ABB: Energy-efficient technology to reduce CO2 emissions in industry and infrastructure in Southern Europe

• 45% of the world’s electricty is used to power electric motors in buildings and industrial applications
• ABB’s contribution to fighting climate change is clearly illustrated by recent projects deployed across Southern Europe

With the eyes of the world on the COP26 summit in Glasgow, countries are enacting plans to cut emissions in an attempt to meet the Paris Agreement’s target to limit global warming. Today, the need for energy efficiency is more pressing than ever as the world looks to decarbonize industry and infrastructure.

Often overlooked, energy efficient motors controlled by variable speed drives will play a vital role on the road to net zero. Electric motors are an integral part of daily modern life. And while you may not see them, they power the pumps that supply us fresh water, drive the HVAC systems that keep us cool, operate the presses that shape the sheet metal for the body of our cars, enable sustainable transportation and are used extensively in food production.

The challenge is that too many of the world’s motor-driven systems are based on outdated and inefficient technology that wastes energy. “Investing in the latest energy efficient technology can have a major impact,” said Morten Wierod, President of ABB Motion. “Research highlights that if the world’s 300 million industrial motor-driven systems were replaced with optimized, high-efficiency equipment, global electricity consumption could be reduced by up to 10 percent. That’s more than 90 percent of the annual consumption of the entire EU.”

ABB is at the forefront in delivering technology that is already helping customers across Southern Europe use less energy and cut carbon emissions.

A local water utility in one of the most populated cities in France has completed a massive project to renew the pump stations of the city’s drinking and sanitation water facility. Renovating more than a hundred pumping systems, equipped with ABB high-efficiency IE4 motors, they have improved the overall electrical performance of the network by 7 to 10 percent.

ABB Energy Efficiency Movement

In Serbia, the second largest hydro power plant, HPP Bajina Bašta is improving availability and increasing total energy efficiency. Thanks to the ABB MEGADRIVE- LCI (~21MW) and transformers for the soft start of 2 x 315MW synchronous machines in the reversible hydro power plant, ABB is helping HPP maximize the energy production by delivering additional 5-6 GWh per year through better efficiency and readiness of the hydro turbines.

IKEA has improved the energy efficiency of two of their largest stores in Spain by installing solar panels and equipping the air conditioning systems with fifteen ACH580 low harmonic drives and standard ACH580 and ACH550 drives. Upgrading the HVAC systems has resulted in a 25 percent energy efficiency savings in IKEA’s stores in Alcorcón and San Sebastián de los Reyes. Those savings relate to an annual reduction of CO2 emissions by approximately 425 tons, or the equivalent of the annual emissions of 95 cars.

Italian firm, Farina Presse, has developed a new KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) press used in heavy industries, like metal. The system is equipped with a torque motor that recovers energy through an ABB regenerative drive, slashing consumption by more than 40 percent. The energy wasted by a conventional press in the form of dissipated heat amounts to 388,000 kWh: the KERS press eliminates 300 tons of CO2 emissions. It would require planting 4,500 trees to absorb that amount.

The world’s first zero-emission all-electric tugboat, called Zeetug30, has gone into operation at the Istanbul Port in Turkey. ABB contributed 14 HES880 Mobile Drives: six DC/DC converters, two inverters for each double-wound propulsion motor, one inverter for each bow thruster and firefighting pumps, and two 150 kVA off-grid converters for the tug’s non-propulsion system load. With this configuration, Zeetug30 saves approximately 210 tons of CO2 and 9 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions per year, compared to similarly sized diesel-mechanical tugboats.

Italian OEM Sacmi Packaging and Chocolate has analyzed a typical conching cycle for high-quality dark chocolate produced in a high-intensity factory (approx. 7,000 hours/year), estimates that replacing IE3 motors with ABB’s IE5 synchronous reluctance motors delivers a 3-4 percent saving on electric current, while reducing CO2 emissions by as much as 22 tons annually.

ABB SynRM motors and drives

“These examples are strong evidence of ABB’s commitment to climate protection in close synergy with our customers in industry and infrastructure,” said Alessandro Pueroni, Lead Business Area Manager Motion Southern Europe & Italy at ABB. “One of the pillars of our 2030 sustainability strategy is the commitment to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of our customer’s operations by more than 100 million tons, working side-by-side with institutions, governments and universities. In this respect, we urge all stakeholders in our countries, including businesses and media, to join their efforts to fight climate change and join the Energy Efficiency Movement.”

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com

ABB Motion keeps the world turning – while saving energy every day. We innovate and push the boundaries of technology to enable the low-carbon future for customers, industries and societies. With our digitally enabled drives, motors and services our customers and partners achieve better performance, safety and reliability. We offer a combination of domain expertise and technology to deliver the optimum drive and motor solution for a wide range of applications in all industrial segments. Through our global presence we are always close to serve our customers. Building on over 130 years of cumulative experience in electric powertrains, we learn and improve every day.