At a recent press event, ABB Motion reinforced the company’s long-term motor efficiency improvement ambitions, and demonstrated why motors, the ‘workhorses’ of industry, are the frontline in decarbonisation and net zero.

Motors are crucial to all industries and used everywhere from robotics to wastewater management; if it has latitudinal or longitudinal motion, spins, or flows, a motor is likely responsible.

Presenting the briefing hosted by Cadence Industrial Marketing in May, representatives of the ABB Motion shared the company’s ambitious plans for the future of the motor industry.

Division President of IEC Low Voltage Motors Stefan Floeck’s opening commentary highlighted the importance of addressing motor efficiency: “45% of the world’s electricity powers motors. By 2040, the number of motors will double.”

To reach net zero ambitions, energy efficiency is crucial. With motors accounting for one third of all industrial facilities’ energy consumption, net zero and the decarbonisation of industry will only be possible by making motors greener. Doing so has the potential to reduce global electricity consumption by up to 10%.

ABB’s motors are 98% recyclable, highly repairable, and have industry-leading life spans. They have also developed recycling or ‘take-back’ programmes to enable the easier recycling of motors and the use of recycled components to reduce waste going to landfill in China and India. Since 2011, they have pioneered synchronous reluctance motors (SynRMs), which are not only highly efficient and cost-effective but more sustainable due to not requiring rare-earth magnets.

With ABB’s motor efficiency ambitions and achievements outlined, Ivor Vidjen, Global Head of Strategy & Business Development for IEC LV Motors, further brought the company’s decarbonisation strategy to life, showing the overarching economic benefit and business case behind it. He explained that energy intensity, the measure of how much energy is used in order to produce one US dollar of GDP, has stalled at 2% per year.

If it remains at this level, it jeopardises industry decarbonisation, and it ultimately needs to increase to 4%, something that ABB believes is achievable. However, as Ivor explained, it is all well and good having an internal strategy, but it has been important that they stress test this hypothesis against the industry.

To do so, they undertook a detailed survey of circa 3,000 customers and partners, questioning them on energy efficiency, adaptation and investments. Their findings were encouraging. For example, 94% of those surveyed plan on making energy saving investments. Ivor explained that part of ABB’s job is to make a business case for those that are still on the fence.

Alongside commercial factors, the survey found that the motivation of those surveyed was also driven external factors, such as energy efficiency standards and regulatory bodies, which employ “subsidies” or “punitive measures” to encourage efficiency.

Accreditation is also an important factor. He revealed that ABB are the first motor company to gain EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) accreditation, a feat that was highly admin-intensive.

Daniel Eberli, Head of Product Management, explained that pushing the boundaries of technology and helping their customers and partners find solutions has always been part of ABB’s DNA. This is perfectly illustrated by ABB’s IE6 classed motors.

The current highest codified efficiency class of motors is IE5, defined as “Ultra-Premium Efficiency” by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), but ABB’s magnet-free SynRM motors are classed as IE6. By applying the same logic of efficiency improvement that separated IE4 from IE5, ABB were able to logically determine the benchmarks needed for the next motor efficiency class – it was no surprise to hear that they are already working towards IE7.

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