The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will give $20 million to companies who will develop more energy efficient motors and drives, according to Energy Efficient Markets. This offer is just one of many in the increasingly popular movement to reduce the $200 billion energy bill of the industrial sector.
The DOE is interested in companies that will infuse high-power density and integrated power electronics in their manufacturing process. Industrial electronic motors are used in:
- Compressors
- Fans
- Grinding mills
- Metal rolling
- Mine hoists
- Pumps
- Refineries.
As of now, the industrial sector uses 25 percent of U.S. electricity. This is expected to rise 30 percent by 2040. Manufacturing only counts for 12 percent of the U.S. GDP.
The DOE believes that the sector can reduce the high amount of energy costs by:
- Replacing less efficient systems with fixed motor speeds and gearboxes
- Incorporating power electronic advancements into production.
The initiative is known as the Next Generation Electric Machines: Megawatt Class Motors funding program and is open to those that include the following changes:
- Front end power processing units
- High speed motors with the ability to be directly added to appropriate industrial loads
- Medium voltage class for wide bandgap semi-conductor-based variable speed drives.
To learn more about the fund or to submit proposal information visit this site. For more information, contact: EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov or AMONGEM@go.doe.gov.
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