Why should energy efficiency be a priority?
Energy efficiency is not just a fad or an ESG report element these days. It is a specific business decision that:
- reduces the load on the power grid and the risk of downtime,
- reduces fixed costs (by up to 20-30% per year),
- increases the operational stability of the plant,
- enables compliance with environmental and certification requirements (ISO 50001, CSRD, OEM customer requirements).
“Implementing modern drive systems – especially using IE4 or IE5 efficiency class motors – transforms the installation into an energy-optimized, predictable and scalable system. This is an investment that brings not only savings, but also measurable operational benefits.” — Maciej Magierowski, Project Manager for Energy Efficiency.
Drive modernization – real savings and technical data
As part of the audits conducted by STERNET, we observe that:
- many engines operate outside the optimal range (outside the nominal point), which significantly reduces their efficiency,
- installations are not equipped with frequency converters that allow for speed regulation and adaptation of energy consumption to the current load,
- lack of knowledge about the actual energy consumption profile of drives – modernization decisions are made intuitively, without the support of measurement data.
Case Study: Drive Modernization and Real Savings
Replacing an IE2 class engine with an IE5 engine (7.5kW, 16 hours of operation per day, rate PLN 0.80/kWh) brings:
- annual savings of 1000–1500 PLN per engine,
- return on investment in less than 24 months,
- additional benefits in the form of extended service life, lower noise levels and reduced risk of failure.
What does an energy efficiency project look like?
Dobrze zaplanowane przedsięwzięcie składa się z następujących etA well-planned project consists of the following stages:
- Technical audit – inventory of drives, measurements, analysis of engine selection.
- Savings report – indication of possible modernizations, consumption forecast and ROI.
- Selection of replacements and drive configurations – optimization of technical parameters (IE class, torque, speed, type of work).
- Installation and start-up – implementation of new devices with minimum downtime.
- Monitoring, documentation and operational support – reporting of results and possibility of further development of the system.
Are there sources of financing available?
One of the key advantages of investing in energy efficiency is the possibility of obtaining cheap investment financing, e.g.:
- preferential loans with interest rates lower than inflation,
- funding from EU funds or national programs (e.g. FEnIKS, KPO)
- possibility of obtaining White Certificates.
Thanks to this, companies do not have to engage their own capital and can repay the project from the savings obtained.
Energy efficiency is an element of competitive advantage
In a world where customers demand a reduced carbon footprint and downtime costs thousands of zlotys per hour, energy efficiency measures are no longer an “option” – they are a necessity.
Companies that invest in modernization today gain a technological, operational and image advantage. Investments in high-efficiency drives are not only savings – they are the foundation of modern and responsible production..
Products you might be interested in
Innomotics motors
WAT Motors
SINAMICS
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