Working in partnership while building a sustainable future
Integrating digital solutions to ABB’s electrification and automation portfolio is fundamental to drive our customers’ sustainable production across industries and shape new business models.
ABB is working to ensure that our customers remain competitive, improving their return on investment (ROI) and running safe, productive operations. Working in partnership and applying an agile work process allows us to achieve our goals faster. By 2030, we aim to help our customers reduce their annual CO₂-equivalent emissions by 100 megatons, equivalent to the annual emissions of 30 million combustion cars.
Operating broadly with paper mills, battery manufacturing, mining and steel companies enables us to quickly develop sustainable practices across the value chain and the lifecycle of our products and solutions.
ABB’s international survey of 765 decision-makers reveals that while 96 percent believe digitalization is “essential to sustainability,” just 35 percent have implemented Industrial IoT solutions at scale. Just like there is no single factory configuration or mindset of people working in it, there is no single path to converting from conventional to fully connected, flexible and self-optimizing operations. But the journey often begins with picking an applicable, high ROI use case out of many best practices, tying it to a strong business strategy and engaging front-line workers through the existing process improvement initiatives. This also means using the best practices from different industries to push the boundaries in all of them.
Co-creating sustainable solutions with customers
For example, experiences from the pulp and paper industry can help to create better solutions for the mining industry, where digital applications and services are key to monitor and optimize energy usage when transitioning existing mining operations from fossil fuel energy to all-electric.
Together with customers and partners, we are pushing the boundaries of technology:
- In 2017, we partnered with battery manufacturer Northvolt to develop technical solutions at Europe’s largest and the world’s most environmentally-friendly battery producer. ABB’s approach helped fast-track project execution through integration of electrification and automation solutions, enabling efficient start-up, onboarding and operations.
- Together with mining company LKAB, we are running a collaborative project, also including Combitech, Epiroc and Sandvik, to set a new world standard for mining at great depths. By 2030, LKAB aims to operate a completely fossil fuel-free and safer mine at a depth of 2,000 meters.
- We also have a long-standing relationship with mining company Boliden. ABB has designed, delivered and commissioned an efficient electrical infrastructure to operate several mining trucks in Aitik, Sweden’s largest open pit copper mine. This is the electric trolley system that will help Boliden reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from transport by up to 80 percent along the routes where the technology can be implemented.
- Another example is the sustaintech company Renewcell, which manufactures a new textile material called Circulose®, from old cotton textiles. ABB has delivered a complete automation, quality measurement and electrification solution to Renewcell’s new industrial textile recycling production line.
As a global leader in resource efficiency, excelling in electrification and automation, we enable the energy transition. By joining forces with customers and partners, we will continue to reduce emissions and preserve natural resources across industries.