New report available - Energy Efficient Motor Driven Systems - follow link at bottom of this page

Why do companies sign up for Motor Challenge?
What modules do companies sign up for?
Who signs up for the Motor Challenge Programme?

The Motor Challenge Programme is a European Commission initiative to aid industrial companies in improving the energy efficiency of their electric motor driven systems. The Challenge focuses on compressed air, fan and pump systems, for which it has been demonstrated that there exists a large technical and economic potential for energy savings.

Any enterprise planning to contribute to the Motor Challenge Programme objectives can participate.

• Companies that use Motor Driven Systems can request "Partner" status.
• Companies that supply Motor Driven Systems may become "Endorsers".

Partners will be helped to reduce operating expenses through profitable, cost-effective measures. Furthermore, they will receive public recognition for their contribution to achieving the objectives of the European Union's energy policy:

• minimising environmental impact, and in particular reducing CO₂ emissions
• improving the competitiveness of European industry
• reducing dependence on imported energy sources.

Motor Challenge Partners will receive advice and technical assistance from the Commission and from participating National Energy Agencies in formulating and carrying out their Action Plan. This should enable companies to:

• maintain or improve both the reliability and the quality of service of the systems concerned
• realise the major portion of technically and economically feasible energy savings.

Suppliers of equipment and services related to motor driven systems may participate in promoting the Motor Challenge, for instance by assisting Partners in defining and carrying out their Action Plan. Such companies are encouraged to register as Motor Challenge Endorsers. Endorsers get public acknowledgement for their efforts to support the Motor Challenge Programme.

The Motor Challenge Programme is totally voluntary: companies are free to decide whether they want to join or not, and they may withdraw from the programme at any time without any prejudice.

Motor Challenge benefits from the active support of the National Energy Agencies of 15 European countries. Please contact them or Paolo Bertoldi paolo.bertoldi@cec.eu.int at the European Commission for more information or look at the web page:

• Improved internal communication within the company:  Saving energy requires a team effort.  There are many demands on people within organisations.  When the company has signed up to an agreement with the European Commission, the programme receives more management attention.

• Technical support:  Factory managers cannot be experts on everything and are supported through endorsers and national contact points for identifying and implementing the energy savings.

• Networking:  The programme provides a great networking opportunity for discussions with other partners, endorsers and regulators during MCP events.

• Improved operations: Often, motors are forgotten assets, running until they fail (usually at an inconvenient time).   Partners mention that MCP has allowed them to adopt a more proactive management policy for their motor systems, with a positive impact on operations.

However, the motor module provides an easy step to lowering the hurdle for participating in MCP.

Figure 2: Which modules are of interest?

Who signs up for MCP?

The manager for MCP can be either:

• The Energy Manager
• The Environmental Manager
• The Operations & Maintenance Manager

Figure 3: Function of MCP manager with current partners

CDA and MCP

Copper Development Association (CDA) is a non-trading organisation sponsored by the copper producers and fabricators to encourage the use of the copper and copper alloys and to promote their correct and efficient application. Its services, which include the provision of technical advice and information, are available to those interested in the utilisation of copper in all its aspects. CDA is part of an international network of copper promotion organisations around the world which exchange information and expertise and is one of a network of eleven centres operating in Europe under the umbrella of the European Copper Institute (ECI).   URL: www.cda.org.uk

CDA is active in the following programmes:

• Building and construction

• Electrical applications

• Industrial and marine applications

• Education

CDA’s role as UK national contact point for Motor Challenge complements the activities undertaken within the Electrical Programme which promotes Energy Efficiency and Power Quality in commercial installations. CDA provides technical literature, software, free technical advice and free seminars to the electrical engineering community.

CDA is an IEE Endorsed Provider of Learning Resources and Training Seminars.

European Copper Institute and MCP

The European Copper Institute (ECI) is a joint venture between the world's mining companies and the leading European fabricators. Its mission is to promote copper’s benefits to modern society across Europe through its Brussels office and a network of 11 Copper Development Associations
URL: www.eurocopper.org.

ECI is active through following programmes:

• Building construction and automotive

• Electrical and electronic applications

• Environment

• Health

ECI’s participation in the Motor Challenge Programme fits within the copper industry’s Sustainable Electrical Energy initiative, the main aim of which is to accelerate the introduction of energy efficient products and installations.

For further information on the European Motor Challenge Programme visit:

http://energyefficiency.jrc.cec.eu.int/motorchallenge/index.htm

A new report has been published  'Energy Efficient Motor Driven Systems' showing that industry in the
enlarged European Union could save more than 200 billion kWh and reduce CO₂ emissions
by 100 million tonne a year through the adoption of energy efficient motor driven systems.
For your free copy email helpline@copperdev.co.uk or download your copy here.