We're all going to die. No we're not. The United Nations environmental conference in Kyoto, Japan, this month probably will not produce the dramatic reductions in carbon dioxide envisioned at the Rio Summit earlier in the decade. The issue also is focusing attention on what engineers can do to reduce air pollution.
Energy use is viewed by many as the most significant contributor to carbon dioxide emissions.
Therefore, the adoption of energy-efficient motors has become an important factor in reducing emissions. Engineers are being encouraged not only to come up with more energy-efficient designs, but to specify existing designs that consume less power to get the job done. Increasingly, such encouragement has the force of law behind it. Most applications will be affected, however, and in all likelihood there is an energy-efficient motor in your future. Fortunately, most major motor manufacturers produce both standard motors and high-efficiency motors.