Modern Mining February 2025

ENERGY SOLUTIONS

SEW-EURODRIVE offers complimentary on-site energy assessments providing a valuable starting point for decision making in energy efficiency.

SEW-EURODRIVE well ahead of curve as SA adopts new motor efficiency standards Minimum Energy Performance standards (MEPS) have been adopted by South Africa, but SEW-EURODRIVE has long since standardised on premium efficiency motors – and the mining sector has been moving actively in this direction. E arlier this year, South Africa adopted MEPS that require all newly imported electric motors to meet the IE3 premium efficiency level. The policy applies to electric motors with advanced technology.” He notes that the local shift towards higher efficiency motors has been encouraged by rapidly rising electricity prices, providing a strong financial incentive for energy intensive industries like mining to make this transition.

power ratings between 0,75 kW to 375 kW. These regulations follow a global trend of governments striving to meet climate change commitments by improving energy efficiency. The trend has, in fact, been embraced by leading global

“Most mining operations, with their need to drive a range of equipment from materials handling to processing, have already

recognised the value of more energy efficient motors,” he says. “Electricity prices have been a major driver of production cost increases, so we have assisted many customers to move in this direction.” While it is difficult to generalise about potential cost savings on different mining sites by replacing IE1 motors with IE3 motors, ongoing

companies for many years now, according to Willem Strydom, Business Development Electronics Manager at SEW EURODRIVE South Africa. “At SEW-EURODRIVE,

Willem Strydom, Business Development Electronics Manager at SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa.

At SEW-EURODRIVE, we standardised on IE3 motors eight years ago and have not brought any less efficient motors into South Africa since then.

we standardised on IE3 motors eight years ago and have not brought any less efficient motors into South Africa since

then,” says Strydom. “As part of our corporate sustainability commitment, and our service to the

monitoring conducted by SEW EURODRIVE suggests that IE3 units consume 7% to 8% less electricity. With the use of Variable

market, we even absorbed the cost differential so that our customers would not pay more for the

20  MODERN MINING  www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | February 2025