Belt transmissions are widely used in industry and in commercial buildings to couple electric motors with a wide variety of loads. In order to ensure reliable performance and optimize the overall efficiency of motor drives, it is important to select the most suitable belt transmission for each particular application. This paper surveys the characteristics of the different belt types, with a particular emphasis on their energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness and field of application. In order to increase the penetration of energy-efficient belt drives, research, development and demonstration actions are also proposed, which can contribute to tapping a considerable savings potential.