Wind energy is one of the fastest growing sources of electric power today. Global wind capacity reached 318 GW in 2013 according to WWEA, having grown by more than 35 GW in each of the last three years. The reason is simple: wind is a renewable energy source that does not produce any greenhouse gases or other emissions in the generation process. The “fuel” is free and essentially infinite in supply. As technology has advanced, the cost of installed wind capacity has continued to drop.
ABB is a leader in the wind industry, providing components to turbine manufacturers as well as everything needed to connect wind farms to the grid. The company has supplied components such as generators, electrical panels and low-voltage products for more than 40,000 wind turbines worldwide. ABB has also delivered tens of thousands of transformers and hundreds of wind farm substations. ABB even supplies robotic paint systems used in the manufacture of wind turbine blades.
Wherever wind projects are built, ABB’s global footprint enables the company to bring its vast experience to bear, whether in a cornfield in Iowa or an offshore substation in the North Sea.