Environmental protection

Product roadmaps - Electric motors

As part of our work on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), we are developing ten product roadmaps to reduce the environmental and social impacts across the life cycle of a range of priority products, including motors.

Why electric motors?

In line with current evidence and EU Product Policy, Energy-using Products (EuP) are a priority product category. EuPs are a category of non-transport related products, which are significant energy users and sold in high volumes in the EU. Examples include:

  • heating and lighting products
  • electric motors
  • domestic and office appliances
  • consumer electronics
  • air conditioners

In line with the EU Framework Directive on the Eco-design of EuPs, the European Commission have carried out a preliminary study on the environmental impacts of electric motors across the EU and discussions have begun on an implementing measures to address these impacts.

Current activities

A report detailing the current status of the roadmap has been prepared to coincide with the publication of the Progress Report on Sustainable Products and Materials.

Impacts and market trends

Environmental impacts

The key environmental impacts associated with motors include resource depletion (including precious metals in limited supply and fossil fuels), greenhouse gas emissions, and end of life waste (including hazardous waste). The key impact is the energy in use.

  • Without intervention, the total motor driven systems electric energy consumption is forecast to increase from 149.7TWh in 2007 to 159.2TWh in 2020.
Market trends
  • Over 2.1 million electric motors and associated equipment are supplied into industrial and commercial markets in the UK each year.  Within this group over 0.9 million motors are in the size range 0.75 – 400kW with 80 percent of systems powered by motors sized 7.5kW or smaller.
  • Applications are diverse and on a ranking by energy consumption include pumps (32%) fans (22%), air compressors (8%), refrigeration, (7%) air conditioning (7%), and others (24%) which includes applications such as materials handling (lifts, conveyors and elevators), crushing & grinding, and machine tools.
  • The largest market for motor driven equipment is within buildings, followed by the metal products machinery & equipment sector, the chemicals sector, other manufacturing industries and the water industry.

Further information

 

Page last modified: 10 July 2008

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs