NFPA Board Adopts Standardization Advocacy Position for Energy Efficient Fluid Power Components and Systems

by Eric Lanke
NFPA CEO

Shortly after establishing a new process for determining positions of public advocacy for standardization initiatives (see this NFPA News post), the NFPA Board of Directors has adopted the association’s first advocacy position utilizing that process. The position focuses on the need for energy efficiency improvements in fluid power components and systems, and officially reads:

“The fluid power industry needs a standardized way to measure the energy consumption and efficiency of fluid power components and systems. As energy efficiency increasingly becomes a driver in fluid power’s core customer markets, such standards would provide an objective method for determining the efficiency contributions of fluid power products and for bringing new technologies more quickly to market.”

Recommendations to establish a standardized way of measuring fluid power energy consumption and efficiency have been part of the NFPA Roadmap Committee’s reports since the group first published the NFPA Technology Roadmap for the Fluid Power Industry in 2009. According to the process adopted by the NFPA Board, this is where all potential advocacy statements must start, as the Committee represents a broad cross-section of the fluid power industry, with a focus on initiatives that will serve the needs of the fluid power industry as a whole. Not every committee recommendation qualifies as an advocacy position of the NFPA. The Board reserves advocacy positions only for those recommendations that represent a compelling opportunity to foster an innovative environment for the fluid power industry.

This is a significant step forward for NFPA. As the secretariat to ISO Technical Committee 131, and as administrator to its U.S. Technical Advisory Group, NFPA is responsible for ensuring that the international and national committees that write and set fluid power standards do so in a way that aligns with ISO and ANSI directives and procedures. By taking this position of advocacy in the area of energy efficiency, we are more prominently exercising our role as the trade association representing the U.S. fluid power industry. In our interactions with public policy professionals and wider industry networks, we will be speaking out about the need for these standards and, where appropriate, convening forums where interested parties—in and out of the ISO structure—can explore ways to advance the initiative.

Comments and feedback from NFPA members on this advocacy position are welcome. Please direct your comments to Eric Lanke at elanke@nfpa.com.