How Does the IE5 Standard Compare to NEMA Premium Efficiency Motors?

How Does the IE5 Standard Compare to NEMA Premium Efficiency Motors?

Who is NEMA?

National Electrical Manufacturers Association

Difference Between NEMA and IE Efficient Motors:

  1. See chart below.
  2. IE5 is the next generation, slated to be 20% more efficient than IE4
  3. NEMA Premium is equivalent to the IE3 Standard.


Article to Understand Better

Below is an excerpt from an article written by NY Engineers:

Energy losses are reduced by 20% or more between classes, which means an IE5 motor will have a 20% loss reduction with respect to an equivalent IE4 motor.

Electric motors have many applications in residential, commercial and industrial settings. Due to their widespread use, motors represent over 45% of global electricity consumption. Industry associations like NEMA and IEC are aware of this, and they are constantly working on standards to improve motor efficiency.

  • Higher efficiency motors can save thousands of dollars annually for building owners.
  • Power companies can also reduce their operating costs, since the transmission and distribution burden on the grid is decreased.
  • There is also an environmental benefit, since a large portion of the electricity supply still comes from fossil fuels.

As of August 2019, NEMA has three motor efficiency classes: Standard Efficiency, Energy Efficient and Premium Efficiency. On the other hand, IEC has four classes: IE1, IE2, IE3 and IE4. The first three classes under IEC standards are roughly equivalent to the three NEMA classes, while the IE4 class is called Super Premium Efficiency. These efficiency classes are specified in the IEC 60034-30-1 standard, and the latest version was published in 2014.

The next version of the IEC standard will introduce the IE5 class, known as Ultra Premium Efficiency. Energy losses are reduced by 20% or more between classes, which means an IE5 motor will have a 20% loss reduction with respect to an equivalent IE4 motor. The Ultra Premium Efficiency class has not been specified in the standard yet, but some manufacturers have already developed motors that will be compliant.

Deeper Dive

Read the attached article for a deeper dive.

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