Industrial decarbonization: tackling a pressing challenge
Industry is key to our lives, addressing a wide range of essential needs from supplying energy, water, and basic materials to manufacturing goods and transporting them to market.
With industry responsible for about a quarter of global energy-related CO2 emissions1, this segment is making significant strides to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time: decarbonizing operations while meeting the needs of a growing population.
Distributed Control Systems
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Automation powering decarbonization
Process automation technologies are at the heart of advancing industrial decarbonization. As industries work on minimizing their environmental impact, these technologies help optimize operations and improve energy efficiency, leading to reduced emissions as a result
Distributed control systems – enabling the operation of some of the most complex industrial facilities on the planet – also ensure reliable integration of renewables into the energy mix, accommodating a variable power supply. ABB’s technology deals with intermittency by shedding non-critical loads such as heaters within milliseconds, while keeping critical ones like pumps and compressors running – protecting the uptime of the plant while increasing the share of renewables in its energy mix.
Making a world of difference
Electrifying innovations in decarbonization
Electrification plays a key role in decarbonizing global industry by enabling greater energy efficiency as well as the transition from fossil fuel-based energy sources to cleaner alternatives like wind and solar. This shift helps industries reduce emissions, enhance their competitiveness in the low-carbon economy – all while fostering innovation in the energy-efficient technologies of the future.
One example of this is in shipping where electrical propulsion forms the foundation for ship electrification, enhancing safety and efficiency of operations while allowing integration of diverse power sources such as fuel cells and batteries. ABB’s innovations, including the Azipod® electric propulsion system and Onboard DC Grid™, have revolutionized the marine industry by helping ships increase manoeuvrability, reduce fuel consumption and facilitate efficient, future-proof power system integration.
Another example is in mining, with ABB eMine™ making the vision of the all-electric mine a reality, with fully integrated electrification systems from mine to port. Electric trolley systems, rapid vehicle charging and energy storage systems are helping optimize key processes and equipment – from grinding to hoists and vehicles to conveyors.
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Digitalize to decarbonize
Digitalization uses advanced analytics and AI to optimise key processes, helping industries operate in a more energy and resource-efficient way. Today, as much as 80 percent of industrial data is unused2, meaning companies are not tapping into one of their most precious resources on their journey to net zero.
ABB specializes in helping customers identify and extract actionable insights from massive amounts of data, not only improving productivity but also the safety and sustainability of their operations. For example, ABB Ability™ Genix, brings together real-time information from operational, engineering and IT sources to help customers make better decisions and hit sustainability targets.
Digital solutions are crucial enabling more energy efficient industrial operations. ABB Ability™ OPTIMAX® uses continuous, real-time control and monitoring to optimize the energy types and conditions, helping plant operators identify energy saving opportunities.
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You can’t reduce what you can’t measure
Reducing harmful emissions has never been more urgent. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that demand for continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS) continues to grow worldwide, driven by increasing regulation and stricter enforcement – as well as the need for industries to operate sustainably and keep the air clean.
With 70,000 CEMS installed in more than 50 countries, ABB is a global leader in emission control. We control what we measure with more systems installed than any other company, serving 15 percent of the global market3. These systems, in addition to other ABB monitoring solutions such as HoverGuard™ and MobileGuard™, keep the production of things we need high – and emissions low.
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Technology for a cleaner world
Decarbonizing industry is beyond any single individual or organization. It is a global challenge that requires the most innovative technology solutions and close collaboration between industry stakeholders. ABB is accelerating the energy transition and industrial decarbonization, scaling up innovation and driving progress – helping companies across segments decarbonize.
