Advanced Energy Selected for Accredited Motor Repair Pilot Program

RALEIGH, N.C. (July 15, 2014) – Advanced Energy has been selected by AEP Ohio, a unit of American Electric Power, to assist in the development of an accredited motor repair pilot program. Advanced Energy will be responsible for identifying and certifying four motor service centers across AEP Ohio’s service territory, demonstrating that the motor service centers are capable of repairing motors without losing efficiency. AEP Ohio used utility program modeling to determine program costs and benefits, then designed a pilot program to serve their industrial customers seeking motor repair as an energy efficiency measure. The motors must be repaired in an accredited motor service center and in accordance with Advanced Energy’s Proven Efficiency Verification (PEV) program in order to receive incentives. The planned incentives for this pilot include $2 per horsepower incentive for AEP Ohio customers and $1 per horsepower incentive for the accredited service center providing the repair. Advanced Energy will be responsible for identifying motor service centers that are capable of repairing motors to AEP Ohio’s pilot program specifications. The specification covers form and wound rotor motors 300 horsepower and above. This is the starting point for the pilot, and in the future smaller motor sizes will be considered. Once centers are identified, contact will be made by both AEP Ohio and Advanced Energy to confirm interest. Four service centers will be established across the service territory, and an initial audit will be scheduled to begin the PEV process. A second site visit, which includes testing of a repaired motor, will follow to complete the certification. Advanced Energy has offered PEV certification for 15 years to motor service centers that provide customers high-quality repairs that maintain efficiency and reliability. Richard Sullivan, PE, CEM, CEP and principal coordinator for AEP Ohio’s EE/PDR department, said, “We are pleased to be in partnership with Advanced Energy to pilot a program to improve the efficiency of rewound motors. Our programs already pay incentives for variable frequency drives and new motors that exceed NEMA premium efficiency. This pilot will help reduce energy consumption on older motors which may be rewound several times before being replaced.” “We are excited to have this opportunity to work with AEP Ohio on this important pilot program. We have long been champions of quality in electric motor repair, and to have a utility like AEP Ohio acknowledge that importance is a real step forward,” said Kitt Butler, senior program manager of motors and drives at Advanced Energy. “Many motor service centers across the U.S. provide quality services that restore motors to their original efficiency, but few have third-party accreditation in place to ensure that. AEP Ohio’s program will do that and count the energy savings gained with each qualifying repair.” Advanced Energy is a planning, technical and engineering services firm that provides market-based energy solutions.