Publication

Policy Brief – Digitalisation in electric motor driven systems: key findings from four reports

The four recent EMSA publications on digitalisation of motor systems are:

Some key messages:

  • Digitalisation is an enabler to create transparency in terms of when and how energy is being used. This is a crucial first step when it comes to the optimisation of electric motor systems’ operation.
  • Policy makers can help to support the wider implementation of digitalisation in motor systems in the industrial sector in many ways (see Part I report).
  • Start with analysing the relevant systems (see Part II report).
  • Significant savings can be achieved. In the studied cases, savings range from 9% to 30% of energy consumption and to over 50% of electrical base load reduction (see Part III report).
  • The energy savings achieved through the digitalisation of motor systems far outweigh the additional energy consumption resulting from the digitalisation process. In the cases studied, the energy expenditure to facilitate digitalisation never exceeded 1% of the total energy consumption attributable to the motor system, but was rather negligible (see Part IV report).
The Austrian manufacturer INNIO Jenbacher reviewed weekend energy usage, using digital solutions, and set new thresholds for electricity and compressed air demand. The interventions reduced electricity demand by 30%.