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EvERY LITTLE AC HELPS / FOCUS FINLAND " Savings in electricity costs can actually pay for the machinery. " EvEry littlE AC helps Text: Eddie Hawkins Photo: iStockPhoto We already know how to save one-tenth of our electricity energy consumption. ne-third of global electricity is used by electric motors," points out Vacon CEO Vesa Laisi. "Through the energy efficiency provided by AC drives and energy efficient electric motors, it is possible to save 30 per cent of that energy. That means that this technology, these devices, can cut a full 10 per cent of global electricity energy needs." Vacon is a Finnish-based designer and manufacturer of AC drives; one of the biggest in the world. AC is a technology recognised as a practical, energy-efficient alternative. AC drives are used to control the speed of an electrical motor. An AC drive often uses less energy than an alternative fixed speed mode of operation by flexibly adapting to needs. "O Good business The growth in the AC drive market is based on rising energy prices, increasing automation, and falling electronics prices. There is room for growth in the market, though. Only about one out of ten electric motors in the world is controlled by AC drives. Fans and pumps are the most common energy saving applications: energy savings are typically 20-50 per cent. For example, when a fan is driven by a fixed speed motor, the airflow may sometimes be higher than it needs to be. The most efficient means to regulate the airflow is by regulating the speed of the fan motor. And, variable speeds mean greater energy savings, as well as better air quality. Greater awareness of the global environment creates the need for AC drives. Just as much as cost-savings devices, they represent energy savings as a type of commodity as well. Still, the bulk of electricity is generated by fossil fuels. Along the chain from generation to final use, more than half of the energy content of the fuel is actually lost. A proven and easily deployed technology that cuts down on this waste makes sense for the environment and is good business. "In most cases we are basically selling a piece of machinery. In some cases, the customer is buying energy efficiency. Savings in electricity costs can actually pay for the machinery," says Laisi. Z 35
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