Electrical equipment supplier Zest WEG Group, a subsidiary of Brazilian motor and controls manufacturer WEG, announced at the Electra Mining Africa trade show, in Johannesburg, last month, that it would introduce premium-efficiency standard, or IE3, electric motors as a standard offering across its entire product range from January 2015.

Currently, Zest WEG offers high-efficiency standard, or IE2, electric motors as its standard product offering.

“WEG invests more in research and development than any other electric motor manufacturer in the world, which results in continuous product development and innovations, owing to the company’s international reputation for producing the most energy efficient electric-motor range, globally” said Zest WEG CEO Louis Meiring at the event.

He highlighted that energy efficiency was becoming increasingly important across all industries, including the mining sector, in South Africa, especially as the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) determined in July that Eskom could recoup costs of R7.8-billion.

In July, Engineering News reported that, owing to Nersa’s decision, South African electricity tariffs would likely increase by more than the 8% already sanctioned for the year starting April 1, 2015.

“Therefore, the impact on the future cost of power in South Africa is quite significant. We decided to respond to that in terms of our product line by establishing an energy efficiency benchmark for the marketplace.”

Meiring further pointed out that Zest WEG’s newly introduced three-year warranty period was another example of the company’s proactive approach to boosting customers’ bottom line.

“We continuously strive to find innovative ways of going to market with our products and technologies to benefit our customer base.”

Zest WEG sales and marketing director Gary Daines pointed out at the trade show that, while South Africa lacked a minimum energy efficiency standard, IE3 was fast becoming the norm in developed markets such as Europe and Australia.

“WEG has always been ahead of the game and is, therefore, able to offer IE3 as a standard product,” he stated, adding that the company also had several super premium-efficiency IE4 standard electric motors on display at its stand during Electra Mining.

He explained that Zest WEG had decided to make the announcement at this year’s trade show, as it was regarded by industry stakeholders as “the continent’s premier mining-industry showcase”.

Daines added that the key aspect for Zest WEG in terms of its decision was that customers would receive all the benefits.

“We are making the change . . . but at no additional cost to our customers, which reduces the total cost of ownership. We will achieve this by obtaining a higher efficiency at the same capital cost, which results in an immediate cost saving.”

He further pointed out that the capital cost over the life span of a motor only accounted for 5% of the total cost of ownership.

“Therefore, improving the energy efficiency [of a motor] effectively reduces the real cost of ownership, which is the operating cost of the machine.”

Daines added that the introduction of the new standard was in line with Zest WEG’s current product range.

“Until now, South African customers only had the option of staying with the traditional standard-efficiency IE1 electric motors, or paying a premium for IE2, which would, over a period . . . provide payback in terms of economy and improved efficiency.”

He concluded that, with the new IE3 products, this payback period had now been effectively reduced to a year.