The Die-Cast Copper Motor Rotor Is a Commercial Reality(continued) Environmentalists Motors with copper in the conductor bars of the rotor will make a substantial contribution toward energy conservation. This offers positive benefits in terms of reduced greenhouse gas emissions and their contribution to global warming. The efficiency increase seen in motors with copper rotors is due largely to the reduced I2R losses in the rotor, because the electrical conductivity of copper is nearly 60% higher than that of aluminum. Because of the widespread use of motors, significant energy savings are possible. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that motors above 1/6 hp use about 60% of all electricity generated in the United States and that medium power motors (1-125 hp) use about 60% of the electricity supplied to all motors. A one-percent increase in motor electrical energy efficiency would save 20 billion kWh per year or $1.4 billion in electricity (at $0.07 per kWh) and 3.5 million barrels of oil in the USA alone. Worldwide, these savings would be multiplied by about a factor of four.

Update: Copper Motor Rotor is published monthly by the Copper Development Association Inc. to provide current information of interest to those in the electric motor and related industries. CDA assumes no responsibility or liability in connection with this publication and makes no warranties of any kind with respect to the information contained herein.