- ABB's Circularity of Frequency Inverters, Electric Motors and Generators Project helps industries to enhance the efficiency of manufacturing processes, optimize natural resources and reduce the environmental impacts of production chains as much as possible.
- The initiative aims to replace old equipment with new equipment with high energy efficiency and correctly disposes of obsolete low-efficiency equipment, reducing carbon emissions, energy consumption and impacts on the environment.
- In just one client, the initiative recycled 74 small engines, reinserting 5.45 tons of materials into the production system, from the reuse of 99% of obsolete equipment, and avoiding the consumption of the energy needed to supply 20 thousand homes for a month.
ABB Motion Brasil has launched the ABB Inverters, Electric Motors and Generators Circularity Project, an innovative initiative that aims to maximize the efficiency of manufacturing processes, optimize the use of natural resources and minimize the environmental impacts of production chains. With more than 300 million electric motor systems in operation globally, ABB seeks to transform the way this equipment is managed and disposed of.
The Circularity Project offers a practical and effective solution for the replacement, procurement and recycling of obsolete equipment. When a customer needs to upgrade their equipment base or dispose of old products, ABB provides a unique business proposition that includes circularity and energy efficiency clauses for the benefit of not only the customer, but also the environment.
After the installation of the new equipment, ABB collects the old machinery and transports it to an approved partner for environmentally responsible disposal. There, the equipment is disassembled, decharacterized and recycled, transforming it into raw material again.
Um certificado de destinação é emitido, permitindo que os clientes comprovem o descarte adequado e incluam essa ação em suas metas de sustentabilidade. O certificado também inclui um balanço de massa, detalhando as principais matérias-primas recuperadas durante o processo.
A destination certificate is issued, allowing customers to prove proper disposal and include this action in their sustainability goals. The certificate also includes a mass balance, detailing the key raw materials recovered during the process.
"With the Circularity Project, we are establishing a virtuous cycle of sustainability and energy efficiency. This project not only benefits our customers and ABB, but also contributes significantly to the preservation of the environment," says Bruno Alba, Operations Manager of ABB Brazil's Motion business area, and responsible for Sustainability in this business area. "The initiative reflects ABB's commitment to sustainable practices across our value chain, from design and manufacturing to the product lifecycle and its recycling. We are excited about the positive impact our project can have in reducing the carbon footprint and promoting a more sustainable future."
The Circularity Project is already a reality with impressive results
In a pilot project to replace 74 small motors, ABB achieved significant results: 5.45 tons of material were processed, with 99 percent of the parts recycled. In terms of avoided impact, this is equivalent to 351 thousand liters of gasoline saved, or enough energy to supply 20 thousand homes for a month. In addition, enough water to fill 9 Olympic swimming pools was saved and the cutting of 7 eucalyptus trees was avoided.
The success of the initiative was also proven by Usina Nova Gália, a company in the sugar-energy sector located in the municipality of Paraúna, in the interior of Goiás. The plant sent an old drive panel for repair to ABB's laboratory and found that it was more advantageous to acquire a new one, delivering its old panel. ABB was in charge of collecting the machinery and transporting it to an approved partner, where the panel was disassembled, decharacterized and transformed back into raw material.
"We started a process of modernization of our electric motor drives and sought ABB to change the panel. We were very pleased with the result. It was a simple and easy process, with all the necessary support, both in the tax part and in the technical support for future exchanges, which I hope to carry out soon. We count on ABB, a company that is also very concerned with sustainability, as a partner in this path, especially in socio-environmental issues," says Leandro Madriles, Industrial Manager of Usina Nova Gália.
With the environmentally correct disposal of this panel, Usina Nova Gália and ABB made it possible to reuse almost 2 tons of material. This figure highlights the immense positive impact avoided on the environment.
ABB's commitment to sustainability in the product lifecycle
The Circularity Project is part of ABB Motion's commitment to offering innovative and sustainable solutions that drive industry growth while preserving natural resources for present and future generations.
"ABB's sustainability strategy for 2030 aims for 80% of our products and solutions to be covered by a circular approach and that no waste from our operations is destined for landfill. With this ambition, we have developed a business model to actively enable the transition to a circular economy, implementing it throughout our value chain and in the lifecycle of our products and solutions. As a global leader in motors and drives, our goal is to lead the way to a circular future," concludes Alba.
For more information, please visit: Circularity in Electric Motors, Generators and Frequency Inverters
About ABB
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, a global leader in motors and drives, is at the core of accelerating a more productive and sustainable future. We innovate and push the boundaries of technology to contribute to energy efficient, decarbonizing and circular solutions for customers, industries and societies. With our digitally enabled drives, motors and services we support our customers and partners to achieve better performance, safety and reliability. We deliver motor driven solutions for a wide range of applications in all industrial segments. Building on over 140 years of domain expertise in electric powertrains, our more than 22,000 employees across 100 countries learn and improve every day. go.abb/motion
