CEE's summary of energy-efficiency incentives for motors and drives in the U.S. and Canada is now available. The summary contains concise descriptions and contact information for programs that 47 CEE members offer to commercial and industrial customers looking at premium-efficiency motors or adjustable-speed drives for replacement or new construction projects. Programs in this summary provide incentives or technical support targeted mainly to customers, and sometimes also to vendors. If you sell or service motors, learning about both kinds of programs can help strengthen your business relationships with customers.

The cover of the summary is an interactive U.S. and Canada map. Click on a state to access program information, or use the electronic table of contents. You can also contact the program representatives directly; they are ready to help and look forward to hearing from you!

CEE members are utilities, state offices, and other organizations that promote energy-efficiency products and services in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Motors, drives and motor management are among those products and services. For summaries of other CEE member programs, visit the CEE Web site.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

EASA 2007 Convention
Sunday, June 24 - Tuesday, June 26, Minneapolis
The EASA Convention offers educational sessions and exhibits to help members stay up to date on materials, equipment, and state-of-the-art technology. Many MDM sponsors will be at the event, including motor manufacturers and Xcel Energy. MDM has its own booth #321, where you can pick up some of the campaign's most popular tools and resources and talk to us in person. For convention information, see the EASA Web site

MDM National Spotlight Call: Massachusetts Utilities
Wednesday, July 11, 2007 2:00-3:00pm Eastern Time
Join representatives from National Grid and NSTAR to learn about the Massachusetts MotorUp program, plus programs for drives, custom projects, and a new motor management program. Find out how their programs operate and how to participate. Click here for more details and call-in information.

RECENT EVENTS:

MDM National Webcast: Tools & Resources for Talking With Customers
It's tough for motor sales and service representatives to find time to talk with customers about motor management. That's why MDM sponsors developed simple tools and resources to help quickly and effectively explain motor management to customers. On May 9, MDM hosted a Webcast to demonstrate these tools. Missed it? Don't worry - you can download the presentation and Q&A.

Southwest Regional Motor Management Session
Energy-efficiency programs often look to vendors to help promote their incentives and services to customers. This kind of partnership is good business for everyone, but how does the relationship begin? On May 3, Austin Energy invited representatives from local facility management organizations, motor distribution houses and service centers to an in-person regional event. Motor Decisions Matter co-hosted the event, providing educational presentations on motor efficiency and motor management. Austin Energy proposed a new motor incentive program and all participants had a chance to network with one another. As a result, relationships in Austin's motor market are stronger than ever! If you or your organization would like to host a similar event, please contact us - we will be happy to share successes and recommendations.

See all MDM events through December, 2007.

Facility managers and energy-efficiency programs have historically focused on improving the efficiency of one building component or system at a time, such as lighting, motors or HVAC. Now, there is increasing focus on a whole-building approach to identify savings opportunities and optimize overall building performance. Many CEE members have programs to help commercial building owners implement this strategy.

A recent CEE meeting highlighted one example: National Grid's Whole Building Assessment Program for commercial and municipal facilities. The program helps building owners and operators understand and control energy costs through a comprehensive approach that includes benchmarking, energy audits, and guidance on other incentives and services. Motor management is one of those services. Contact Jason Erwin at 617-589-3949 x212 for more information about this meeting and the link between motor management and the whole-building approach.

If you own or operate a commercial building, or are an equipment vendor interested in partnering with National Grid during audits, call 800-787-1706 and ask for Anita Hagspiel, Program Manager. Many other CEE members offer similar programs. For more information on whole-building support in other regions, check out the 2005 summary of commercial programs, and stay tuned for a new version due out this fall!

If you haven't already, be sure to check out the DOE Tip Sheets. These two-page sheets cover various motor management topics and provide overviews of various energy saving opportunities and guidelines for calculating the potential savings. They are available at the "Motors, Pumps, and Fans Publications" page of the EERE BestPractices Web site:

• Eliminate Voltage Unbalance
  
• Replace V-Belts with Cogged or Synchronous Belt Drives
  
• Avoid Nuisance Tripping with Premium Efficiency Motors 
  
• Estimating Motor Efficiency in the Field
  
• Extend Your Motor's Operating Life 
  
• The Importance of Motor Shaft Alignment
  
• When to Purchase NEMA Premium Efficiency Motors

Plant Engineering, May 2007: "Match the Motor to the Load for Maximum Efficiency "
"A half-loaded motor uses almost as much energy as one that's fully loaded," writes author and editor Jack Smith. This article explores several examples of inefficient and efficient motor loading practices. Smith interviews several motor manufacturers who recommend MDM's guidelines for motor management as an important part of motor maintenance.

Maintenance Solutions, April 2007: "Taking Control of Motors"
This article takes a step-by-step look at understanding motor management and developing a sound motor management plan for commercial facilities. Author Jenny Harvey, from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency, emphasizes the importance of motor tracking and gaining facility-wide support for motor management policies.

Maintenance Technology and Lubrication & Fluid Power, May and June, 2007
Both magazines run a monthly column ("Boosting Your Bottom Line") contributed by MDM project staff. The column provides a systematic discussion of motor management strategies ranging from motor planning to creating a spares inventory. Recent columns focused on developing a motor management plan. Request print copies of the series.