2007 Motor Standards

New Motor Efficiency Standards Legislation

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 enacted national motor efficiency standards that have been internationally recognized as a major energy policy success.  These mandatory standards lead to the development of the NEMA Premium® voluntary label that has resulted in further increases in motor efficiency.  Many motor programs and the Federal Energy Management Program have based their efforts on the Premium label.

In March of 2007, ACEEE and NEMA announced a negotiated agreement to raise the 1992 standards and extend standards coverage to many motors not previously covered. The organizations asked Congress to enact these standards as part of federal energy legislation.  The agreement also called upon Congress to enact tax credits to aid in the transition to premium motors. 

This announcement has generated many questions, both about the details of the proposals and the impact on motor efficiency programs.  ACEEE has prepared a white paper that we hope will address many of the questions.

Status of Motor Legislation

Motor Standards

Motor standards are the purview of Senate Energy and Natural Resources and House Energy and Commerce Committees.  ACEEE and NEMA worked with staff for both committees to incorporate the standards proposals into energy legislation now pass by both houses of the 110th Congress.
The motor standards provision was passed by the full Senate in June as Sec. 229 of the Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007 (H.R. 6 ). (you can access legislative language through http://thomas.loc.gov by searching by bill number).
Slightly different language was passed in August by the House as Sec. 9002 of its energy bill, H.R. 3221.
The two houses must now reconcile the differences between the two bills in conference.  It is anticipated that the conferees will use the House language since it addresses some technical problems with the Senate language.  The Conference schedule has not been announced, but a conference report is anticipated by late September or early October.

Premium Motor Tax Credits

The tax proposal is the purview of House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees.  The Senate did not pass energy tax legislation as part of the Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007 (H.R. 6).  The house did include energy tax provisions in their energy bill, H.R. 3221. However the legislation do not included the motor tax language.
ACEEE and NEMA are actively seeking other legislative vehicles to include the motor tax provision.  Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) has committed to introduce the provision as part of some future legislation, along with co-sponsors Sen. Gordon Smith (D-OR) and Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR). No Ways and Means Committee member has yet to commit to support the provision.
For more updates on current Federal energy legislation visit our current developments page: http://aceee.org/energy/national/nrgleg.htm.

Please visit  this page regularly for updates on motor legislation.

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