Operational Characteristics of Industrial Motors Evaluated in Custom Incentive Programs

The California Investor-Owned Utilities (CA IOUs) analyzed validated datasets of performance data for electric pumps, motors, and compressors collected as part of Measurement and Verification (M&V) of custom incentive programs for these types of equipment commissioned by the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC). These data included information on load profiles, hours of operation, and other characteristics of equipment like motors, fans, pumps, and air compressors and other motor-driven equipment using variable frequency drives. In the interest of ensuring these datasets were utilized to the most useful degree possible and given the scarcity and utility of this type of performance data for understanding the state of the technology in the market, this report was developed to summarize the key learnings from the datasets. 

The analyzed dataset represents over 580 individual pieces of equipment across air compressors, motors, and variable frequency drive pumps, including measured loads and load profiles, hours of operation, variable frequency drive (VFD) speeds, and more. The data can be useful to inform advocacy efforts undertaken by state and national rulemaking bodies.

Key findings from the research include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. The analyzed datasets contain useful information on the operation and efficiency of air compressors, agricultural pumps, electric motors, and other miscellaneous products that the statewide advocacy team incorporated into comments to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) appliance standards proceedings.
2. Mined data for air compressors:
   1. Allowed for the development of load factor aggregate profiles based on metered input power, which showed differentiation between in-scope and out-of-scope products in the proposed federal rule.
   2. Highlighted unique characteristics of medium voltage air compressors that supported differential treatment under the proposed rule.
   3. Demonstrated product performance differentiation between installed equipment at high, out-of-scope horsepower ranges, supporting recommendations to incorporate a wider range of horsepower in the proposed rule.
3. Mined data for agricultural pumps:
   1. Showed efficiency gains in pumps that operated with VFDs compared with on-off operation. However, the data was not able to be limited to pumps used in agricultural pumping or other specific applications.
   2. Used to develop a load profile for these pump subgroups that supported increasing use of speed control.
   3. Showed mean load hours to support cost and savings analysis.
4. Mined data for multiple types of equipment:
   1. Used to develop load profiles to determine applications for best fit of controls and drives.
   2. Clarified when products operate and for how long (hour bins versus total application hours).
5. Mined data for electric motors showed that most systems operate at range of operating points, supporting efforts to increase use of controls and drives to achieve energy savings.