ABB Bulgaria’s Rakovski branch has started a project to renew all light sources in its two production units employing more than 1800 people. The project, which started in February and is planned to be finalized by the end of June, will include removal of all current T5 luminescent lights and installation of new LED lights, which will improve visibility, efficiency and reduce energy consumption.
The lighting of the production halls will be improved and optimized based on its real need for the respective production areas. The implementation of this project will reduce the operating costs for the maintenance of old lighting fixtures and will reduce electricity consumption by up to 50 percent, saving 493 MW power and 80 000 BGN on a yearly basis, which in turn will contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the facility.
This initiative is part of a bigger project at the ABB site. The change of light sources is just the first stage. The second stage is a full integration of the ABB i-bus® KNX smart building solution, which will manage all primary production lighting in an intelligent way using presence detectors and light sensors. This will future-proof the site allowing for further developments such as automated and time-controlled processes for heating and ventilation as well as other applications throughout the site, which can be optimally adapted to suit the demands of each area.
The next project planned to be implemented this year is integration of a cloud solution for energy and asset management with ABB AbilityTM which will allow precise statistics and an overview of the energy efficiency of the factories. This software innovation will empower real-time, data-driven decisions for safer, smarter operations that maximize resource efficiency and contribute to a low-carbon future.
Another initiative of the Rakovski branch to support a low carbon future is the installation of EV chargers. In front of the two factories one Terra 54 DC fast charger and 8 AC chargers have been installed to support e-mobility in the region.
This project supports ABB’s ongoing commitment to a carbon neutral future. ABB’s key goals are to partner with customers and suppliers to reduce their emissions. Leading by example, ABB aims to achieve carbon neutrality in its own operations by 2030. The company will do this by continuing to transition to renewable sources of energy, improving energy efficiency across its factories and sites, and converting its vehicle fleet to electric or other non-emitting alternatives. ABB has currently identified areas that can reduce its CO2 emissions by at least 80 percent and as technologies evolve, the company will continuously seek opportunities to do more. In 2019, 30 percent of the electricity consumed by ABB came from renewables, reducing emissions by more than 40 percent compared with a 2013 baseline.
