Electric motors consume nearly half of the world’s electricity, according to the International Energy Agency, states WEG’s low- and high-voltage electric motors executive Fanie Steyn.

Therefore, improving motor efficiency will produce enormous cost savings and energy gains, which is why numerous countries, including South Africa, have established Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) regulations.

The MEPS requires most users to adopt International Efficiency Class 3 (IE3) standard motors, replacing IE1 and IE2 motors. While the regulations allow motor operators to phase out older motors, IE3 motors are significantly more efficient and reduce maintenance, and businesses should develop replacement plans.

“The average mid-sized factory can run several dozen to a few hundred electric motors. Some are delaying replacements because they worry that it will draw attention and resources away from their main priorities. They would rather wait until a motor breaks and replace it then. But that approach costs more because it leaves savings on the table and rushes preparations such as procurement training,” says Steyn.

However, he notes that aligning with MEPS regulations does not mean replacing every motor, and there are several ways to “build towards a smooth and even lucrative transition”.

Firstly, MEPS can be used as a motivation to conduct motor inventory surveys for maintenance, redeployment and replacement planning. Such a survey would catalogue motors based on their expected lifespans to inform maintenance and replacement timelines.

The MEPS transition can also be simplified within organisations by updating procurement policies and the training of procurement staff to become familiar with newer policies.

Additionally, Steyn notes that IE3 motors – unlike older motor models – can bolster growth and help enable a lower total cost of ownership (TCO), as an IE3 motor can recoup its costs within five years, or even in months for continuously running motors.

It is also important for operations to prioritise high-performance workloads by creating motor inventories that prioritise high-performance motors – those that run continuously. This will allow the operation to avoid reliance on a vast number of motors, which could overwhelm the best transition intentions.

Steyn notes that companies can use energy audits to identify motors with the highest operational cost. “If you replace those first, they maximise short-term savings while getting more mileage from less impactful motors. The combined savings can help fund a steady rollout of replacement motors.”

Lastly, he highlights the importance of replacing motors iteratively and selective deployment.

Regarding iterative replacement, he states that operations ought to strategically retire motors and disperse capital investments, instead of “waiting until the last minute”, which is costly, inefficient and disruptive.

Selective deployment, meanwhile, requires that operations redeploy some IE1 and IE2 motors to applications with less stringent efficiency demands.

Electric motor vendors, such as WEG Africa, and their networks, have the expertise and scope to discuss MEPS-related plans.

“My advice to electric motor operators is, ‘don’t procrastinate’. You either take advantage of the change, or it will force you to act. MEPS does not mean you must replace everything right now. So, use this window to revisit your motor inventory and plan around maintenance and replacement. By taking a phased approach, you will achieve compliance and proactively improve your overall motor management strategy,” he concludes.