by Brianna Crandall — March 16, 2016—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced this week up to $25 million in available funding aimed at advancing technologies for energy-efficient electric motors, particularly those used in manufacturing, through applied research and development (R&D). This effort will fund innovative technologies expected to significantly increase the efficiency of electric motors, which use approximately 70% of the electricity consumed by U.S. manufacturers and nearly a quarter of all electricity consumed nationally.
These projects will leverage recent technical advancements made in nanomaterials research, a new 6.5% siliconizing process in steel manufacturing, and improved performance of high-temperature superconductors. The projects also encourage R&D and deployment of advanced magnets, high-frequency insulation materials, and lead-free, low-loss bearing technologies that are critical for high-speed electric motors.
The Energy Department plans to select eight to twelve projects through the Next Generation Electric Machines: Enabling Technologies funding opportunity. Specifically, this funding targets the development of key technologies that will enable further efficiency enhancements and weight reductions in a cost-effective way, while addressing the limitations of traditional conductive metals and silicon-infused “electrical” steels used in motor components.
Four key technology areas have been identified:
- Manufacturing of high-performance thermal and electrical conductors;
- Manufacturing of low-loss silicon steel;
- High-temperature superconducting wire manufacturing; and
- Manufacturing of other enabling technologies to increase performance.
These enabling technologies could help manufacturers cumulatively save nearly 44 terawatt-hours per year, roughly 1.6% of total U.S. electricity consumption, and pave the path for further savings in variable-speed motors, says DOE. In addition, these enabling technologies are expected to improve motors used in the growing clean energy sector, helping wind, solar, electric vehicle, and battery manufacturers.
This effort is part of DOE’s broader Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative. The full funding opportunity announcement is available online, as is more information about DOE’s efforts to advance technologies in the development of electric machines.
