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Variable Frequency Drives control how fast an alternating current motor runs by changing the electrical frequency (and voltage) supplied to the motor. This lets fans, pumps, conveyors, and other motor-driven equipment adjust speed to match the actual load, which can greatly reduce energy use and wear.

In commercial buildings, a large portion of energy use comes from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment—fans and pumps that move air and water. VFDs are especially effective here because many of these loads don’t need to run at full speed constantly; they can operate at just the right speed to maintain comfort or process requirements, delivering meaningful energy savings and improved process control.

Household lighting circuits aren’t motor-driven and typically run at fixed mains frequency; there’s no need to adjust their speed. Systems that run on direct current use DC drives or controllers designed for DC, not a standard VFD meant for AC motors. So the typical and most impactful use of VFDs is in high efficiency commercial AC systems.