In an Expert Focus article for WaterBriefing, Toni M. Niemi, Global Business Line Manager at ABB, explains how motor solutions with integrated speed control can deliver immediate energy and emissions reductions for water applications.

Toni Niemi: Water and wastewater infrastructure is one of modern society’s most energy-intensive sectors and a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. On average, water and wastewater treatment plants consume around 10.6 kg of CO₂ per cubic meter of water.

Pumps, blowers, and aerators are the largest energy consumers within the water sector, accounting for the bulk of operating costs for utilities and municipalities. As energy demand surges, utilities face mounting pressures from both sides: escalating operational costs due to rising electricity prices and increasing scrutiny to reduce their carbon footprint in line with climate targets.

To tackle this dual challenge, solutions must address the specific sources of high energy use — most notably in pumping applications — while remaining practical and scalable for widespread adoption. One promising approach is the integration of high-efficiency motors and variable speed drive technology into a single, compact unit.

An opportunity for smarter control

Despite its advances in efficiency, the water and wastewater sector continues to rely heavily on legacy direct online (DOL) induction motors. These fixed-speed motors operate continuously at full speed regardless of actual system demand, with flow regulation typically managed by mechanical means, such as valves. The analogy is often compared to driving a car with the accelerator pressed to the floor, while using the brake to control speed.

Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) offer a direct solution to this inefficiency. By modulating motor speed in response to actual demand, VSDs deliver significant energy savings. This controlled acceleration and deceleration reduce mechanical stress on equipment, extending the life of motors and pumps while helping operators avoid unplanned downtime. For an industry built around 24/7 reliability, these benefits are of enormous value.

Yet, the global adoption of VSDs remains strikingly low, with fewer than 25% of motors worldwide paired with drives. A primary reason lies in the practical barriers of traditional drive installations. In conventional setups, separate motors and drives are complex to install and commission, requiring additional cabling, external drive cabinets, dedicated electrical rooms, and personnel with specialised skills. For utilities operating in space-restricted pump stations or compact treatment facilities, the additional footprint alone can make retrofits excessively difficult.

Integrated motor-drive platform

A practical solution for the water industry is a new generation of compact, integrated motor-drive platforms. Rather than treating the motor and the variable speed drive as separate components, these systems unify both elements into a single, ready-to-use package. One such example is ABB’s LV Titanium Variable Speed Motor (VSM), which simplifies implementation while cutting emissions and operational downtime.

At its core lies an IE5 Ultra-‑Premium efficiency motor, which achieves up to 40% lower losses compared to widely used IE3 motors. The built-in‑ variable speed technology allows precise load matching, ensuring the motor uses energy only when and where it’s needed. With the motor and drive integrated in a single 2-for-1 platform, it offers a simple, straightforward approach to providing instant efficiency gains.

In practical terms, a 7.5 kW centrifugal pump equipped with this technology can deliver annual savings of more than €4,000 £3520+ approx), while avoiding 6,000 kg of CO₂ emissions. When multiplied across the fleets of pumps, blowers, and aerators that dominate energy consumption in water utilities, the potential impact on both cost and carbon reduction becomes significant.

The design also addresses key operational concerns. Smooth ramp up and ramp down reduce hydraulic shocks to pumps and pipework, thereby reducing wear and costly downtime. The compact size - two frame sizes smaller than a traditional induction motor-and-drive pairing with the same power level - makes the units particularly well suited for the confined spaces of pump stations, where every square metre matters.

Their plug-and-play installation, delivered pre-commissioned and requiring no external cabinets, cabling, or complex programming, reduces setup time, cuts down on materials, and lowers the lifecycle footprint of installations. In most cases, one person can bring the system online. The result is a return on investment (ROI) that is often measured in months.

For a sector under pressure to demonstrate transparency and sustainability, the integrated motor-drive packages create added value by providing operational and energy data at source, helping utilities track performance and support credible ESG reporting. In this way, they lower the barriers to widespread adoption, making advanced efficiency gains accessible even for smaller networks.

A scalable path to immediate impacts

The pressure on the water and wastewater sector is two-fold: the need to reduce operational costs while accelerating progress toward net-zero commitments. Addressing these challenges calls for solutions that deliver both immediate impact and long-term resilience. Integrated motor-drive systems present a clear and practical pathway, combining ultrahigh efficiency performance with ease of deployment and scalability across diverse water networks.

Their advantages extend well beyond energy savings. By simplifying installation, minimising material use, and enhancing reliability through smoother operation, these integrated packages reduce lifecycle costs while strengthening system resilience.

For utilities seeking to modernise legacy assets, there’s a clear opportunity to capture near-term cost and carbon reductions while simultaneously building the foundation for a more sustainable and future-ready water infrastructure.