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Market overview

Increasing adoption of automation to reduce downtime, increased demand for automated and motor-driven equipment, government regulations for energy optimization, and low carbon dioxide emissions drive the market's growth.

A variable frequency drive is a device that regulates the speed of an electrical motor to enhance process control, minimize energy use and mechanical stress in motor control applications, and maximize the performance of the numerous applications that rely on electric motors.

A variable frequency drive (VFD) employs an AC motor to regulate pumps and fans in a system without valves and dampers. Variable frequency drives may provide the same energy without the high pressure and power necessary to change the flow, resulting in considerable energy savings.

The necessity for energy conservation to preserve the environment is a driving force behind the development of speed control devices. Variable frequency drives give the best means of adjusting the speed of electrical motors to match load demand. Even minor adjustments in motor speed can have a significant impact on energy usage.

Advantages of variable frequency drive:

• Save energy and improve system efficiency
• Match the drive speed to the process needs
• Match a drive's torque or power to the process needs
• Lower noise levels
• Reduced mechanical stress to extend their lifetime

Variable frequency drives are utilized in various applications such as compressors, conveyors, extruders, fans, pumps, etc. They are widely utilized in a wide range of industries, including chemicals and petrochemicals, metals and mining, oil and gas, power generation, water and wastewater, and so on.

The textile and paper industry consists of various processes, and the requirements for drives vary according to the application. The textile and paper industry, for example, have winder control in the spinning process. The winder in textiles uses a roll to wind the stretched yarn, and it is required to manage the tension and pace of the yarn bundle while it travels at high speed.

Paper equipment also includes a winder and unwinder operation, with the number of rotations regulated by the tension of the paper. The variable frequency drive can easily change the motor speed and torque by changing the frequency, enabling highly accurate winder control.

Market developments and trends

• Variable frequency drives in Asia, Australia, and Europe are in demand due to the growing construction and mining markets. Residential construction activity is expanding in emerging nations like China and India, resulting in a significant demand for variable frequency drives.
• Germany and Russia have increasing opportunities for variable frequency drives in the cement industry. Variable frequency drives for the pulp and paper sector are anticipated to be popular in Germany.
• In Asia, investments in the energy-intensive sectors and manufacturing, while simultaneously focusing on energy conservation and renewable energy sources to curtail costs, are likely to drive the market's long-term growth.
• The oil and gas industry uses pipelines to transport petroleum products from refineries to demand areas and crude oil from sources to inland refineries. Due to the increase in activities in oil and gas industries globally, the demand for variable frequency drives is increasing because of its ability to control flow efficiently and optimize energy use. The United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Norway are the key European countries investing in the production and development of oil and gas to lessen their reliance on other nations, which benefits the variable frequency drive industry.
• ABB, a Swiss engineering firm, has teamed with the world's largest wastewater treatment plant, the Bahr El Bakar facility in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, to assist the country tackle water scarcity challenges in 2021. ABB will provide a variety of high-end solutions as part of an integrated offer to the project, including technology from its Electrification, Motion, and Process Automation business areas.
• Mitsubishi Electric Automation Inc. introduced the FR-E800 Series variable frequency drive portfolio in 2020. The FR-E800 Series is intended for engineering, technology, and product management in sectors such as material handling, packaging, food and beverage, and pumping. The micro-drive has an integrated PLC and will contain safety functionality and compatibility for multiple networks such as Ethernet/IP, MODBUS/TCP, and CC-Link IE TSN.
• Emerson introduced the Copeland variable frequency drive product line, which is available in two series, in 2021. The Copeland EVM variable frequency drive series is intended for chillers, medical refrigeration, displays, and other applications that need limited control capabilities.
• Eaton has introduced the PowerXL DM1 micro variable frequency drive in 2021, aimed at commercial, industrial, and OEM clients. The new variable frequency drive provides the highest value in its class through inbuilt Ethernet-based connectivity, IoT, Bluetooth, safe torque off, and other features.

Opportunities

• Compressors have been attracting attention in recent years because of their large power consumption at plants and offices. By controlling the number of motor revolutions according to the amount of air used with variable frequency drives, these compressors are highly effective in saving energy. Since the demand for compressors is likely to increase, opportunity for the manufacturers lies in installing a compressor with a variable frequency drive or retrofitting the existing compressors with variable frequency drives.
• Rapidly growing food and beverage industry have high growth potential. variable frequency drives are widely used in this sector because they enable the end-to-end operation of food and beverage applications, from raw material handling through processing and conveying to packing and storage, all while assuring the highest quality.

Blackridge Research's variable frequency drives market report provides insights into the current global and regional market demand environment and prognosis.

The study offers a thorough examination of the many factors that impact the variable frequency drives market growth. The study also comprehensively analyses the variable frequency drives market by segmenting it based on geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle-East and Africa, and South America).

The report also discusses current, and future market possibilities, market trends, advancements, and the effect of geopolitics on the variable frequency drives market, essential developments, regions, and segments poised for the fastest-growth, competitive landscape. Further, the variable frequency drives market size and demand forecast, growth rates will also be provided in the report.