MRO buyers target energy
By Susan Avery -- Purchasing, 11/17/2005
Editor’s Note: In the November 17 issue, we report on “green” buying efforts in the electronics, logistics and office-products markets. We continue our coverage of environmentally friendly buying here with web exclusive details on MRO, chemicals, and legislation. You’ll find even more information on MRO and chemicals in the December 8 issue of PURCHASING Magazine.
In the past few months, electricity rates have soared, according to Purchasing’s Energy Flash Report. Electricity rates to industrial customers rose 0.28 cents from 5.27 cents per kilowatt hour in October 2004 to 5.55 cents in October 2005, and it doesn’t look like prices are coming down soon.
At the same time, MRO buyers are learning more about a new energy law and its impact on the electric motors they purchase. MRO stands for maintenance, repair and operations. President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 in August. Of particular interest to MRO buyers, the law mandates the Federal government purchase NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) premium-efficiency electric motors. The new NEMA standard raises the bar on energy efficiency and covers many more motor types and sizes (up to 500 HP) than energy efficient electric motors regulated by the 1992 Energy Policy Act. Some manufacturers are already producing motors that meet the new standards; others are not. The law also allows for rebates of a percentage of the purchase price of the new energy- efficient motors from the utility to the customer. The U. S. Department of Energy estimates that the NEMA Premium efficiency motor program could save more than 5,800 gigawatt hours of electricity and prevent the release of nearly 80 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere over the next 10 years. This is the equivalent of keeping 16 million cars off the road . Distributors can help MRO buyers figure all this out by conducting an energy audit of the electric motors running in their plant facilities and using the data to develop a plan to replace those that are not energy efficient. They also provide buyers with training and other educational tools on products that meet the new NEMA standard.To read more about the energy audits and one distributor and one motor manufacturer are working together to provide audits, see ‘MRO buyers target energy’ in the December 8 issue of PURCHASING Magazine.
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