Wed, 10/23/2013 - 00:00

NORTHBROOK, Ill. (Oct. 23, 2013) – Underwriters Laboratories (UL) was exclusively accredited by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as its national recognized safety testing laboratory to test small electronic motors to the U.S. DOE's mandatory energy efficiency requirements. If you are a manufacturer of small electric motors or a manufacturer of an end product or appliance that contains a small electric motor, March 9, 2015 might be the last day you are able to sell your product in the U.S. According to 10 CFR Part 43, subpart X, "431.446, Small electric motors energy conservation standards and their effective dates," each small electric motor, rated between 1/4 and three horsepower output, manufactured alone or as a component of another piece of non-covered equipment, after March 9, 2015, or in the case of a small electric motor which requires listing or certification by a nationally recognized safety testing laboratory, after March 9, 2017, be tested in accordance with the US DOE requirements and be found to have an average full-load energy efficiency greater than the minimum values prescribed in the regulations. "UL has worked with the US DOE since the inception of the motor energy efficiency program and can provide guidance and resources necessary to evaluate and test products for compliance with the US DOE requirements in a timely manner," said Frank Ladonne, UL Principal Engineer. "UL is here to help ensure company access to the US market is uninterrupted and to mitigate risk of civil penalties and/or regulatory action for noncompliance," added Ladonne. For more information on energy efficiency in motors, click here. Penalties for non-compliance include immediate cessation of distribution in commerce and potential substantial civil penalties (fines) levied against the offending manufacturer. In 2010, the US DOE fined 27 companies over $3.5 million for selling products without certifying they met energy efficiency standards. See story here. Fined companies included manufacturers, importers and resellers of motors and appliances. UL is a global independent safety science company.