Motor drives, which act exactly like an accelerator pedal that speeds up or slows down a vehicle in exact proportion to driving conditions, are the unsung heroes of the energy world. Because they regulate motors so precisely, and because motors are the major consumers of energy produced for industry, the installed base of drives save energy and keep CO2 emissions out of our Earth's atmosphere in dramatic proportions.
ABB just tallied what the company's drives saved the globe in 2014, for example. In energy consumption, the installed base saved 445 TWh (terawatt-hours), which is equivalent to what 110 million households use in energy, when each home consumes, on average, 4,000 kWh annually - an average for 2005, the year for which the latest statistics are available.
The truth is that most motors around the globe still are awaiting control via a drive, and most are controlled with mechanical braking/speed devices, rather than electronic control.
