1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Motor Systems Market Awareness Act of 2014”.
Motor Systems Market Awareness Act of 2014
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Energy to conduct a motor and motor-driven systems market assessment and public awareness program, and for other purposes.
2. Findings
Congress finds that—
motors and motor-driven systems account for a significant quantity of the electricity used in the United States;
motor electrical energy use is determined by the efficiency of the motor and the design of the motor-driven system in which the motor and the drive operate;
Federal Government research on commercial and industrial motors and motor-driven system use and efficiency is outdated;
the Bureau of the Census has discontinued collection of data on motor and generator importation, manufacture, shipment, and sales;
the last Department of Energy motor market assessment was conducted in 2002;
motor and motor-driven systems have changed dramatically during the 12-year period ending on the date of enactment of this Act; and
a new motor and motor-driven system market assessment will help United States manufacturers better understand the commercial marketplace and become more globally competitive.
3. Definitions
In this Act:
Department— The term Department means the Department of Energy.
Interested parties— The term interested parties includes—
trade associations;
motor manufacturers;
manufacturers of variable speed drives, including variable frequency drives;
motor end users, including original equipment manufacturers that use motors to drive machinery;
permanent magnetic material manufacturers;
electric utilities; and
individuals and entities that conduct energy efficiency programs.
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy.
4. Motor market assessment
In general— The Secretary, in consultation with interested parties, shall conduct a market assessment of motors and motor-driven systems used in the United States.
Assessment— In conducting the assessment under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—
develop a detailed profile of the stock of motors and motor-driven systems in commercial and industrial facilities of the United States (as of the date of enactment of this Act);
develop a profile of commercial and industrial motor and motor-driven system purchase and maintenance practices;
analyze the opportunities (by market segment) for improved energy efficiency and cost savings available through—
the use of energy efficient motors, variable speed drives, servo drives, and other control technologies;
optimization of motor-driven systems; and
substitution of existing motor designs with new and future advanced motor and motor-driven system designs, including—
electronically commutated permanent magnet motors;
interior permanent magnet motors;
switched reluctance motors;
synchronous reluctance motors; and
variable speed drives; and
evaluate the state of the global supply chain that supports motor and drive technologies (as of the date of enactment of this Act), including—
the accessibility and sustainability of key materials;
the progress of research and development directed at decreasing the quantity of heavy rare earth materials required in high energy density permanent magnets; and
factors that may lead to an increase in domestic manufacturing of motor and drive technologies.
Report— Not later than 540 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish and make available on the website of the Department a report on the assessment conducted under this section.
Recommendations— The Secretary shall use the assessment and report required under this section—
to develop recommendations to update the detailed motor and motor-driven system profile on a periodic basis using readily available market information; and
to identify technology and research needs that could be met through joint industry and government partnership.
5. Public awareness program
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with interested parties, shall establish a program targeted at motor end-users to increase the awareness of the end-users of—
the energy efficiency and cost saving opportunities available to commercial and industrial facilities from using higher efficiency motors and motor-driven system technologies;
motor and motor-driven system procurement and management procedures; and
criteria for making decisions for new, replacement, or repair of motor and motor-driven system components.