An AC drive is a device used to control the speed of an electrical motor in an energy-efficient way. It can also be utilised to convert energy from natural and renewable resources like the sun, wind or tides, and transmit it to the electrical network or for local consumption. In hybrid technologies, AC drives are used to combine conventional energy sources and energy storages to create total energy management solutions.
The need for energy conservation in order to save the environment is a key driver in the development of speed control devices, and AC drives provide the optimum method of controlling the speed of electrical motors to match load demand. Even small changes in motor speed can cause significant changes in energy consumption. AC drives are well hidden, but nevertheless they play a major and very necessary role in modern, everyday life by making the world and our way of living more sustainable.
