IEA 4E Annex: Electric Motor Systems Task 3: New Industrial Developments and Digitalisation (Working period 2021 - 2024)

Motor systems are responsible for 69 % of electricity consumption in industry in Austria. They include pump, fan, refrigeration and compressed air systems, among others. At the same time, an average of 20 % of electricity consumption can be saved through appropriate optimisation measures.

Since 2017, the Austrian Energy Agency has been leading the New Industrial Developments and Digitalisation in Motor Systems task of the Electric Motor Systems Annex. Participants are the Netherlands, Sweden and, since 2021, Switzerland. The long-term goal is to identify necessary policy measures to stimulate the development and implementation of digital technologies towards more efficient motor systems and to highlight possible negative developments, e.g. higher CO₂ emissions. For the next sub-phase (2021-2024), the preparation of technical and political recommendations for the use of digital technologies for increased energy efficiency in electric motor systems is planned. Furthermore, results from the other tasks International Standards, Motor Tests and the Motor Systems Tool will be disseminated in Austria.

In this project, building on the preliminary work (especially the report on Industry 4.0 and motor systems and the report on categorisation of digitalisation technologies), a report will be created that makes it easier for users to grasp the various possibilities for using digitalisation to increase efficiency in electric motor systems. To this end, use cases of Industry 4.0 technologies in the area of energy-efficient motor systems will be described and technical possibilities of digitalisation for increasing energy efficiency will be surveyed and structured in general.

Furthermore, a detailed survey of barriers to the use of digitalisation among users and providers will be conducted through interviews and possible existing programmes in the areas relevant to the barriers (standardisation, training, etc.) will be analysed. Nationally, "best practice" programmes in this area will be described, complemented with international programmes and policy recommendations identified.

The results are disseminated by means of reports, at conferences and national and international expert workshops and via newsletters. Industry involvement takes place through the workshops and direct contacts in the form of interviews.

Australia, Austria, Denmark, Europen Commission, Netherlands (Operating Agent), New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, USA

Austrian Energy Agency
Mag. DI Konstantin Kulterer, Mag. Petra Lackner
Mariahilfer Straße 136
A-1150 Wien
E-Mail: konstantin.kulterer@energyagency.at; petra.lackner@energyagency.at