Energy Saving - Working in Partnership with the Carbon Trust

Saving Energy With ABB Variable Speed Drives & Motors

Quantum Controls can offer full energy audits for your site, including site survey and full report highlighting any potential saving you could achieve on your plant.

The most common way to control process systems is to use throttles and dampers. This means that the fan or pump motor runs at its rated speed, while the output is modulated. With a variable speed drive, the control process works the other way round - the motor runs at the right speed to deliver the flow rate required by the process. This brings several important benefits.

• Energy consumption can be radically reduced, often by thousands of pounds per year. Motors tend to be sized for the maximum design capacity of the system, while the actual requirement is often only half this volume or less
• The soft starting provided by the variable speed drive reduces the wear and increases the life of the motor as well as that of the pipe work and associated plant
• External controls can be eliminated and plant room space saved, reducing capital costs
• The variable speed drive can be easily interfaced with external systems and components, such as pressure transducers, temperature sensors, building management systems (BMS) and fieldbus. It can even be remotely controlled via the Internet

Enhanced Capital Allowances

The Government has introduced enhanced capital allowances to give a further financial incentive for users to choose energy efficiency. Variable speed drives in pump and fan applications qualify enabling companies to write off the full cost against tax in the year of purchase. All ABB’s drives are on the Government Technology List for Enhanced Capital Allowances.

Action Energy Loan

With a Government sponsored Action Energy loan, small and medium sized enterprises can get an interest free loan for the purchase of variable speed drives, repayable over four years. As the monthly energy savings are likely to be greater than the repayments, you may well end up making a profit on your installation.

Energy-Efficiency Loans from the Carbon Trust are a cost effective way to replace or upgrade your existing equipment with a more energy efficient version.

We will assist in your loan application to the Carbon Trust - Contact us for further details.

Being more energy efficient makes sound economic sense because using less energy lowers operating costs. From an environmental perspective, it's an effective way for business to cut carbon emissions and, in turn, combat climate change.

Small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in England and Scotland, or all businesses in Wales* that have been trading for at least 12 months, could borrow from £5,000 to £200,000. It is unsecured, interest free and repayable over a period of up to 4 years. There are no arrangement fees and applying is straightforward.

However, all businesses based in Northern Ireland* that have been trading for at least 12 months may be eligible to apply for an unsecured interest free loan of up to £400,000.
*Subject to eligibility. Regional variations apply.

 

Power Where it is Needed

While throttling reduces the flow, the motor is still running at full speed and is now working even harder as it has to work against a restriction. By reducing the speed of the motor, the variable speed drive ensures no more energy than necessary is used to achieve the required flow. The graph shows how much energy a variable speed drive saves at different speeds compared to traditional control methods. In addition, you get accurate control and less mechanical wear thereby reducing maintenance. Payback is often less than six months on energy alone. Variable speed drives capable of all these savings can cost from £70 to buy.

If you would like one of our local representatives to carry out an energy audit appraisal for you please click here to contact us.

Click here for 100 tips and case examples on how Variable Speed Drives can save on energy costs.