Evaluating the impact of a government-sponsored motor-driven system efficiency program: The US experience

This paper summarizes an independent evaluation of the impact of the United States Department of Energy's Motor Challenge program. The Motor Challenge was initiated in 1993. The program was developed and is managed by the Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) in partnership with U.S, industry. The primary objective of Motor Challenge is to increase the energy efficiency of motor-driven systems used in the manufacturing sector. Motor Challenge pursues this objective by developing, in cooperation with industry associations and other interested groups, tools and information services that promote best practices in motor system design, purchase, and management. The program distributes these materials, decision tools and training through suppliers and others, to end users of motor systems to promote a systems approach in the way these systems are managed, maintained, upgraded and improved. The paper will present an overview of the Program's objectives and offerings, an analysis of motor system energy use and savings opportunities taken from the recently released U.S. Industrial Electric Motor Systems Marker Opportunities Assessment (Market Assessment), and the objectives, methods, and key results of the evaluation. The program evaluation estimated that, as of September 1999, the Motor Challenge program has motivated industry to make changes in motor system purchase and management practices that result in $24.9 million in energy savings per year. These savings are net of those associated with changes in motor-related practices that customers and vendors would likely have made in the absence of the Program. Also discussed, are plans to integrate the Motor Challenge activities within a broader, plant-wide energy efficiency technology delivery initiative called Industries of the Future BestPractices. The paper concludes with key conclusions and lessons-learned as to how any future motor system efficiency government-sponsored program could be designed to be more effective.