity cost of 12 pence per kW/h, the user could expect to save £836 per annum on energy bills with a payback period of 1.5 years.


Ultimately, the specific application will determine the choice of motor, with the greater costs of higher efficiency motors being offset by the ongoing savings that can be made in energy ErP compliance in terms of the minimum permitted efficiency. This, in turn, creates the opportunity to deliver solutions that can lead to lower running and energy costs, reduced maintenance and overall system downtime, contributing to overall building sustainability


Rexel UK Ltd through their Industrial solutions business have produced a Drives and Motors catalogue which offers solutions to the ErP directive whether simple energy saving starter or VSD and Motor combinations to meet the new regulation


www.neweyandeyre.co.uk Reference:1


http://www.breeam.com/filelibrary/ BREEAM%20and%20Value/ The_Value_of_BREEAM.pdf


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As well as the need to meet mandatory emissions reduction targets, there is a good commercial argument for sustainable buildings in that they also deliver energy cost savings. While upfront costs may, in some cases, be higher there is generally a relatively short payback period followed by ongoing reductions in operational costs.


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uNewlec EcoStart is an energy‐ efficient enclosed motor starter that offers the benefits of a VSD that can be combined with an ErP‐compliant IE2 to meet the new directives.


28 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER DECEMBER 2016 VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.bsee.co.uk


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