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Variable Speed Drives

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Work Products

UES Measures Standard protocols list Demand Response Technologies Supporting Documents Propose a measure or standard protocol Proposed measures and status Whole Building Efforts

Subcommittees

  • Agricultural Irrigation
  • Air Source Heat Pumps
  • Commercial HVAC
  • Compressed Air
  • Connected Thermostats
  • Demand Response
  • Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Duct Sealing
  • Guidelines
  • Heat Pump Water Heaters
  • Implementers Group
  • Market Analysis
  • Natural Gas Subcommittee
  • New Homes Standard Protocol
  • Non-Residential Lighting
  • Operations
  • Pump Systems
  • Research and Evaluation
  • Residential Behavior
  • Residential Lighting
  • RTF Policy Advisory Committee
  • Small and Rural Utilities
  • Statistical Methods
  • Whole Building Subcommittee
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UES Measure

  • Variable Speed Drives

Variable Speed Drives

At a Glance

Status 
active
Fuel type 
electric
Sector 
commercial, industrial
Applications 
Fans
Sunset date 
Jul 31, 2023

Variable speed drives enable motors to run at variable speeds.  Applied to fans and pumps, variable speed motors can be used to control flow rates without the use of mechanical means such as valves, dampers, and guide vanes.  Energy savings are achieved by limiting flow to needed levels, and achieving flow rates more efficiently than a pump or fan operating at full speed with mechanical flow control.

This measure applies to small pumps and fans (up to 20 HP motors) where variable speed control is not required by code for the project.  There are measure applications for both retrofit and new project.  A retrofit is defined as a project in which the existing fan or pump is not replaced.  A drive can be installed on an existing more or the motor can be replaced as part of the project, and the drive may be integrated with the motor.  A new project is defined as a project where the fan or pump itself is new.

Savings for fans are based on usage estimates developed in the DOE rulemaking process for commercial and industrial fans and engineering estimates of power draw at various flow rates for different control methods.  Savings for pumps are based on NEEA research: metered pump data and simulation of counterfactual systems (e.g., pump without drive where the existing pump has a drive).

This measure is categorized as “Planning” to reflect significant uncertainties in the savings estimates and the need for research on current practice VSD saturation and the pre/post hour of use and load profiles for the range of measure applications.

Workbook

Latest Version

Variable Speed Drive v2.0

File Variable Speed Drive v2.0
Updated with 2021 Plan cost effectiveness methodology
Date 
Apr 18, 2022
Version number 
2.0

Past Versions

version date document
1.3
Sep 27, 2021
File Variable Speed Drives v1.3
Reran through ProCost 3.1.05 to correct for minor error
1.2
Sep 02, 2020
File Variable Speed Drive v1.2
QC complete.
1.1
Jul 24, 2020
File Variable Speed Drives v1.1
Adopted at the July 2020 RTF Meeting. Undergoing QC.
Supporting Documents
File Variable Speed Drives Research Strategy (July 2020)
Jul 21, 2020
Approved at the July 2020 RTF meeting. Meant to improve the accuracy of savings estimates for the planning UES Measures for Variable Speed Drives.

Decisions

Expand All Decisions

Latest decision

Decision details

Decided 
July 20, 2021
RTF Meeting: July 20, 2021

Update Status & Extend Sunset Date

Decision Details

Update the Variable Speed Drive UES to Change the Status to Active and Set the sunset date to July 2023

Decided 
July 21, 2020
RTF Meeting: July 21, 2020

Approved New Measure

Decision Details

Approved the Variable Speed Drive UES measure analysis and Research Strategy as presented. Set the Category to Planning, the status to Under Review, and the Sunset Date to July 31, 2021.

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