§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what support his Department has given to the development and commercialisation of the technology described in FP50 over the last 10 years. [8984]
§ Angela EagleHigher efficiency motors have been available for a number of years and my Department recommended their use. However, sales were very low because they were about 25 per cent. more expensive than an equivalent standard motor.
To overcome this cost barrier my Department supported, through the energy efficiency best practice programme, a club research project that lead to the development of a higher efficiency motor that did not carry a premium price. The project, managed by motor manufacturer Brook Hansen, cost £12 million and the Government's contribution was £4 million. More recently, further support has been provided to disseminate the results of the project via a range of publications and promotional events. We are also supporting the European Commission's work to promote the use of higher efficiency motors.
The new motors are currently saving industry around £2 million per year in reduced electricity costs. It is estimated that these savings will eventually reach about £120 million per year, when there is a much greater range of models available and other manufacturers catch up. In terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, savings of £120 million wold equate to a reduction of some 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.