A US member of Congress has tabled a bill that would double the size of the proposed rebate scheme to encourage the adoption of high-efficiency motors and the scrapping of old, inefficient motors.

Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin wants to increase the budget for the scheme from $350m to $700m. The scheme would provide a $25/hp rebate for the purchase of Nema Premium energy-efficient motors, as well as a $5/hp rebate for the disposal of non-Nema Premium motors.

Baldwin, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, argues that her bill would help to create jobs and protect the environment. “Offering incentives to purchase energy-efficient electric motors is a smart way to reach these goals,” she says.