Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) introduced the Motor System Market Awareness Act of 2014, a bipartisan bill that seeks to help U.S. manufacturers better navigate the commercial marketplace and stay competitive in today’s global economy.
The bill would help encourage greater use of critical minerals such as rare earths, which help achieve greater efficiencies across a wide range of technologies. Each Toyota Prius, for example, uses about 30 pounds of rare earth elements and even regular cars use rare earths in their catalytic convertors. According to the Wyoming Mining Association, the northeast part of the state is home to one of the highest-grade concentration of rare earths in North America.
The bill would also update key assessments of motors and motor-driven systems in the United States. In 2002, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published the “United States Industrial Electric Motor Systems Market Opportunities Assessment,” which highlighted changes in the motors and motor-driven systems and their markets.
To reflect the significant updates made in this sector over the past twelve years, the senators’ bill would authorize DOE to complete an updated assessment; provide motor-driven system manufacturers and equipment end-users with a detailed analysis of their commercial markets; and conduct a public awareness program to increase motor end-users’ awareness of energy efficiency, cost savings, procurement and management procedures, and criteria for buying new or repairing existing motors and motor-driven systems.
 “New market opportunities and more investment and job creation through U.S. manufacturing can benefit every state in the nation,” said Enzi. “This bill will also help put a spotlight on the importance of rare earth metals and the role Wyoming can play in helping reduce America’s dependence on other countries to meet our technological needs. There’s no better way to build something in America than to have all of it, including the necessary minerals, developed right here at home.”
According to the DOE, motors and motor-driven systems account for nearly half of the electricity used by the manufacturing sector.