What Does Higher Efficiency Really Mean

That strikes me as a statement of the glaringly obvious. of course it depends on how the motor is being used.
I have a motor which is 100% efficient...
(until it you start it...)
Del

Shhhh Del, don't give the game away.

Instead why don't you become a consultant yourself. Your technique of making motors 100% efficient seems like a winner (and surely worthy of government money). After all it saves energy, reduces greenhouse gases, improves safety and is equally applicable for all minority groups.

http://www.abb.co.uk/cawp/seitp202/c1256c290031524bc1256cf7003f391e.aspx

I came across this topic about 1999, having never heard of it before. It seems to make sense and it's an easy thing to specify but the problem is either lack of awareness, short term thinking or inertia - that's a human attribute description not related to motors.

To answer the question, yes they really are. I had assumed that they would be phased-in (yes it's a pun) over the time period between then and now. But it appears not. Someone will now describe how VFDs are making greater savings and HEMs are not necessary.