Italy’s entrepreneurial fabric is rich with companies whose names have contributed to the prestige of an entire industry. These also include Brugola OEB Industriale Spa, known more simply as Brugola, a company founded in 1926 by Egidio Brugola, the man who in 1945 filed and was granted a patent for the hexagonal hollow head screw with a twist shank, known more commonly as the Allen screw. Brugola, which has been included in the automotive supply chain since the 1980s, is now a leading manufacturer of screws and fastening components for the world’s major car manufacturers, a sector that is very aware of green issues and in which companies are required to have a sustainability plan. In the future, it will go more and more in this direction, until sustainability becomes a discriminating characteristic when choosing partners.

The benefits of sustainability

The entrepreneurial vision that guides Brugola includes sustainability and concern for the environment.
“The initiatives we have developed go in two directions. – confirms Jody Brugola, the company’s president – One concerns the direct impact of our processes and, therefore, is carried out with technological improvements to reduce consumption and waste of raw materials and energy. The other involves actions to achieve carbon neutrality. We are a manufacturing company and it would be unrealistic to think of zero consumption, but we can implement offsetting projects to get as close as possible to the concept of zero impact. Each of these steps contributed to approaching and subsequently joining the Energy Efficiency Movement founded by ABB, a true movement designed to implement, improve and share best practices for a more energy-efficient future.”
Brugola’s stated goal is to reduce the CO2 equivalent generated by 70 percent from a base year (2019) and to achieve total carbon neutrality by 2035.

A potential to be fully exploited
In a manufacturing company, processes can conceal interesting efficiency gains. At Brugola we started with some relatively simple interventions, such as upgrading lighting systems with LED lights and recovering oils used in production cycles, to recent projects aimed at managing power grid surges with the goal of reducing machinery consumption by about 5/7 percent.

Great satisfaction has also come from other initiatives, as Marco Cerruti, the company’s HSE manager, confirms.

“We took action on compressed air generation systems, which have always been an important cost item for us. Therefore, we have replaced compressors with more efficient models, which have ensured a reduction in electricity consumption of up to 35 percent for some of our plants.”

“We have gone further,” Cerruti adds, “from the compressors themselves, for example, we have recovered the heat that is generated by reusing it for heating some of the departments, achieving a 40 percent saving on natural gas consumption. Being part of the Energy Efficency Movement is an excellent opportunity to share these and other initiatives, in turn taking cues from the best practices of other movers.”

Compensate, but locally!
Then there is the issue of compensation, usually declined as reforestation of forested areas in remote places around the globe.
“Brugola on the contrary is a company that is very tied to the territory, and that is why we decided to start a partnership with a local company that is involved in creating giant bamboo forests. – concluded Cerruti – In fact, this is a fast-growing plant that is able to absorb up to 36 times more CO2 than a mixed forest in our latitudes. We currently contribute to the maintenance of 6 hectares planted in Lombardy, but each year we increase this to reach the company’s carbon neutrality goal by 2035.”

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• WattsOn helped the Hospital reduce their carbon footprint by 80%

• ROI was achieved in just 4 short months

• 40% total energy savings

WattsOn snapped into action beginning their investigation to identify areas of high energy intensity across the site, seamlessly installing 2 Eniscopes to monitor the tomography, kitchen and autoclave equipment, as well the laundry room. The Eniscope’s minute-by-minute, asset level data quickly revealed high wastage areas, and coupled with the impressive data insights made possible through the virtual energy management service, total energy visibility was gained within an instant.

Key Results

Within just 90 days, from understanding the baseline consumption to presenting to the Hospital’s board of Directors, the WattsOn team underpinned the spike in energy caused by the simultaneous use of laundry machines and autoclave equipment. By making the invisible, visible, Hospital Fatima saw a massive 40% savings on their energy bill and were keen to continue engaging with new sustainable processes, working to achieve long-term change within their operation.

“Understanding the importance of the acronymESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) beyond theory and knowing that the cheapest and most abundant energy comes from the awareness of avoiding waste and managing data with transparency and security, we hired WattsOn to lead us through the process”

Andreia Francescato Vignatti, CEO/Managing Director at Fatima Hospital

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Solar carports are therefore a practical option to consider, offering a mix of functionality and energy performance, the product is rapidly gaining favour in both domestic and commercial sectors. As example, we’ve highlighted the benefits of our recently installed solar carport installation for a private client in Wiltshire, UK.

Project Delivery

We supported our client during the design and planning processes, maximising energy generation potential of the on-site solar carport location, complete with integrated battery storage and EV charging facilities. On completion, data obtained from the on-site solar pv assembly confirmed that the property has been 78.9 % self-sufficient from an energy generation and usage perspective.

Efficient Use of Space

Many properties have limited connecting space, utilising existing parking areas for energy generation is a logical means to maximise energy generating potential. Solar carports rarely require additional land as usually installed over existing parking areas, an ideal solution for both residential and commercial clients.

Its versatility extends to potential additions, such as batteries, electric vehicle charging stations, or can be transformed into a traditional garage, outdoor kitchen or workspace.

Reduced Energy Costs

Solar carports contribute directly reduced electricity bills. Energy generated reduces reliance on the grid network provides substantial savings over time. Combined with battery storage, excess energy can be stored for use during peak hours or sold to the grid, creating further savings potential.

Environmental Impact

Solar energy supports a more sustainable lifestyle. Solar carports reduce a properties carbon footprint by generating renewable energy and contributing to reduced carbon emissions and fossil fuel dependence. Solar carports can also incorporate EV charging stations, providing an eco-friendly charging solution.

A Smart Investment

As the UK continues to embrace renewable energy, solar power has become a key player in the quest for sustainability. Inclusion of Solar batteries also allow property owners to store excess energy generated during the day for use at night or during cloudy periods, ensuring continuous access to renewable energy and greater energy independence.

Government Incentives and Rebates

The UK government currently offers various schemes and incentives to encourage the adoption of solar energy solutions, including the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). Property owners in particular can benefit from these incentives, making the installation of solar carports more affordable and attractive.

Conclusion

As we move towards a greener future, adoption of innovative solutions such as solar carports will play an important role in shaping our sustainable living practices. By installing a solar carport, you’re not just protecting your vehicle, you’re embracing a cleaner, more sustainable way of living.

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Via this “Energy-as-a-Service” business model, the German ESCO ENCORE Efficiency has implemented a wide array of energy efficiency measures for a multinational dairy producer. Across the projects at production sites in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, these efforts have significantly increased the efficiency of the off-taker’s utilities, resulting in a yearly reduction of approx. 100 GWh in energy consumption, energy cost savings of EUR 4m and a decrease of 20’000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. Through a bespoke financing partnership with Solas Capital, the retrofits of the production sites were realised without capital expenditure from the off-taker. The associated customised private credit solution is amortised over the life of the projects through the achieved energy savings, and the financing is structured to accomplish a fully off-balance sheet treatment of the service.

As an example, one of the key technologies implemented at the dairy producer’s sites is the installation of efficient compressed air units. While compressing air, the equipment generates heat, which is typically wasted, because the installations are hydraulically not very efficiently designed and controlled. However, with the right equipment and expertise, the heat produced can be distributed and used or stored for longer periods of time and used to make ancillary heating processes more efficient. By working with ENCORE Efficiency to replace three traditional compressed air units with two efficient air compressors on one production site, the dairy producer was able to significantly lower its carbon footprint and reduce CO₂ emissions by over 170 tonnes annually. Other innovative projects, such as industrial heat pumps combined with very efficient modern refrigeration systems or electric steam boiler systems, lead to even higher CO₂ and energy savings.

Overall, ENCORE Efficiency has identified more than 300 individual energy efficiency measures across the dairy producer’s processing sites, many of which ENCORE Efficiency expects to implement over the next 5 years. Given that the dairy producer processes billions of kilograms of milk annually into a wide range of products, the potential for efficiency improvements, and consequent CO₂ reductions, is substantial. Through its ongoing collaboration with ENCORE Efficiency (in partnership with Solas Capital), they have been able to more rapidly unlock this potential and integrate renewable energy sources into its operational processes.

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Read the full article here: https://www.danfoss.com/en/service-and-support/case-stories/dds/vlt-drives-run-the-world-s-smartest-district-energy-system/

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To leverage all possible thermal storage benefits, many questions need to be answered. When is the most optimal time to charge and discharge the thermal storage? And what source is charging the buffer with what temperature – and how much energy will be stored? What companies need is real-time insights into their accumulators, combined with end-to-end data that shows them when to do what. Here are three key factors that explain why this is key for accumulator success:

1. The network impacts how much heat is available in the accumulator

2. External price signals change every day and throughout the year

3. Production schedule changes daily based on demand

To optimize the operation of thermal storage with flexibility and reliability in mind, organizations need to consider all the aspects of the heating system, from end-user demand and network dynamics to production schedule and electricity market volatility using end-to-end digital tooling such as Digital Twins.

Mantova’s district heating operator, SEI, has implemented a Digital Twin solution that allows it to dynamically optimize temperatures for peak demands by providing a real-time, end-to-end view into the decentralized thermal storage. With one of the objectives to reduce peak temperatures to lower overall heat losses, the Digital Twin solution forecasts supply temperatures as well as charging/discharging cycles at the same time. As a result, the amount of energy stored is optimized, and sudden supply peaks are avoided. Together with other insights from the Digital Twin such as implementation of the recommended operating parameters, SEI increased its heating grid’s real-world efficiency and a decrease in annual CO2 emissions of over 550 tons.

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The technical upgrade, carried out during the ship’s regular docking in Naantali, Finland last September, involved the replacement of the vessel’s propeller blades with new innovative ones designed and manufactured by the Swedish subsidiary of global maritime technology experts Kongsberg Maritime, Kongsberg Maritime Sweden AB. The blades were designed specifically for this type of ship, considering the speed ranges required for the ship’s operation, enabling to increase the efficiency of the ship’s propulsion device in accordance with the ship’s operational needs. In addition to reducing the vessel’s fuel consumption and emissions, under water analyses carried out in autumn 2023 also showed reduction of underwater noise generated by the ship.

The results of this technical upgrade, coupled with other technical and operational solutions implemented to reduce Baltic Queen’s environmental impacts, have led to the ship’s Environmental Ship Index (ESI)* now being comparable to those of the company’s newest and most environmentally friendly dual-fuel shuttle vessels Megastar and MyStar. With Baltic Queen’s ESI index now exceeding 94 points (maximum is 100 points), this has also led to considerable financial savings for the shipping company, as the Port of Tallinn offers vessels with ESI points exceeding 80 a 14% discount and any vessel exceeding 65 points an 8% tonnage charge discount. All Tallink Grupp’s vessels visiting the Port of Tallinn have an ESI index exceeding well over 65 points, so all receive an environmental discount from the port as a result. 

Commenting on Tallink Grupp’s latest environmental success, the company’s Chief Captain and Head of Ship Management, Captain Tarvi-Carlos Tuulik, said: 

“We carried out an extensive analysis before the new blades pilot project in close partnership with the blade manufacturers and our main engine manufacturers. Our crew had lots of questions ahead of the upgrade about the ship’s performance and manoeuvring capabilities once the blades were replaced as we had no experience with this kind of technical solution before. However, the support and cooperation with the technology manufacturers was superb, we were able to discuss and consider every possible risk, fine-tune the solution after installation based on our captain’s and crew’s feedback and suggestions, and the result speaks for itself – it definitely exceeds our expectations.  

„This project really is a win-win-win for us as it has enabled us to increase efficiencies, reduce fuel consumption, reduce emissions, reduce underwater noise and vessel vibration levels, significantly increase the overall comfort levels for passengers travelling in the stern cabins, and, last but not least, achieve considerable cost savings for the company. It has been good for the environment, our customers, and our bottom line. All we need to do now is identify more projects like this.“ 

Tallink Grupp is now assessing the benefits of similar upgrades to the company’s other vessels and, where possible and beneficial, similar solutions will be considered for other company vessels. At the same time, Tallink Grupp will also continue its search for other new and innovative solutions that will enable it to continuously make its operations more sustainable.

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About 65 MW of heat is generated in sulphur-burning acid plants with a daily capacity of 1,000 tons. Around two-thirds of the heat originate from the sulfur burner and the converter. Most acid producers know how to recover this heat for production of high-pressure steam. However, the remaining one third of generated heat is usually emitted into the sea or the air in direct cooling systems. The plate heat exchanger makes it possible to economically recover the heat from the circulating acid in the drying and absorption towers. By installing a closed loop of cooling water, the heat can be used for other purposes such as district heating, boiler feed water preheating, process heating in adjacent plants, space heating of factories and offices and production of fresh water by desalination.

From direct cooling to heat recovery

In early 1980s, Kemira changed its acid cooling system from direct cooling to heat recovery. In the direct cooling system, the heat from the absorption and drying towers was emitted to the sea. With the heat recovery system, the heat is instead transferred to a closed loop cooling water circuit containing demineralized water. This water is heated, and the hot water is used to heat district heating water for the city of Helsingborg.

In this heat recovery system, the acid from the absorption towers was cooled in four anodically protected shell-and-tube heat exchangers connected in parallel pairs. The acid from the drying tower was cooled in an anodically protected shell-and-tube heat exchanger.

By 1999, the lifetime of the anodically protected shell-and-tube heat exchangers had come to an end, and they needed to be replaced. At the same time, Kemira decided to totally rework their acid cooling system. Instead of using three acid tanks (one for each absorption tower and one for the drying system), they installed one acid tank, supplying both the drying system and the two absorption towers with circulating acid.

All the old coolers were replaced with three semi-welded Alfa Laval plate heat exchangers in D205 with FKMS gaskets, connected in parallel. The D205 plate material and the FKMS gaskets were selected due to the high acid temperature of 105°C.

New system leading to large energy, emissions, and cost savings

In the Kemira sulphur-burning acid plant, with a capacity of 1,000 tons per day, around 530 MWh is recovered from the drying and absorption towers per day. This heat is delivered to the district heating network of the city of Helsingborg. Kemira delivers a total of 240 GWh per year to the network.

This is equivalent to around 22,000m3 of oil, corresponding to approximately 25% of the city’s requirements. Of this total, 80 GWh is supplied as steam and the remainder is heat recovered from the drying and absorption towers. This means that during the winter months heat is provided to about 10% of the city’s inhabitants but in summertime Kemira supplies all heat needed for domestic water.

The total cost for the heat recovery system introduced in the early 1980s was 45 MSEK (including a 3.5 km long pipe to the district heating center). The payback time for the system was less than a year, since at the time Kemira supplied heat to the city worth 80 MSEK annually (due to higher acid capacity). The switch to a common acid tank for all three towers and new acid coolers in 1999 cost 10.5 MSEK. Calculated in today’s oil prices, the value of the heat supplied to the city is approximately 22 MSEK annually. As a result, the payback time was again less than one year.

For the city of Helsingborg, this arrangement means less dependence on oil and thus reduced emissions of sulphur dioxide into the air. Furthermore, the project eliminated the need for a new 45 MW co-generation unit, which would have cost the city 150 MSEK in the 1980s.

For Kemira, the delivery of heat has become an important complementary product to sulphuric acid and other chemicals. It has also nearly eliminated the need for cooling water.

Controlled temperature meeting seasonal variations

The demineralized water circuit heats the district heating water from 50 to 80°C in two of Alfa Laval’s large plate heat exchangers having a temperature approach of only 4°C. The temperature in the district heating circuit can be raised to 90-95°C by injecting waste steam from the sulphuric acid plant. Two of Alfa Laval’s medium-size plate heat exchangers are used as trim coolers in the demineralized water loop whenever needed to meet seasonal variations in demand for heating. The trim coolers are by-passed when they are not needed.

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The meters were selected for their durability and accuracy, and because they eliminate the potential for error from manual data collection. They transmit data using GSM-SMS radio technology when they detect a possible leak, providing an early warning to the MWA so it can immediately begin water loss prevention efforts. The project aims to cut water losses to 19 percent by 2021.  

“To reduce water loss, the ABB flowmeter is one of the significant tools we use to provide high-resolution data that facilitates step testing, leakage detection, and water network analysis in the Bangkok Metropolitan area,” explains Mr. Supichete Tavorntaveevong, Director of the Water Loss Management department. 

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The digital water management project involved installing a network of RTUs (remote terminal units) for remote locations and pumping stations to track water use in real time. The SCADA systems monitor and analyze daily flow consumption patterns and identify possible leaks. They send this information in real-time to the central control room, which can deploy a repair team immediately.  

The digital water flowmeters are designed for ease of use, and do not require special cables, tools or expert training to install and read. They also integrate with GPS, making it easy to pinpoint potential leaks. A range of security features are designed to prevent tampering or data eavesdropping.  

Similar digital water flow technologies, including ABB flowmeters, are also in operation in cities across India, including Delhi, Bangalore, Surat, Ranchi, Kolkata, Udaipur, Chennai, and in semi-urban and rural areas like Gadag in Karnataka and Jawai in Rajasthan.  

G Srinivas Rao, Head of ABB Measurement & Analytics in India, says: “As India moves swiftly towards smart and sustainable villages, towns and cities, one of the key challenges is water management. This project shows how ABB’s digital water management solutions can be deployed not only in cities but also to provide clean drinking water in the villages that are crucial to our agrarian economy. We are proud partners in this project in the state where ABB India is headquartered, and in the district which contributes so significantly to our agricultural output.” 

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Space offers the ideal location to freely monitor emissions across jurisdictions and quantitatively report on improvements. The ABB-built greenhouse gas sensors will provide valuable insights that will enable governments and industries worldwide to meet their emission reduction targets and reduce the negative impact of global warming. 

“We selected ABB for its ability to deliver world-class instruments while meeting the challenges of a new space company like ours,” said Stephane Germain, CEO of GHGSat. “We strive to innovate for the needs of the future, and we’re excited to work with ABB to achieve that.” 

“ABB shares GHGSat’s goal of reducing emissions through the creation of their greenhouse gas sensing constellation. Our selection as the manufacturer for these advanced sensors demonstrates our competitiveness and strong fit with the private space sector requirements,” said Marc Corriveau, General Manager ABB Measurement & Analytics Canada. 

“The space revolution is well underway, and ABB, with its heritage of unique space instruments and serial production of advanced measurement sensors for industrial applications, is extremely well positioned to serve this emerging sector,” he continued. 
 
This marks the third GHGSat launch featuring optical sensors built at ABB’s state-of-the-art facility in Québec City. Beyond these, ABB has three more sensors ready for delivery: two designated for methane measurement, while the third will monitor CO₂ emissions.  

With its involvement in the Canadian SCISAT mission and the Japanese GOSAT series of satellites, ABB has been at the forefront of greenhouse gas sensing from space for over two decades. ABB optical equipment already in space has accumulated over 100 years of reliable operation.  

The SCISAT sensor tracks subtle, long-term changes in the atmosphere’s composition down to parts per trillion. It works on over 70 molecules and pollutants and has been in service since 2003. Global weather agencies base their predictions on ABB equipment flying onboard the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather satellites (NPP and JPSS). This data saves lives by improving the timeliness and accuracy of weather forecasts for up to seven days. 

ABB is also a global leader in earthbound continuous emission monitoring, with over 60,000 systems installed in more than 50 countries worldwide. Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS) continuously record and evaluate emissions data across all industries. They provide important information for the environmental and economic operation of production facilities. The range includes the ACF5000, which accurately and reliably monitors up to 15 gas components simultaneously. 

Photo credit : GHGSat HUGO satellite illustration.

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In partnership with ABB, the STT GDC team is actively developing AI-based optimization models for the entire data center cooling plant, including the upstream chiller and distribution systems. Using sensors placed throughout the system, STT GDC will track and analyze data to facilitate dynamic cooling optimization and create a more energy efficient data center.

The first phase of the project will involve data exploration, modelling and validation using historical data. This will establish how digital solutions would impact existing operations and energy use, and reveal areas for improvement. The next phase will involve testing AI control logic in a real data center environment. The project targets energy savings of 10 percent within the cooling system – the most energy-intensive component of a data center.

“Our group’s AI roadmap will take a big leap forward with this pilot program. The vast amounts of data that can be captured and harnessed in a live data center environment makes for a strong base for AI applications, which can also be applied to other business processes, including capacity planning, risk mitigation and predictive maintenance,” explains Daniel Pointon, Group Chief Technology Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres.

“At ABB, we have a strong track record of supporting data center operators with our best-in-class technology solutions. We are committed to exploring the synergies between our offerings with STT GDC as it embarks on an ambitious plan,” adds Madhav Kalia, Global Head of Data Center Automation at ABB.

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Preem is Sweden’s largest fuel company and it has made sustainability central to its operations. It produces the first diesel in the world that has met the criteria of environmental sustainability certification – it’s made of 50 percent tall oil, a byproduct of the Swedish forest. The company also delivers extra energy from its two Swedish refineries – the other is in Gothenburg, just down the coast – to the surrounding area as heat, providing the energy equivalent of heating 36,000 homes. Its long-term ambition is to become entirely climate neutral. “Ultimately, we want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem,” says Gunnar Olsson, the company’s Technical Director.

The Lysekil refinary’s location by the sea is a source of inspiration for that work, says Olsson. “Being out here, so close to the coast, brings everything into sharper relief. We work and live side-by-side with nature.” Refining oil is a hugely energy-intensive process, so one area where the refinery has been focusing its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint is energy consumption. In 2012, Preem conducted a wide-ranging energy audit, when the refinery’s entire operations were analyzed for possible energy savings. The company’s management decided to replace four of its traditional shell-and-tube heat exchangers at the Lysekil refinery with an Alfa Laval Compabloc welded plate heat exchanger in the atmospheric distillation process. This is one of the refinery’s most critical and energy-intensive processes, where crude oil is separated into different fractions.

And the result? The single Compabloc exchanger delivers 22.6MW of energy recovery – 7MW more than the previous installation. “The investment lowered our energy use substantially, and it’s brought down CO², sulphur and nitrogen oxide emissions,” says Olsson. In all, Preem estimates that 14,600 tonnes of CO² emissions have been cut annually.

The energy intensity of refining oil makes energy the largest cost at the facility. The Alfa Laval Compabloc exchanger results in significantly higher energy efficiency, since the temperature difference between two fluids (what is called the temperature approach) in the exchanger can be low as 3-5°C for the Compabloc exchanger to work. This allows the exchanger to recover more heat than the shell-and-tube heat exchangers traditionally used by refineries, while using significantly less plot space. In purely economic terms, the resulting energy efficiency improvements of the new Alfa Laval exchanger are worth about USD 2.2 million per year at the Lysekil refinery alone.

As the next step in its improvements to the facility, Preem is building an entirely new vacuum distillation unit – the part of the refinery process where the heavy oil residue remaining at the bottom of the atmospheric distillation is further refined. And Preem has extended its investment in Alfa Laval’s Compabloc technology and is installing these welded plate heat exchangers extensively throughout the process. “It was a pretty straightforward decision,” says Olsson. “They are much more energy efficient and compact, and the technology works even with a temperature approach of just a few degrees.”

In the refinery process, there are often major problems with residue deposits on the surface of the heat exchangers, which reduces heat transfer efficiency and increases the hydraulic resistance – a factor that can lead to reduced capacity. But Alfa Laval Compabloc exchangers in these applications have fewer problems with fouling, which leads to greater overall efficiency and sustainability gains. Fouling is something that Ibrahim Tahric, Mechanical Engineer at Preem, has experienced first-hand. There is definitely less fouling on the Compablocs compared to the shell-and-tube exchangers we use otherwise, so they require less maintenance,” he says.

Due to the risks involved in the handling of fuel and other refinery products at high temperatures and pressures, the refinery business is known for being extremely conservative when it comes to introducing new technologies. Still, Eva Andersson, Refinery Industry Manager at Alfa Laval, sees a trend among refineries that they start with testing one Compabloc exchanger in the distillation process and then make a larger investment once they have seen the results. “Both the business case and the environmental benefits for the Alfa Laval Compabloc exchangers are so strong,” says Andersson. “When I list the advantages, people often don’t believe that all of it could be true, but then they try it out and they discover that it holds up. It’s encouraging that responsible players like Preem are leading the way.”

Learn more about process optimizations for oil refineries:

Process optimization solutions for oil refineries | Alfa Laval

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Desalination will play an increasing role in Singapore’s water supply, reaching 30 percent of demand by 2060. However, desalination is energy intensive. To ensure that Singapore can meet its Long-Term Low-Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS) – ultimately achieving net zero emissions by 2050 – the country must invest in energy-efficient desalination.  

Powerful pumps are used throughout the Keppel Marina facility, including to draw water from either its reservoir or the ocean, depending on recent rainfall. The operator identified that the motors which power these pumps are an ideal opportunity to improve the plant’s energy efficiency.  

Following a joint analysis with ABB, experts determined that the plant could reduce its total energy consumption by 40 percent by switching to more energy-efficient motors, adding variable speed drives (VSDs) and switchgear, and optimizing processes.  

As a further benefit of these upgrades, operators have access to detailed, real-time data from throughout the energy-efficient desalination plant. They can also control it from a unified command center with the user-friendly ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system. This improves the quality of operational processes and maximizes uptime, ensuring the consistent supply of desalinated water Singapore needs.  

Singapore’s Public Utilities Board (PUB) has awarded KMEDP a gold certification, and it was named “Desalination Plant of the Year” at the Global Water Awards in 2021. 

“ABB has decades of experience in creating integrated solutions for desalination plants worldwide, and ABB’s products and systems are found in all of Singapore’s water plants in one way or another. We are proud to be a part of Singapore’s water story as we continue to develop our long-standing relationship with PUB,” said JianYuan Ling, ABB’s Energy Industries Division Manager in Singapore.

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To develop a detailed picture of the facility’s emissions, the operators installed ten ABB Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (CEMS) into 10 smoke-exhausting pipes at different production lines and workshops. The CEMS include flow and dust measuring devices, a cold-dry gas analysis system, and an integrated data transmission system.  

The system can be monitored in real time by operators at the plant, enabling them to improve productivity, optimize combustion to reduce fuel and limit emissions, and decrease operating and maintenance costs for more sustainable steel manufacturing, among other benefits. It also ensures that the plant can comply with government steel manufacturing emissions standards.  

Other facilities in the Vietnam steel production community, including Mien Nam Steel Company, Ton Phuong Nam and Ton Dong A, have also adopted CEMS technology and are working toward reducing the carbon footprint of the steel industry. Vietnamese cement manufacturers – such as Song Gianh, Xuan Thanh, Van Hoa and Tam Diep – and power facilities – including Uong Bi, Na Duong PP, Mong Duong 1, Mong Duong 2 and Nghi Son PP – also use CEMS.  

“Our longstanding presence in the country as a leader in emission monitoring technologies and our positive reputation among existing customers throughout the country have resulted in earning the customer’s trust in ABB CEMS. Our CEMS not only helps Hoa Phat to achieve its optimal performance and cost savings, but also to increase uptime through reduced maintenance and calibration time. Furthermore, CEMS data transmission also establishes visibility of emission status and allows the customer to act when necessary to minimize impact on the environment,” said Nguyen Van Tu, ABB’s Manager for the Measurement and Analytics business in Vietnam. 

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The port’s operators worked with an ABB-led consortium to plan and execute a turnkey project for delivery in 2023. It will be able to deliver power to all the ferries at the port simultaneously, or to one cruise ship. Each vessel will have access to 50 and 60 hertz power connections for maximum compatibility.  

The shore to ship power supply will automatically adjust the energy mix to serve the vessels, combining on-site solar, lithium battery storage, and grid access. It is designed to integrate additional technologies, such as fuel cells, in the future.  

“Toulon is the first Mediterranean port to supply power to all of its docks. This is an innovative project built on an intelligent energy flow management system with a unique energy mix. With the support of ABB as well as the Région Sud PACA and our partners, we are significantly improving air quality in the port, while maintaining business activity,” says Hubert Falco, President of the Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolis. 

He adds: “The shore to ship power connection will eliminate more than 80 percent of pollutant emissions. It will also save 9,000 hours of vessels running on diesel annually. For the ferry activity in the city of Toulon alone, this adds up to a reduction in sulfur emissions equivalent to those of 50,000 cars in a year.”  

“We are honored to have been selected by Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolis to work on this innovative project,” said Jyri Jusslin, Head of Service, ABB Marine & Ports. “We commend the Toulon authorities for grasping this opportunity. It sets a course for a more sustainable future with smart systems that already exist today.” 

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ABB has been calling for open collaboration within the mining industry and has taken action on several similar initial non-binding agreements to build commitments with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), technology innovators, and mining companies. Key relationships have subsequently been formalized, with technologies and solutions resulting from these deals.

“Mining customers are committed to facing environmental, societal, and economic challenges head-on as they aim to decarbonize mining operations,” said Joachim Braun, Division President, Process Industries, ABB. “With ABB’s sector-leading position in electric mine technology development and Perenti’s excellence and experience in mine development and mine operations, the scope of this collaboration is a perfect opportunity to make real progress in providing electric solutions that will decarbonize the industry.”

“ABB and Perenti share a vision to develop energy-efficient solutions for the mining industry,” said Mark Norwell, Managing Director and CEO, Perenti. “By combining our experience across mining operations and digital solutions with ABB’s leading technologies, we are focused on supporting the decarbonization of mining through electrification. We look forward to working with ABB on this exciting new venture.”

ABB is committed to creating sustainable progress for today and for future generations by helping mining customers through their energy transition. In 2021, ABB launched its ABB Ability eMine portfolio of technologies and methodologies, an approach to make the all-electric mine possible with fully integrated electrification and digital systems from mine to port.

Perenti is committed to acting on climate change through promoting innovation, developing and deploying low emissions technology, and working with its clients to implement projects that improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions.

The post ABB joins forces with Perenti to reduce emissions in the mining industry appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Improving energy efficiency is a key aspect for mining and minerals plant management, especially due to increasing electricity costs. Vale, a global mining company, improves the production-energy balance by integrating production and electrical environments to achieve the following benefits:

• Unique information database for automation. Cross data between power and process.
• Traceability: historical information for data analysis and action planning
• Reduced number of operational staff needed, due to system integration and intelligence
• Savings in installation costs with standardization of solution and reduction of control cables
• Savings with reduction of interruption of production time
• Less exposure to electrical hazard, increased safety thanks to remote maintenance and monitoring of electrical equipment

The availability of quality system data necessary to day-to-day operation is causing dramatic changes in established practices – as demonstrated in the following examples implemented at Vale sites.

Main facts

Industry	Mining and minerals processing
Customer	Vale S11D, Carajás, Itabira, Serra Leste, Solebo
Country	Brazil
Solutions	Fully integrated process and power automation based on ABB Ability System 800xAABB Ability System 800xA Minerals Process Control LibraryABB Ability System 800xA Power Control LibraryAC800M controllers with GOOSE integrationE-housesIEDs

Different approaches to substation automation

Substation automation systems are composed of many elements: those that protect equipment and those that control switches, circuit breakers and transformers are key to operation. All of these require supervision and monitoring in respect to performance and limitations.  

There are two common architectures when it comes to substation automation.

The first commonly applies to new plants, in which the designer defines the network and infrastructure topology. This circumstance is best in order to mitigate risks, compile information from the electrical system and optimize implementation costs.

The second scenario more often applies to older plants, or those in operation for a number of years. Here, plants are often without a dedicated infrastructure for electrical automation. In these plants, it is common to find several automation systems for each substation. They often utilize PLCs from various vendors as supervisory systems. The lack of a central system to manage all substations makes information exchange troublesome and plant management, as a whole, much more difficult.  

In today’s technology environment, it is essential to have an automation system capable of integrating all available information into a single platform, regardless of protection relay model or protocol.

Integrating substation automation with the process control system is the best scenario. This builds a single database, allowing for complete plant management, in terms of both operation and maintenance. Making information available anywhere in the plant also facilitates remote operation, further enhancing monitoring capabilities.

The lack of a central system to manage all substations makes information exchange troublesome and plant management, as a whole, much more difficult

Making best-case integrated system scenario a reality

The best-case scenario, having equipment from multiple vendors integrated into a single system, has become reality with the advent of IEC 61850 and evolution of substation equipment like IEDs (Intelligent Electronic Devices) and digital meters. Such integration allows several substations, with IEDs from different vendors, to be grouped into a single system.
​

Known as “interoperability,” this strategy allows for maintenance of the electrical system to be done using information from the whole plant, making operation easier than ever.

Having equipment from multiple vendors integrated into a single system, has become reality with the advent of IEC 61850 and evolution of substation equipment like IEDs

IEC 61850 standard – beyond communication protocol

The IEC 61850 standard is sometimes misinterpreted as solely communication protocol; however, it goes beyond that. In order to standardize communication in substation automation, IEC 61850 is based on three principles: interoperability; freedom of configuration and long-term stability.

Interoperability, as discussed, describes the ability for IEDs from different vendors to communicate with each other.

Freedom of configuration describes the ability for vendors to use different methods and philosophies for the internal programming of the logic performed by IEDs, allowing the freedom to allocate functions to one or more IEDs.

Long-term stability refers to the process of keeping communication protocol up-to-date in such a rapidly advancing technological field.

The three principles build upon one another, freedom of configuration cannot be achieved without interoperability and long-term stability is accomplished only after the first two are adopted protocol.

For these plant-wide goals to be met, the way devices exchange data is standardized through the use of a Logical Node. A Logical Node is “the smallest part of a function that exchanges data” (IEC 61850-SER ed1.0, 2010). Each substation function is broken into smaller parts; the way data is exchanged between each part is standardized, without affecting operation. This ensures interoperability, freedom of configuration and, of course, long-term stability.

Each substation function is broken into smaller parts; the way data is exchanged between each part is standardized, without affecting operation.

Facilitating information exchange between devices

In order to facilitate information exchange between devices, two communication protocols are defined: one for communication between IED and the supervisory system, MMS; and another for fast communication between IEDs for interlocks and logic selectivity, GOOSE.

MMS protocol (Manufacturing Message Specification) is used for communication between IEDs and the supervisory system based on client-server philosophy, i.e., the IED becomes a server for the information available and the supervisory system becomes a client for that information; it is used for supervision and operational data.

GOOSE protocol (Generic Object Oriented Substation Events) is used to exchange the critical time-information between IEDs inside the network for protection, for interlocking and logic selectivity purposes. This communication is based on MAC addresses, and allows the transmission of packets in the network as fast as 3 ms. GOOSE protocol is one of the great advantages of IEC 61850, reducing the amount of wiring between cubicles in a substation to perform logic selectivity schemes greatly reduces installation time and maintenance costs.

GOOSE protocol means an end to tiresome device-by-device implementation and far less hard-wiring greatly reducing installation time and maintenance costs

Communication possibilities offered by industrial networks

All communication between the devices is accomplished following Ethernet network protocol globally recognized in both enterprise and industry environments. At this point, it’s important to note the network configuration on an industrial project.

Today, it is no longer possible to foresee an industrial scenario without communication possibilities offered by industrial networks. The need for information integration (achieved long ago in IT scenarios) has become crucial in industrial scenarios , and will become increasingly so in the future.

The above figure presents a generic and minimalistic network topology of an electrical automation project in IEC 61850. Included is substation equipment like circuit breakers, switchgear etc., (given by iP ASS Switchgear boxes) as well as measurement instruments like CTs and VTs (MUPX and MUPY boxes), these are physically connected to the protection and control IEDs (given by boxes Bay Controller, Prot X and Prot Y), which are connected to an Ethernet switch. The switches of each substation are part of a network that is connected to protocol gateways and to human-machine interface equipment (HMI). GPS devices ar e also commonly used to synchronize time on the IEDs in order to allow the sequence of events (SoE).]

Today, it is no longer possible to foresee an industrial scenario without communication possibilities offered by industrial networks.

Advantages for the electrical system

As intelligence for protection and logic selectivity is distributed to and amongst the IEDs, the DCS can be in-charge of power management and other logics that require a higher level system view. Some functions such as load shedding, generator control, turbine management and transformer tap control can be run on the DCS. Some controllers have GOOSE interface, achieving operating times faster than 10 ms. This reduces selectivity adjustment times, taking care of the mechanical health of cabling, circuit breakers, switchgear and machines, without using hard wires. 

Another advantage provided with the advent of IEC 61850 is the generation of trend data for all equipment in the electrical system. Digital meters already have communication drivers, soon CTs, VTs, circuit breakers and switchgear will enter the market with the same. Soon, operators will be able to see a system even more integrated than currently possible, through a single standard of network

Soon, operators will be able to see a system even more integrated than currently possible, as CTs, VTs, circuit breakers and switchgear with communication drivers enter the market

Integrated system real-life example at Vale Itabira mine

Information integration brought by the use of IEC 61850 protocols, especially interoperability, is better visualized through a real-life example. This section covers the integrated electrical automation system of Itabira, the iron ore beneficiation plant in the city of Itabira-MG, Brazil.

In this particular system, six substations were integrated into a single system. The involved substations are located in different places throughout the city, separated by distances up to 30 km.

Integrated system with six substations located in different places throughout the city, separated by distances up to 30 km

IEDs in use are from two different vendors, because retrofits were made at different periods and under different contracts.

The supervisory system is from a third vendor, it communicates with the IEDs via MMS protocol for system operation and supervision. Due to the large distance between the substations and the risk of lost or weak communication signals, a contingency solution is in place for each substation.

This contingency plan consists of a human machine interface touch-screen panel and a controller with GOOSE interface able to transfer data to and from IEDs, ensuring remote operation of circuit breakers and switches. This achieves the main project goal: to keep the operator away fr om the electrical cubicle, and consequently, away from electrical risk.

With IEC 61850, it was possible to get all the available information gathered in the same system, making electrical system operation possible regardless of where the operator is. Protocol adoption also allowed for the communication between IEDs, from different vendors, located in substations with notable distances between them. With the information centralized through Ethernet networks, the creation of a remote operating room was possible. From this room an operator can view everything that is happening in the system. IEDs can be parameterized and configured from anywhere with access to the system, adding yet another benefit to this standard.

After the project was completed, remote operation and maintenance was guaranteed and information from six different substations was integrated into one single system.

Operator can view everything that is happening in the electrical system from a remote control room. IEDs can be parameterized and configured from anywhere with access to the system.

Full plant integration of process automation and power automation with System 800xA as implemented at Vale´s Itabira plant in Brazil.

Note the common process and power automation workplace.

Advantages for the process control system

The adoption of Ethernet-based systems allows open protocols to be used more often, creating more complete automation systems, and thus, optimizing costs and information availability in plants of all sizes.

There still remains a strong separation between the electrical automation system, responsible for power management, and the process automation system, more focused on the production, in a way that there is little or no exchange of information between the two.

Increasingly, plant operators are opting to have a single system manage the entire plant, looking for excellent performance in both Process and Electrical automation, through a unique DCS system.

Among the advantages stemming from integrating electrical system with process control, cost reduction is key. This includes indirect costs shared between areas, such as training and investment. In addition, new features can be implemented with the combination of information.

Cost reduction is key: sharing indirect training and investment costs between areas and preventing equipment damage thanks to combined information

Examples of IED interactions with process equipment

An example of such new features can be found in the adoption of medium voltage protection relays for motor control in IEC 61850, in which it’s possible to use all the benefits of GOOSE messaging between IEDs without losing the interaction with process equipment, such as instrumentation, valves, and inverters.

A real case for this functionality can be given by a conveyor that handles ore, steel or any other goods.

In these cases, it is not uncommon for big medium voltage motors to be required for operation. In the event of failure, replacement is almost never immediate, causing damage and loss of production. Using features from the substation automation environment, like logic selectivity and interlocks, it’s possible to preserve equipment health.

The following figures show that, using IEC 61850, it is possible to switch off motors before over-current effects are detected by CTs, lowering the impact on the motors, thus increasing their life cycle. This reduces the likelihood of damaged windings or more serious problems that would demand replacement
or extended downtime.

Using features from the substation automation environment, like logic selectivity and interlocks, it is possible to preserve equipment health, like big MV motors used by ore, steel and other conveyors

Conveyor motors interlocking according to a traditional fashion

Conveyor motors interlocking using IEC 61850

Dramatic changes in established practice

The availability of quality system data is necessary to day-to-day operation, increasing demand for useful information in all areas including the industrial environment, and causing dramatic changes in established practice.

With the advent of IEC 61850, more information is collected from the electrical automation system, with Ethernet communication and data standardization. This enables interoperability and allows for freedom of configuration with IEDs from different vendors. With such a wealth of data available in supervisory systems, the information integration between automation systems allows multidisciplinary decisions to be made. This provides better efficiency. Moreover, applications developed for the electrical environment can be used in process control system as well, which is seen in the examples described.

IEC 61850 allows for a huge jump in quality, and changes the way we think of automation.

The information integration between automation systems allows multidisciplinary decisions to be made

ABB Ability MineOptimize

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Archimedean Screws

These are often found on the inlet or used for returning the RAS to the inlet. They are often large powers and expensive to repair. Inverters can offer:

• Up to 15% energy savings
• Reduced revolutions leading to longer screw life
• Reduced lifetime costs
• Smoother flows (less on/off control)
• Smooth starts reducing stress on V belts and gearboxes

You can read a case study about inverter technology on Archimedean Screws here.

Aeration

Sewage works often need aeration whether it be from surface aerators or blowers. These can be the site’s biggest electrical cost. Controlling the DO levels ensure an efficient works. Inverters offer:

• Accurate DO control
• Energy saving

Centrifugal Pumping

Centrifugal pumps are used in many and various applications in sewage works and pumping stations. They can be used for recirculation, RAS flow control, SAS pumping, storm pumping, sand filter pumping, washwater pumping and probably many others. If you can control the speeds and pump for longer you can save energy based on the well-known ‘Cube Law’. Inverters offer:

• Potentially large energy savings
• Controlled flow rates or pressures
• Smoother flows
• Reduced pipework stresses

Sludge Pumping

Sludge is pumped from the bottom of PSTs, Humus Tanks and clarifiers. These are often on simple on-off timer control. This means that there will be times when water is pumped and not sludge. IDS and EMS offer APS (Automatic Pumping System) which uses inverter calculated torque to avoid pumping water. The benefits are:

• Significantly shorter pumping times
• Reduced volume of pumped sludge
• Less manual dewatering
• Reduced tanker journeys
• Controlled and improved sludge quality

A detailed account of the IDS innovative RPC is available on our website here.

Working with IDS

At IDS we specify, supply, install, commission, service, repair and hire ABB variable speed drives. We work with the wastewater industry, supporting each customer with our 24/7 breakdown cover, we carry a huge stock of drives and have them ready to fit should one of yours go wrong. We also have a large range of hire drives, run a preventative maintenance service and are on hand 24/7 for technical advice and support. To see how we can help you, call us on 0115 944 1036 or email sales@inverterdrivesystems.com

Find more Solutions by Inverter Drive Systems here.

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ABB experts conducted an in-depth analysis and recommended replacing the entire system. To minimize downtime, the entire project was completed in just six weeks and took place in steps while the businesses maintained full production.  

The new system uses two incoming 132 kilovolt (kV) lines through two parallel switchgear and transformer circuits feeding down to two 6 kV networks. All of this is controlled and monitored from the safety of the operator control room using System 800xA.  

The system enables rapid switching between several operating modes as well as real-time monitoring and alerts. This greatly increases its reliability and resilience. It also improves the facility’s energy efficiency by providing a clear picture of energy consumption. Where operators previously had to make decisions based on a monthly bill, they now have in-depth data down to the second.  

“In a stress situation, for example, power failure on an incoming cable, we can go into the automation system and reconnect the entire 6.35 kV switchgear from pre-programmed sequences,” explains Arne Jönsson, electrical manager at Kemira Kemi. “We know what needs to be done and then the system knows the order in which it will happen. No need to run in front of the cabinets and control the switches.” 

He adds: “When we had a cable failure on the grid, half the plant was dead, but through a few keystrokes in 800xA we linked to another mode and the entire facility had power again after 15 minutes. If it were not for the parallel design, a cable failure would have caused several days of shutdown.”  

“Plant analysis conducted by ABB pointed to the risks of service disruptions to the former electrical system”

Arne Jönsson, Kemira Kemi

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Simultaneously, this strategic alliance paves the way for reducing the carbon footprint of ABB’s products and services, contributing to more sustainable logistics and supply chain activities.  

Logistics represents a significant opportunity for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, as it underpins all products, services, and events through interconnected supply chains reliant on transportation and logistics. For example, transporting the championship’s freight city to city is a monumental task. Nearly 450 tons of freight must be moved – sometimes as far as 17,000 kilometers in one go – around the world.  

Transportation alone is responsible for 30 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. As a result, ABB and DHL aim to optimize energy efficiency across the series’ entire supply chain. Whether it involves enhancing transportation methods, streamlining logistics facilities, or adopting sustainable routes, their joint efforts can foster greater sustainability in the logistics industry. This collaboration contributes to a greener planet, benefiting all stakeholders involved.  

Manuela Gianni, Head of DHL Motorsport Italy, says: “By 2030, we will be investing seven billion dollars in sustainable logistics. Our partnership with Formula E has inspired us to come up with new, innovative solutions to be on par with what they want to achieve, which is a 100% renewable energy target for all events.” 

The post Formula E a gamechanger for sustainability in transport and logistics  appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

For many organisations, energy is one of the top 3 costs! The energy saving potential of variable speed drives is well documented, but how do you really know what can be saved on each application (we achieve particularly good energy saving results when applying variable speed drives to pumps and fans)? The answer is simple: with an electric motor energy survey from IDS we will visit your site, assess the applications and provide conservative calculations with predicted payback periods. We are happy to assess individual applications as well as entire sites with varied applications.

Inverters for Quarries

Should you experience downtime due to a variable speed drive failure then call us on 0115 944 1036 we are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week 364 days a year. Technical advice can be given over the phone, we can arrange for a site visit, a hire drive can be supplied from our huge range to enable production to restart as quickly as possible, whilst we remove and repair the drive. Should the drive need to be replaced we have £400k of new variable speed drives in stock at all times, this means we are more than likely to have a replacement drive ready and waiting to go. Because we are an ABB VP, we also have access to ABB knowledge and technical support as well as preferential supply lines.

Of course, the best way to avoid loss of production is to maintain and service your drives. ABB have a recommended schedule of preventative maintenance and we are authorised to carry these out on their behalf. Regular servicing will prolong the life of your variable speed drives and will help to prevent unplanned downtime.

Inverters for Quarries – What Applications?

Essentially, any application driven by an electric motor can benefit from variable speed drive control.

We have been particularly successful for our Quarry clients when we apply inverter technology to:

• Crushers
• Grinders
• Conveyors
• Pumps
• Cyclone pumps
• Feeders

Working with IDS

Inverters for Quarries: At IDS we specify, supply, install, commission, service, repair and hire ABB variable speed drives. We work with quarries, supporting each site with our 24/7 breakdown cover, we carry a huge stock of drives and have them ready to fit should one of yours go wrong. We also have a large range of hire drives, run a preventative maintenance service and are on hand 24/7 for technical advice and support. To see how we can help your quarry, call us on 0115 944 1036 or email sales@inverterdrivesystems.com

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For many organisations, energy is one of the top 3 production costs. The energy saving potential of variable speed drives is well documented, but how do you really know what can be saved on each application (we achieve particularly good energy saving results when applying variable speed drives to pumps and fans)? The answer is simple: with an Electric Motor Energy Survey from IDS. We will visit your site, assess the applications and provide conservative energy saving calculations with predicted payback periods. We are happy to assess individual applications as well as entire sites with varied applications.

What Applications?

Essentially, any application driven by an electric motor will benefit from variable speed drive control.

We have been particularly successful with:

• Extruders
• Hydraulic power packs
• Cooling towers
• Chiller pumps
• DC motor upgrade to AC
• Schrage motor upgrade

However, before jumping in it is important for us to understand what you want to achieve prior to making recommendations. Improving process control, avoiding loss of production, saving energy, noise reduction, ac to dc upgrade are all topics we can assist you with. Let’s talk, call us on 0115 944 1036 or email sales@inverterdrivesystems.com

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The conversion process involves the removal of the current fuel tank and diesel engine, followed by the installation of an electric motor and drive, an energy management system, a battery and charging solution, and a power connection. ABB supplies the electric powertrain components, comprising the AMXE motor and HES880 drive, and provides technical advice.  

The electrification of construction equipment provides clear environmental benefits. A conventional diesel-powered 24-tonne excavator consumes about 18,000 liters of fuel annually, translating into around 48 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. With the conversion, these CO₂ emissions, including sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions, are eliminated. The inherent efficiency of electric motors is much higher at 95 percent as opposed to a diesel engine’s 45 percent while producing significantly less noise pollution.  

Reducing carbon emissions in construction enhances the environment, benefiting both site workers and nearby residents. Additionally, operators have told Nasta that the electrified machines are much more responsive when performing excavation tasks.  

Sjur Wethal Helljesen, a senior consultant at Nasta, comments: “Working with ABB, we not only get rugged and reliable powertrain components but also the technical support we need to complete the electrification projects successfully.” 

Magnus Nordstrand, global product manager at ABB Motion, concludes: “Nasta’s redesign approach is a perfect match for our electric powertrain. Our drive is highly versatile and can be installed as a motor inverter, bi-directional line converter for grid connectivity, or DC/DC converter for the battery interface. Nasta’s current redesign solution includes a battery capacity of up to 300 kilowatt-hours (kWh), enabling the vehicle to operate for four to six hours.” 

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Read the white paper

Discover how electrical powertrains can transform the efficiency of industrial vehicles, transportation and marine vessels.
Read the white paper

1. Transport is responsible for 30% of global emissions

Vehicles which transport people, goods and raw materials account for over 25% of the world’s total energy consumption and they are responsible for almost 30% of global CO₂ emissions. About one quarter of these emissions come from heavy vehicles like trucks and buses.

2. Electrification improves efficiency

Electric powertrains are more efficient than petrol or diesel driven powertrains and they do not generate any CO₂ emissions. A modern electric powertrain for a heavy vehicle like a bus or train will include a traction inverter and electric motors. Electric motors can typically reach 95% efficiency, which makes them much more efficient than either petrol or diesel motors. In addition, traction inverters significantly reduce losses in the traction chain because they control the speed and torque of the electric motors directly, rather than using clutches or gears, which lose energy through friction and heat.

3. The technology is proven

The electric powertrain technology needed for heavy vehicles is mature and proven – it is already widely used in buses, trolley-buses and trains, for example. Electrification of these types of vehicles has demonstrated clear improvements in efficiency, while also reducing emissions and operating costs.

4. Heavy industrial vehicles can also be electrified

Specially designed heavy-duty electric powertrain components are already available for use in heavy industrial vehicles like trucks, excavators and mining machines. These can use battery power or overhead catenary power lines, as well as hybrid diesel-electric systems. Electric propulsion systems are also available for small to mid-size marine vessels, while for larger vessels, alternative fuels and power storage systems are under development for hybrid electrical propulsion.

5. Electrically powered vehicles can be more productive

Not only are electric powertrains are more efficient than mechanical powertrains, they also deliver power to the wheels more efficiently. This is a benefit for vehicles that haul heavy loads and it can improve productivity, as well as efficiency – simply put, each unit of energy does more useful work per tonne.

The post 5 things about e-mobility and heavy vehicles appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

1. Energy efficiency is an essential business driver

By combining advanced analytics and expertise, data can be brought together to give companies the knowledge and visibility they need to make better decisions about the energy efficiency of their motor systems. This can include data about motors, drives, entire powertrains and other connected equipment, as well as the equipment age and condition, its power consumption and performance, and the demands of the application, including load characteristics.
 
Once enough relevant data has been gathered, then it can be analyzed and assessed, and used to develop the best long-term strategy for modernization, maintenance, energy savings and reductions in CO₂ emissions. Continuous monitoring can also be used to follow the performance of motor systems and to identify areas with the potential for improvements in energy efficiency.

2. Fast data access and expertise help better decision making

Together with the University of St. Gallen, ABB has conducted study to find out more about industry attitudes to sustainability and energy efficiency, and the willingness to adopt new types of energy efficiency services. The results show that the majority of people surveyed think that sustainability will become the most important business driver in the future and that energy efficiency is a topic of growing importance. In addition, another study by ABB found that 96% of decision makers believe that digitalization is essential to sustainability.

3. The next step in reducing energy consumption: implementation

With the possibilities offered by the Internet of Things and digitalization, companies can now access new types of services to improve and optimize the efficiency of their motor systems. These include services like ABB Ability^TM Life Cycle Assessments for motors and drives, ABB Energy Appraisals, and ABB Digital Powertrain Energy Appraisals. These services combine data and expertise to give companies insights into the energy efficiency of their rotating electrical equipment. Together with an expert partner like ABB Motion Services they can then use these insights to make better decisions and implement solutions that improve the energy efficiency of their operations.

4. Long term planning: mitigating risks

Although modern technology offers clear opportunities for companies to reduce their energy costs, many are still reluctant to invest in modernization. Some of the common barriers to investment include justifying the up-front costs, a desire to avoid downtime and a lack of in-house digital skills. In fact, all these concerns can be easily overcome.
 
The energy savings gained from more efficient motor systems will typically pay back the investment in just a few year – the technology already exists to reduce motor system energy demand by 20 to 30 percent. In addition, the reliability gains provided by modern equipment will lead to reduced downtime overall, and all the digital skills needed can be conveniently provided by an expert service partner, like ABB Motion Services.

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Read the report here

A multi-industry study on the shift towards energy efficiency and sustainability.
Read the report here

In recent years, as issues related to climate change have come to the fore, the will to move towards more sustainable operations has been growing in many companies. However, although the desire to change is present, practical questions remain.

A new report from the University of St Gallen and ABB, titled Sustainable operations through energy efficiency, addresses four main objectives to support energy efficiency-related activities in industries. Firstly, the study reveals what drives energy efficiency activities. Secondly, it identifies the roadblocks preventing them. Thirdly, use-cases are revealed. Fourthly, new business models that can help boost energy efficiency are explored.

To provide data for the study, 40 interviews were conducted with stakeholders whose roles are directly related to energy efficiency. The results from 182 online quantitative surveys from different industries and countries were also used, and four academic experts were interviewed.

The results of the survey show that today more than ever before industrial companies take the topic of energy efficiency seriously. Driving an increase in energy efficiency is a wide variety of factors including the need to develop revenue streams and maintain reputation and brand image. Companies face many challenges in advancing energy efficiency agendas, but with the help of digital technologies, improved collaboration, and new business models, these issues may be overcome.

Learn more: ABB Motion Services – Energy efficiency and Circularity – ABB Motion Services

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Waggeryd selected the ABB Ability^TM Condition Monitoring solution. This involved placing 156 smart sensors across the facility’s entire critical line, including on motors, pumps, and other machinery from a variety of manufacturers. Ninety-three smart sensors were fitted on the motors running the sustainable pulp mill, 42 on bearings, 10 sensors on gearings, and the remaining 11 on other process pumps throughout the operation. 

The condition monitoring system measures power consumption, speed, vibration frequencies, and temperatures, providing continuous information on the mill’s operation. This data allows for regular energy-use updates.  

ABB experts analyzed the entire powertrain to identify inefficiencies that may have otherwise been missed. After reviewing the data collected from the sensors throughout the facility, they produced a report, called a Digital Powertrain Energy Appraisal. The insights it provided have helped Waggeryd pinpoint areas in which they can make additional energy savings, bringing the facility closer to its goal of producing pulp energy efficiently.  

“The report done for Waggeryd informed them about motors that are wasting energy. It identified those that have low operating efficiency, as well as others that are wrongly dimensioned and thus underutilized, contributing to waste of active and reactive energy. As first steps to make good use of this info, Waggeryd decided that it will, in the near future, modernize six motors from a top-10 motors list, thus enabling improvements and savings of both active and reactive energy,” explains Peter Isberg, Digital Lead at ABB Motion Services. 

Andreas Råvik, Mill Manager at Waggeryd Cell, is pleased with the results. “We have improved the facility’s energy efficiency by working with ABB. By using their energy reports, we can identify assets like incorrectly dimensioned motors, or old motors with poor efficiency, and replace them. The power of digitalization has also resulted in fewer unplanned production stops, as we can rectify potential errors well in advance of a breakdown. The most important thing for us is that the factory runs every hour of every day of the year, with very few unplanned stops. When we achieve a high production level, then we are truly energy efficient.” 

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The Aurubis Group, one of the world’s largest producers and recyclers of copper, operates a large smelter on the island of Peute, located in the Elbe River, in the heart of Hamburg.

Sulphur dioxide gas is a by-product of the pyrometallurgical copper process used here. This gas is converted first to sulphur trioxide and subsequently to liquid sulphuric acid. The sulphuric acid is continuously diluted in the process. Acid dilution is a highly exothermic process, which releases significant amounts of heat. Thanks to Alfa Laval GPHE, this heat can be recovered by Aurubis for use in district heating.

The sulphuric acid production takes place in the smelter’s contact plant. At the heart of the plant lies an intermediate absorption tower. The heat of dilution from this step was originally cooled with river water from the Elbe and thus left unutilized. The aim of Aurubis’ collaborative project with enercity was to use heat exchangers to recover energy from this process, and to put that energy back to use sustainably by funnelling it into the HafenCity district heating network.

High demands on equipment design and materials

Aurubis’ preliminary challenge was that hot water used in this type of district heating scheme needs to have an initial temperature of at least 90°C. As a result, they had to begin by building a completely redesigned intermediate absorption tower, increasing the process temperature of the concentrated sulphuric acid to approximately 120°C, a temperature increase of nearly 50°C.

However, this new intermediate absorption tower added further complications to the already demanding project of designing a heat recovery system involving a substance as challenging as sulphuric acid. The higher process temperature substantially increased the corrosiveness of the medium.

This posed a particularly difficult challenge for the heat exchangers in the project, which needed to be constructed of highly corrosion-resistant materials in addition to being able to handle high pressures and temperatures, and to offer extremely high thermal performance to ensure an efficient transfer of heat from the Aurubis process to the district heating network.

A heat exchanger that’s up to the challenge

Aurubis contacted Alfa Laval, who worked with the copper producer to design customized plate heat exchangers, fully adapted to the demanding process environment. The final system was comprised of eight heat exchangers featuring state-of-the-art channel plate designs. Three of the heat exchangers – the intermediate absorption tower coolers – were semiwelded units, made in Hastelloy D-205 material, a nickel-based alloy that is particularly resistant to sulphuric acid corrosion. D-205 has delivered proven performance at many sulphuric acid plants across the globe since the 1990s. With more than 300 D-205 units installed world-wide, this tried-and-tested material was the obvious choice for ensuring reliable, safe, and efficient operation. The remaining five heat exchanger in the system are fully gasketed plate heat exchangers: three water-water heat exchangers, and two acid-acid interchangers.

Unlike traditional gasketed plate-and-frame heat exchangers, the Alfa Laval semi-welded design is capable of resisting mechanical fatigue in applications with high design pressures and temperatures. The unique plate design also ensures very high thermal efficiency, with a temperature approach as low as 3°C. This means that the water medium used to transfer heat to the district heating network can leave the heat exchanger only a few degrees cooler than the hot acid entering the unit.

Additionally, plate heat exchangers are more compact, allowing for easier, more cost-effective installation in a fraction of the space.

Improving sustainability across several dimensions

Aurubis uses roughly a quarter of the recovered heat from the sulphur dioxide conversion process to support other processes at the smelter. The rest of the heat, corresponding to approximately 160,000 MWh of energy, is fed through the district heating pipeline toward Hamburg’s HafenCity district. Here, the thermal efficiency of the Alfa Laval heat exchanger solution becomes particularly important. Since HafenCity is located on the other side of the Elbe from the Peute Island, the district heating route is more than three kilometres long. Every degree of recovered heat from the process is therefore critical.

Current estimates indicate that, in addition to the what Aurubis uses at the plant site, the recovered heat supplies as many as 8,000 four-person households, as well as area offices, hotels, and a university. As the recovered heat has an effective carbon footprint of zero, the project reduces CO₂ emissions by 20,000 tonnes per year – half of them at Aurubis itself. An additional benefit is that Aurubis no longer needs to rely on cooling water taken from the Elbe River, which further benefits the local ecology.

The German Energy Agency has recognized the project as a “beacon of energy-efficient waste-heat utilization.” And there is still potential to do even more. Currently, only one of the three lines of the Aurubis contact plant supplies industrial waste heat to HafenCity, meaning that 480,000,000 kWh can potentially still be recovered. In the future, this could result in a 140,000 tonne-per-year reduction in CO2 emissions.

Learn more about waste heat recovery: Waste heat recovery | Alfa Laval

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The Südzucker group is a multinational producer of sugar, starch and fruit products based in Germany. With over a hundred years of history, today they produce 3.7 million tons of sugar annually at their beet sugar factories in Germany, France, Belgium, Poland, and Moldavia.
 
The vast majority of beet sugar arrives at the factories over the 120 days of the beet season, which runs from October to January. “At our Longchamps production site in Belgium, 21,000 tonnes of beet are processed into sugar juice every day during this period,” explains Michel Benaets.
 
Not surprisingly, for these four months the production machines run 24 hours a day, requiring a lot of energy usage over a relatively short time. It is during this period that the greatest energy and cost savings are to be realised.

Of course, we want to be sustainable.

“The initiative came from the Belgian plant to reduce costs and energy usage,” Benaets comments. “Of course, as a global company we want to be sustainable, and all our clients want to know what we do in this regard and to work with a company that has effective plans.”

The first step was to find out where the most energy was being consumed.

“We have many sources of high energy usage,” says Benaets, “for example transporting thousands of tons of beet every day requires 3000 Ton/H of water, and moving that around is energy intensive.” In fact, this transportation is the most energy-intensive part of the process. Slicing machines and pressing machines were next on the list.

Identifying energy saving possibilities.

Südzucker cooperated with ABB to introduce tangible improvements in energy efficiency to their production processes at Longchamps. “When we looked at the entire chain,” continues Benaets, “we found the domains where the biggest potential energy savings existed. We identified the slicing machines as having the best savings potential. The results showed that replacing their six old 160kW asynchronous motors would lead to the best improvements.”

We found the biggest potential energy savings.

The decision was made to replace those motors with 134kW ABB SynRM motors which have an energy efficiency rating of IE5. And, to minimize OPEX, they were paired with ACS880 drives to ensure as efficient operation as possible.
 
The motor exchange has resulted in energy savings of 9.14 kWh per machine or 54.84 kWh in total, equivalent a reduction of just under 120 tons in CO₂ emissions. Notable economic benefits have also manifested, resulting in an overall cost reduction of 27.42% for the substation.
 
With such benefits readily available, other companies should seize the opportunity, Benaets says. The main requirement in this regard is to effectively communicate information about the technology and its advantages, and share its successes.
 
“We are very happy with our collaboration with ABB,” Benaets concludes, “and we encourage other companies to explore the available energy efficiency technology.”
 

The post Sweetening the world through energy efficiency appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Using energy in steel production

“Steel is produced in several different ways,” explains Mannisto. “One way is to take iron ore and melt it into iro in a blast furnace. I would say that the blast furnace is the biggest energy consumer in the metals industry.” This consumption is mainly because of the large amounts of coke required to fuel such a furnace.

Smelting old steel for recycling purposes using an electric arc furnace is another method of steel production.

“Then, to form the molten steel into pipes, rods, steel sheets, or whatever product you want, you need to reformulate it. This is done in rolling machines, which use big electric motors that also consume a large amount of electricity,” says Mannisto.

And, furthermore, apart from this equipment there are many auxiliary processes that require lots of energy such as water and flue gas treatment.

 
Identifying efficiency possibilities

“To reduce the CO₂ emissions produced by the metals industry, we have to save a lot of energy and reduce the amount of fossil energy sources that are used,” continues Mannisto. In fact, there are many areas where energy efficiency can be improved.

Small streams together make a big impact.

“Energy efficiency increases can take place for example through electrification. Other methodologies involve digital algorithms to monitor and control energy use. Then of course using the best available technology such as high-efficiency motors and variable speed drives. Even reducing harmonics in the supply network will create small streams, and small streams together will make a big impact.”

Mannisto points out that these are all methods that are available now. But in the long-term the use of fossil fuels is being reduced in favour of hydrogen and other technologies.

Changing priorities in a changing world

In conclusion, Mannisto mentions that the metals industry has enjoyed cheap energy and cheap raw materials for a long time.

We only have one globe, so we have to work together.

“Although the metals industry has been quite traditional, in recent years awareness about environmental issues has risen. Now, of course, energy efficiency and the environment are always on the agenda and more and more companies are realising that we need to do something.”

The best way to create effective change, suggest Mannisto, is to strive for mutual advances in saving costs and resources. “We only have one globe, so we have to work together. ABB work with our customers to make their processes more effective. Let’s keep on going – we have a common goal.”

The post An energy-efficient future for the metals industry appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Beltrame deployed ABB motors and drives in critical processes to great effect. The drives regulate the motors speed in crucial systems such as the water pumping system, reducing energy consumption. Similarly, the drives adjust the suction power of the flue gas extraction system based on furnace activity, conserving energy during low-heat phases. 

ABB drives were also employed in packing lines, further contributing to energy-efficient steel production. Remarkably, the investments in energy-efficient equipment paid for themselves within an average of 18 months. The company succeeded in reducing energy consumption by two to three percent annually at each plant. 

“We have accomplished this through technological evolution and unparalleled attention to efficiency on all fronts,” explains Gianmaria Zanni, Group Energy Manager at Beltrame. “And we were fortunate to choose a partner like ABB. In fact, it was our maintenance and technical people who strongly advised us to select ABB products. We did some testing and found that ABB equipment is more robust and reliable in heavy processes, and in dusty, harsh environments like ours.” 

“That makes a huge difference in a steel plant because reliability is essential. If a drive failed and we had to shut down a furnace or a production cycle, the cost would run to thousands of euros per hour. Our people have also commented that when they need support with ABB products, there’s always someone to talk to. So, if any issues come up, they can sort them out quickly and easily.” 

The post AFV Beltrame leads the way toward energy-efficient steel appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

1. The steel industry is the world’s largest industrial consumer of coal.

The steel industry uses coal to meet 75% of its energy needs. Together, iron and steel making account for about 7% of total global CO₂ emissions.

2. Motor systems in iron and steel plants lose up to 70% of their energy through inefficiencies

In iron and steel plants, motor systems are used to run applications like fans, compressors, pumps and rolling mills. Although these motors systems consume only about 7% of the energy overall, it’s been estimated that up to 70% of the energy consumed by the motors in a steel plant is lost and wasted due to system inefficiencies.

3. Technologies are available to decarbonize steel production

Some technologies are already in use and under development which will help the industry achieve reduce the use fossil fuels in its processes. For example, electric arc furnaces can be used in place of basic oxygen furnaces, while hydrogen can be used as a reducing agent instead of carbon and coke.

4. Modernizing motor systems can lead to significant reductions in energy costs

Applications in iron and steel making often have variable loads, which means that motor systems that rely on mechanical speed control are not operating at their optimum efficiency. By using variable speed drives (VSD) to control motors, these applications can be made much more efficient. For example, adding VSDs to the fans used in a basic oxygen furnace can reduce power demand and the associated costs by about 20%.

The post 4 things about energy efficiency in iron and steel making appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

In this project, ABB was joined by French design and manufacturing company Peme Gourdin, which produces centrifugal pumps for use in water supply networks. The results were impressive.

By producing energy efficient water pumps that used less power and had a longer service life, ABB and Peme Gourdin delivered an estimated 10 percent improvement in the overall electrical performance of water treatment plants.

A further step was to better regulate the pressure in each station and to avoid unnecessary energy consumption, leading to improved water pump efficiency. Pumping stations were reconfigured to account for recent changes in the network, such as the number of dependent households. Where needed, new high-efficiency motors were deployed to accommodate a change in demand. Then came the recalibration exercise, for more than a hundred machines.

Jean-Marc Guibert, President of Peme Gourdin, explains: “In recent years, the theme of energy efficiency has naturally become strategic for our business. It is not only a question of meeting the demands of our customers, but also of assuming our own corporate responsibility in the face of the current climate and energy challenges. We now offer machines that consume less energy and have a longer service life.”

“The results show that the quest for energy efficiency does not necessarily involve replacing all old equipment, but also maintaining and renovating it,” concludes Laure Kleiss, Business Motion Director at ABB France. “This is not a small detail when you consider that the major players in the water sector are now seeking to improve the carbon footprint of their installations, in particular by using longer-lasting machines.”

gments. Through our global presence we are always close to serve our customers. Building on over 130 years of cumulative experience in electric powertrains, we learn and improve every day. go.abb/motion

The post Peme Gourdin improves water pump energy efficiency by 10 percent appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

HVAC systems often account for around 40 percent of commercial buildings’ energy consumption, so developing more energy-efficient HVAC would be a huge step towards IKEA’s sustainability goals. 

With this in mind, the energy efficiency of HVAC systems was targeted for improvement in two of IKEA’s largest stores in Spain (in San Sebastián de los Reyes and Alcorçon). The two stores cover a combined area of approximately 80,000 square meters.  

IKEA took a decisive step to reduce HVAC emissions by installing new, energy-efficient air-conditioning systems optimized with ABB drives. Specifically, IKEA selected HVAC systems equipped with ABB ACH580 and ACH550 drives, and in total ABB has supplied 15 ACH580 low harmonic drives for these systems and a complete package of standard ACH580 and ACH550 drives, with an aggregate power of 600 kilowatts (kW). 

“At IKEA we are committed to sustainability and we strive to minimize the climate footprint of our operations,” explains Qi Kai Sheng, Head of Circularity and Climate Change in the Sustainability Department of IKEA Ibérica. “The implementation of energy efficiency solutions is a basic and vital element to continue growing our business while reducing our carbon footprint. These types of solutions will allow us to be more energy efficient by reducing our consumption, something that brings us a little closer to our aspiration to become a 100% circular business by 2030.” 

Juan Bachiller, Lead Business Manager of ABB in Spain adds: “Energy efficiency has the potential to contribute to reaching 40 percent of the emission reduction targets set in the Paris Agreement, and steps such as those we are taking to improve the HVAC systems of buildings such as these IKEA stores may seem small, but together, applying similar solutions in many buildings, they can represent giant steps towards a much more environmentally sustainable society.” 

The post IKEA boosts HVAC energy efficiency by 25 percent  appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Sustainability at the centre

“The facility is Singapore’s first large scale, dual mode desalination plant built with the ability to treat either seawater or freshwater depending on prevailing weather conditions,” explains Eng Kwang Goh, Executive Director for Project Management and Water Services at Keppel Infrastructure. “The plant was designed with sustainability as a central theme.”

“We aimed to build a plant that is a model of efficiency.”

KMEDP is able to produce about 30 million gallons of freshwater every day. But, since the treatment equipment is located underground, the only thing most people see of the facility is the rooftop park, intended for community recreation.

Within the highly advanced facility, several processes in particular lend themselves to energy savings, in particular desalination. “The process of reverse osmosis through high pressure treatment systems is one of the more energy intensive steps in the water desalination processes,” Goh explains, “and the entire treatment process consumes up to 70% of the total plant power consumption.”

“We are committed to enhancing energy efficiency in our efforts to mitigate climate change.”

Innovative planning and advanced technology have been combined at KMEDP to increase efficiency. “The direct coupling configuration of the ultrafiltration and the reverse osmosis system retains booster pressure, significantly reducing energy consumption by eliminating the need to use booster pumps, and thereby saving 15% of the energy used in a pumping cycle.”

Another example of sustainable planning comes from the compact dissolved air flotation system – a clarification process that uses millions of air bubbles to remove suspended matter from treated water – which reduces the footprint of the plant by 30% alone.

“Variable speed drives and motors have also seen rapid advancement in the past decade,” points out Goh, “with today’s innovative designs delivering energy efficiencies. These technologies together with process optimization could realise reductions of up to 40% in energy consumption.”

Supporting a global agenda

With an increasing global population, greater urbanization, and the growing threat of climate change, providing clean water is ever more vital. And it is easily possible to envisage more sustainable ways of supplying it thanks to projects like KMEDP that provide not only practical benefits but also encourage other companies and industries to follow suit.

“Keppel’s proactive management of our environmental impact enables us to improve resource efficiency, reduce costs and support the global climate change agenda by prioritising innovation and energy efficiency,” Goh concludes. “Keppel is well placed to support Singapore’s push towards a more sustainable water future.”

The post Delivering clean water, sustainably and efficiently appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Here are 4 ways that utilities can save energy throughout their systems.

1. Energy optimization
Variable speed drives (VSDs), such as the ABB ACQ580 for water and wastewater, can include dynamic energy optimization controls that are built-in to the drive. These dynamic controls automatically adapt to changes in the motor load, reducing the energy needed to deliver the required torque. In turn, this reduces the total energy consumption when the system operates below the nominal load. In water and wastewater applications, energy optimization can improve the overall efficiency of a motor and drive system by 2 to 10%. In desalination applications, the energy savings can be between 30 to 60%.

2. Energy monitoring
An important aspect of improving energy efficiency is measuring energy use and the effect of changes to the system – and ensuring that they successfully reduce energy use. VSDs can include this type of energy monitoring function built-in, which enables utilities to follow their energy use and calculate energy savings in kWh, MWh, CO2 emissions and money saved.

3. High efficiency VSD motor packages
Since the demand for water varies during the day, it’s important that pumping systems operate efficiently at partial load. A proven way to improve the partial-load efficiency of a pumping system with a motor is to add a VSD. Because the VSD can directly control the speed and torque of the motor, it ensures that the motor only does the work needed to provide the required flow. This is much more efficient than running a motor at full speed and using valves and throttles to control the flow. On average, using VSDs with high-efficiency motors can lead to energy savings of 25 to 30%.

4. IE5 Synchronous reluctance motors
Many utilities run their older motors until the end of their working life, which can be several decades. However, these older motors are usually a lower efficiency class, like IE3. Upgrading to newer, more efficient motors, can reduce motor losses and further save energy. Each IE class delivers 20% lower losses, meaning that an IE4 motor will have 20% lower losses than an IE3 motor, while a ultra-premium efficiency IE5 motor, like ABB’s IE5 SynRM motors, can reduce total losses by up to 40%. As a result, replacing older motors, even if they are still in working order, can often pay back in just a few years.

The post 4 ways utilities can improve their energy efficiency in the urban water and wastewater cycle appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

MGTC is an agency under the purview of the Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA) mandated to drive the country’s green growth, climate change mitigation and green lifestyle agenda.

Agreement to pave way for mutual sharing of domain knowledge and capacity building activities

The agreement comes at an important juncture given Malaysia’s renewed commitment towards achieving net zero by 2050 at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). It outlines areas for collaboration which includes awareness building; advocating the development of minimum efficiency standards for electric motors; engaging key stakeholders in knowledge sharing dialogues; and establishing partnership networks to help industries identify energy efficient technology and solutions that deliver the greatest value.

R Narayanan, ABB Malaysia’s Country MD and Senior Vice President, Asia, ABB Motion Business Area (right); and Ts. Shamsul Bahar Mohd Nor, Chief Executive Officer, MGTC (left) signed the agreement during an event streamed on the International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM) platform, South East Asia’s largest trade event for green technologies and eco solutions.

“Our commitment to address climate change began even before the Paris Agreement was signed when the country announced its carbon mitigation target at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting in 2009. We have come a long way but more can be done especially in increasing the uptake of energy efficiency,” said Shamsul Bahar.

Increased focus on energy efficiency adoption to contribute to Malaysia’s net zero emissions target

Three national policies, particularly the National Green Technology Policy (NGTP), the National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) and the Green Technology Master Plan (GTMP), sets out a coherent framework to drive the nation’s low-carbon future. In joining the global initiative to combat climate change, Malaysia has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions intensity of GDP by 45 per cent in 2030 based on 2005 emission levels.

“Some of our green measures include our Low Carbon Cities 2030 Challenge to encourage municipalities in Malaysia towards initiating low carbon initiatives in their cities, and our Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint to promote low carbon initiatives in the transport sector. We have seen successes in areas of facilitating green financing in Malaysia, promoting green procurement in public sector via our MyHIJAU Recognition Scheme for green products and services, in addition to the overwhelming response from municipalities in Malaysia to our Low Carbon Cities 2030 Challenge Program. The signing of the MoU with ABB in Malaysia underpins our commitment to the nation’s sustainable future. By collaborating with technology leaders, we hope to broaden our range of strategies to reap the full potential of energy efficiency as a key element in the national energy policy framework,” he added.

“As a Group, ABB in Malaysia is geared towards working with key stakeholders through our four leading business areas namely Electrification, Process Automation, Motion and Robotics & Discrete Automation. Every industry sector is different and ABB’s full portfolio enables us to offer unique solutions that allow local industry players to optimize their processes without causing irreversible damage to the environment,” said R Narayanan.

“The MoU is a cornerstone in our commitment towards energizing the transformation of societies for a sustainable future. Energy efficiency has been regarded as the first fuel to combat climate change by the International Energy Agency. By building a collaborative ecosystem involving governments, investors, industries and businesses, we can influence the biggest shift to accelerate Malaysia’s clean energy revolution,” he concluded.

Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC) is an agency of the Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA) mandated to drive the country in the scope of Green Growth, Climate Change Mitigation and Green Lifestyle. Three national policies, in particular, the National Green Technology Policy (NGTP), the National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) and the Green Technology Master Plan (GTMP), regulated MGTC’s role as a catalyst for green economic growth. MGTC’s initiatives and programs focus on achieving a long-term impact by 2030 with a 45% reduction rate in the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, increasing GDP from green technology by RM 100 billion and generating 230,000 green job opportunities.

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 keeps the world turning – while saving energy every day. We innovate and push the boundaries of technology to enable the low-carbon future for customers, industries and societies. With our digitally enabled drives, motors and services our customers and partners achieve better performance, safety and reliability. We offer a combination of domain expertise and technology to deliver the optimum drive and motor solution for a wide range of applications in all industrial segments. Through our global presence we are always close to serve our customers. Building on over 130 years of cumulative experience in electric powertrains, we learn and improve every day.

Media contact:

MGTC
Intan Syazwani Isa
Phone : +6012 7023110
Email : comms@mgtc.gov.my

ABB Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Nirmala Devi
Phone : +602 5628 4188
Email : nirmala.devi@my.abb.com

The post ABB signs memorandum with GreenTech Malaysia for energy efficiency collaboration appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

But SCA’s operators understood that improving the efficiency of those motors could save a significant amount of energy. To identify where improvements could be made, they needed to better understand how the motors performed. So SCA contracted ABB to collect and analyze data from its motor-installed base before making expert recommendations. 

The solution selected for the task, ABB Ability Condition Monitoring, enables the secure collection of data within different parameters over time. It is tailored to a facility’s specific operation and gathers data on temperature, operational patterns, stress levels, and more. The collected data can be analyzed and used to pinpoint opportunities to improve energy efficiency, reliability, and uptime, as well as enabling predictive maintenance.  

Motors that do not meet energy-efficiency requirements can often be recycled and upgraded with new, more efficient models, lowering carbon emissions and energy consumption. In addition to energy savings, the motor-recycling process adds significant environmental benefits: securing the return of metals into the market saves a considerable amount of carbon emissions, energy, and water.  

With the help of ABB’s digital solutions, SCA is now able to unlock deep, data-led insights into its industrial production processes. This once hidden information holds tremendous value, enabling SCA to cut costs, improve energy efficiency, and bring down carbon emissions.  

“SCA’s objective is to improve energy efficiency through efficiency enhancements of at least 50 GWh per year based on the company’s energy consumption in 2020,” explains Anders Kyösti, Technical Manager at SCA Munksund. “Electrical motors account for a large part of our energy consumption. Given higher energy prices and the trend towards electrification, optimizing energy use will become even more important in the future. Information gained through monitoring and analysis is extremely helpful in increasing our energy efficiency.” 

“Through data and analysis, the true use of the electrical motors is evaluated. The real utilization in time and power output is revealed, and thereby also the total power consumption. It enables us to very precisely suggest a replacement motor and quantify the annual energy savings as well as the reduction of reactive energy consumption,” adds Peter J. Isberg, ABB Motion Services Digital Lead, Sweden.  

The post Digital insights speed SCA toward energy savings of 50 gigawatt hours per year  appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

1. Data-driven decision making

Before you make investment decisions to reduce energy costs, you first need to know how and where your energy is being used. However, in many industries, it is still common for electricity usage to be assessed based on the energy bill for the whole facility. In contrast, digital solutions can help you assess the energy use of electrical motion equipment, like motors, generators and drives, and identify potential energy savings and CO₂ reductions. The real data obtained, when combined with the service expertise needed to analyze it, can support you in making better decisions.

2. Identify inefficiencies

Digital solutions can also be used to identify inefficiencies. In services that focus on energy efficiency, data about energy use is continuously gathered from connected motors, generators and drives, as well as other electrical components. Expert service partners can look deeper into this data to pinpoint inefficiencies and critical areas for improvement. They can then calculate how much energy and money you could potentially save by, for example, modernizing motor systems or adding variable speed drives. Your service partner can also support you by implementing the recommended energy efficiency solutions and services to deliver substantial energy efficiency gains and reduction in CO₂ emissions.

3. Flexible business models

Depending on your needs, service providers can also offer energy efficiency solutions using different business models. For example, they may offer turnkey solutions with clear energy efficiency goals that are executed at an agreed time, date and price. Or they may offer service agreements that include multiyear execution and operational support, while sharing the responsibility to gradually improve the energy efficiency of your equipment over time and maximizing the value you get from your assets. These are examples of flexible business models that can be tailored to your operations.

In the future, outcome-based business models will also become available. These are the next step in the evolution of digital services. With this type of business model, you will buy a longer-term outcome, rather than short-term actions. Together with your service partner you will use insights from existing data to specify and agree targets and KPIs. Then the service partner will take responsibility for delivering the agreed outcomes and avoiding risks. In this way, outcome-based business models will help companies reach their goals. It is expected that these types of new business models will also be applied to energy efficiency goals.

Digital monitoring solutions enabled a cement factory to save costs and improve the efficiency of their fan systems in just 3 months.

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The Interim Report

An interview series explores current trends and key challenges around the topic of developing energy efficient businesses towards a more sustainable world.
Read more

Reliable operations and energy efficiency with digital solutions

Fran Scott, science presenter and engineering enthusiast, interviews Mari E. Haapala, Digital Lead at ABB Motion, about the many ways that energy efficiency can be improved using digital solutions, through data insights and service expertise.

There are three main mechanisms for improving energy efficiency: we can change old, inefficient motors for new ones, use variable speed drives, and monitor and optimize assets with digital solutions.

All three mechanisms offer significant opportunities. In particular, through the collection and analysis of accurate data, customers can be advised on how best to improve their energy efficiency in the future, and what kind of modifications must be made to that end.

Although transitioning to a digital business model might seem daunting, ABB’s digital solutions provide an easy way for companies to benefit from new technologies without requiring significant investment. Decades of expertise enable the accurate analysis of collected data, providing guidance for maintenance work and information on the energy efficiency of assets.

The post 3 ways digital solutions can reduce energy costs appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

“Improving energy efficiency is an ideological change.”

Good business and environmental sense

Reducing the amount of energy we use in critical processes is an excellent way to reduce the environmental impact of operations. It also makes good business sense. Shareholders are demanding more corporate responsibility at the same time as regulations require companies to commit and adhere to emission targets. And cutting energy use reduces costs.

“Improving energy efficiency in their real estate is something most big companies have on their agenda,” explains Stefan Beretitsch, Global Head of Green Real Estate at ABB. “This is an ideological change.”

Jenny Björkman, Head of Real Estate at ABB Motion agrees. “New regulations are forcing companies to reduce their energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions,” she says.

Opportunities depend on the particular facility

Different facilities have different requirements and opportunities regarding energy investment. For example, old HVAC systems are inefficient, often equipped with low efficiency motors that should be upgraded. And while a lot of heat can be generated from production processes, that heat is frequently not reused. On the other hand, the large rooftops present in many industrial facilities are the perfect place to put PV modules and generate energy on-site.

In addition to basic elements which can reduce the running costs of a building, such as good thermal insulation, modern buildings can benefit from building management systems. With these systems, the energy requirements of the building are automatically adjusted to adapt to actual needs. For example, lights can be turned off when no one is using a room, air flow and heating can be reduced at weekends or lunch breaks, or blinds can be closed when the windows are in direct sunlight.

Even in sites not directly owned by ABB, the company is involved in improving energy efficiency. “As a tenant we also put pressure on our landlords to make sure that our leased sites are energy efficient while working to improve our own sites. It is important for all owners of real estate assets to be able to provide energy efficient buildings in the future,” explains Björkman.

Identifying potential energy savings

With pressure to adopt new best practices, it is not always easy to identify the best places to make energy savings when managing large property portfolios. Adopting a structured approach is needed in order to make suitable choices regarding energy conservation measures.

“Concentrating on low-hanging fruit is not the answer.”

“Concentrating on low-hanging fruit like changing to LED lightbulbs is not the answer,” Beretitsch says. “Soon we will reach the point where there are no such fruits left, and we need to do more to better efficiency.”
As a large global company, ABB owns hundreds of sites worldwide. ABB Real Estate oversees the management of these facilities, and part of their remit is to increase energy efficiency.

“We have a wide range of sites, some are very old with little or no documentation, so it can be a challenge to get a clear idea of the technical infrastructure.”

Nonetheless, between 2018 and 2020, over $8 million in savings were realized through energy savings programs at ABB sites, and greenhouse gas emissions were cut by 19.5 kilotons per year.

ABB’s Green Real Estate adopts a modular approach which gives the company the opportunity to identify energy savings potentials at their sites.

At any given site, the total energy consumption may be known but not how much usage each element is responsible for. Therefore, the first step in improving energy efficiency is to analyse the energy structure and identify the main components, their condition, and how much energy they consume. With this information, benchmarks can be created, and energy and emission reduction goals set.

Analysing potential with Rapid Energy Reviews

To assist in this analysis, ABB introduced a new tool in 2020 – the Rapid Energy Review (RER). Local specialists with expertise in energy efficiency topics and knowledge of the location help detect energy savings potential.

“The results from completed RERs have identified an average energy savings potential of 15% and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 18%,” Björkman explains. With such savings come a payback time of less than one year compared to the costs of the RER service.

Energy savings of 15% and reduced greenhouse gas emissions

“We provide support with the processes to Real Estate departments in different countries,” says Beretitsch, “but we don’t reinvent the wheel at each site. We create a dynamic calculation for these kinds of investments, including the effects of future energy prices.”

With a clear idea of a site’s energy structure, the second step concentrates on short- and medium-term investments. Through optimizing, upgrading and metering components and sub-systems, immediate improvements can be seen.

“The building technology is the next level of savings,” continues Beretitsch, “including things like ventilation systems, HVAC, and heat recovery. These are the main topics that appear in our reviews.”

The third and final step of the process is to focus on the entire energy system. The ultimate goal is to develop emission-free sites through long-term investments.

Walking the energy efficiency talk

The introduction of ABB’s smart products is a key part of the GRE approach. Through connected assets, data is collected and analysed in ABB Ability’s energy management solutions. These platforms deliver valuable insights and enable the introduction of effective energy management strategies.

“At ABB, we are walking the talk,” concludes Björkman. “As a company we have made binding commitments regarding achieving carbon neutrality. And we use our own technology to do so. Increasing energy efficiency in real estate needs time and investment, but we are happy to see different stakeholders engaging in energy efficiency improvements together.”

The post Real Estate, Real Energy Savings appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Commits to five percent energy efficiency improvement in operations by 2023 compared to 2020.

Recognizing the critical role that energy efficiency can play to decarbonize industry, Alfa Laval has made this public commitment to improve its own processes, in production, service and products. It includes setting the target of improving energy efficiency – measured in terms of megawatt-hours (MWh) consumed for each direct hour of operation – by five percent by 2023 compared to 2020. The announcement was made during an Alfa Laval event held at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.

Launched in March of 2021 by ABB, the #energyefficiencymovement is a multi-stakeholder initiative to raise awareness and initiate action in order to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions to combat climate change. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), energy efficiency can deliver a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of more than 40 percent over the next 20 years, with 50 percent of that reduction coming from the industrial sector.

“We are very happy to join this important movement,” said Thomas Møller, President of the Energy Division at Alfa Laval. “Our innovative and proven solutions make a big difference. The challenge is to change the norms and drive the implementation of the technology in a wider and broader scale together with partners.”

“We appreciate Alfa Laval taking a stand on energy efficiency and joining the movement,” said Morten Wierod, President of ABB Motion. “Their commitment is inspiring and makes a real difference as businesses strive to help humanity reach a net-zero future.”

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

This is Alfa Laval

Alfa Laval is a world leader in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling, and is active in the areas of Energy, Marine, and Food & Water, offering its expertise, products, and service to a wide range of industries in some 100 countries. The company is committed to optimizing processes, creating responsible growth, and driving progress to support customers in achieving their business goals and sustainability targets.

Alfa Laval’s innovative technologies are dedicated to purifying, refining, and reusing materials, promoting more responsible use of natural resources. They contribute to improved energy efficiency and heat recovery, better water treatment, and reduced emissions. Thereby, Alfa Laval is not only accelerating success for its customers, but also for people and the planet. Making the world better, every day.

Alfa Laval has 16,700 employees. Annual sales in 2020 were SEK 41.5 billion (approx. EUR 4 billion). The company is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

www.alfalaval.com

For more information please contact:

Media Relations
Shawn Traylor
Phone: + 1 864 281 2171
Email: shawn.traylor@us.abb.com

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An increasingly popular approach involves combined heating and cooling (CHC). Oilon produces combined, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, such as the ChillHeat heat pump. This eliminates the need for multiple types of equipment.  

Oilon deliveries of industrial heat pumps increased by 90 percent in just two years, and the company is quadrupling production to address the growing market. As Finland’s coal power stations are brought offline, heat pumps – which can generate heat even from cold, five-degree sea water – present a sustainable alternative.  

Oilon has selected ABB variable speed drives (VSDs) for its energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. These essential components can adjust the compressor’s speed to exactly suit the load.  

“A heat pump must be able to handle different load and temperature conditions. Frequency converter control enables precise control and a large partial capacity range,” Martti Kukkola, Chief Business Officer at Oilon, explains. “Our reasons for choosing ABB are reliability, an extensive range, and equipment that is functional from a techno-economic perspective.” 

“As a technology leader, we want to be the trailblazer for energy efficiency, and by cooperating with partners, we can do more and have a greater influence in this area. It is valuable to be able to build a more sustainable future with Oilon and Helen by combining Finnish innovation expertise,” adds Mika Männistö, Sales Director, ABB Motion Finland. 

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Rising temperatures increase energy demands

As the mean temperature in many countries increases, these applications will be more in demand, resulting in higher energy usage. However, because cooling systems use motors and drives, it is possible to control the temperature while avoiding wasted energy through the latest energy-efficient technology.

For example, in India, where the average annual temperature is expected to rise by 4°C by the end of the century, ABB’s customer Advance Techno Systems designs and manufactures industrial chillers that utilise the latest motors and drives.

“Our company slogan is Economy with Technical Excellence. This also relates to efficiency,” Vinod Limaye, Managing Director of ATS, says. “If you compare the very old technology with the new, by using various instruments and sensors, today we are achieving around 23% power savings.”

Generally, chillers comprise an expansion valve, an evaporator, a compressor, and a condenser. Motors and drives are used to push a refrigerant from the compressor through the condenser, and to pump water or air from there through the valve to the evaporator. Improving individual components in chillers is a good start.

“By analysing the energy usage of each part, we can achieve an overall reduction in energy usage,” says Limaye. “For example, we developed an evaporating condenser that uses 70% less energy than the alternative.”

Because cooling units normally run non-stop, ensuring that only the required amount of energy is used can make a huge difference in costs and efficiency. Traditionally, industrial chillers have operated with stop-start condensers and evaporator fans, sometimes enhanced with two-speed operation.

Using the right amount of energy

While this was acceptable for decades, modern awareness of the need to reduce energy consumption and increase the sustainability of operations has led to variable speed drives (VSDs) and more efficient motors like ABB’s SynRM being introduced. VSDs adjust the speed of the motor depending on load requirements, so only as much energy as is necessary is used. This also reduces equipment stress, cuts maintenance costs, and extends service intervals.

“With VSDs we can achieve the exact temperatures required by our customers,” Limaye explains. “This is important in chillers because reducing the temperature in the condenser by one degree requires an increase in energy of about 2.75%. By introducing certain components into the process, we can achieve a 12% energy saving compared to other products on the market.”

Because refrigeration and cooling systems are so important to our way of life, making their future operation as sustainable as possible is hugely important. Keeping our drinks cold in the future is possible through the continued adoption of newer, more energy efficient technologies in the industry.

The post Keeping cool and saving energy appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

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Read the white paper

To meet sustainability targets we need to move to more energy efficient means of food and beverage production and reduce waste. The technology to do so exists today.
Read the white paper

1. Assess energy use in your facility

In order to save energy, you have to know how efficiently it is used. But in large facilities with thousands of motors and drives in operation, identifying specific potential savings is difficult. Energy appraisals such as those offered by ABB Motion Services identify how much energy is used in different areas of a facility, and even in individual components, among other data.

After an expert in energy efficiency undertakes a thorough assessment of a process, the most effective ways to implement energy efficiency measures – and thereby reduce costs – are suggested. This service also has the advantages of improving reliability and uptime.

2. Use variable speed drives and energy efficient motors to control processes that run at partial load

Applications such as fans, pumps, and conveyor belts are frequently among the least efficient in a facility. The problem is that they often run at partial load, where the needs of the operation require less energy than is actually used. For example, a pump might run constantly at full speed, using mechanical valves to control the flow rate. The motor is therefore working harder than it needs to.

Variable speed drives (VSDs), on the other hand, control the speed and torque of an electric motor, reducing or increasing them depending on the load requirements. This increases the efficiency of the application and reduces the need for oversized motors. Typically, the addition of a VSD to a fan, pump or compressor can result in a reduction in energy usage of 25%.

3. Prevent food waste

Globally, around 14% of food produced is lost before it reaches the retail stage. In the EU, an estimated 20% of the total food produced is lost or wasted. Naturally, this is a huge source of CO₂ emissions and inefficient energy usage. While food wastage has many causes, inefficient production methods and inadequate storage or transport are important contributors.

The use of VSDs, among other measures, can help improve production efficiency, both in terms of energy and wastage. Maintaining appropriate speeds for optimum product quality in processes such as mixing, and ensuring the solidity of the cold chain required to keep food fresh, for example, help lower energy usage and improve the sustainability of the processes.

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1. Change the way we live and consume
2. Improve energy efficiency
3. Switch to clean energy
4. Boost carbon capture – natural and technological

We will need all of the above. The extent to which we need to rely on the first category depends on how well we are able to implement measures in categories 2-4.

Last week, I participated in a TIME magazine panel discussion with Jennifer Anderson from Lazard Asset Management, Julien Gennetier from Alfa Laval, and Brian Motherway from the IEA, with Mark Barton as our moderator. We focused on energy efficiency as one of the key levers for combatting climate change. Watch the whole TIME magazine panel discussion, Leading with Technology, a part of The Sustainability Series.

Energy efficiency is not an if, it’s a must. It is a simple and impactful solution to a very complex existential crisis. It’s the low-hanging fruit we need to bridge our path to a carbon-free future where all energy is clean energy. It is a low-hanging fruit because a lot of the technologies and products needed to improve energy efficiency globally already exist today. We just need to take them into use.

What then is holding us back, preventing us from doing what is needed to preserve the planet for future generations? I think nothing, actually.

I see that the change is already happening. Our customers and partners are asking us at ABB how we can help them reduce energy usage and carbon emissions, and we are doing our best to deliver and to further push the boundaries of technology for greater energy efficiency.

As we heard from Jennifer Anderson in our panel discussion, investors are putting more and more emphasis on how the companies they are investing in are taking climate change and the environment into consideration.

And as the IEA World Energy Outlook 2021 report clearly states, clean energy technology is today a major area for investment, employment, and collaboration. A clean energy revolution is overdue.

What do we need in order to speed up the transition? I think we citizens and businesses need a bit of tough love from our political leaders – clear boundaries and direction to protect the planet and humans on it.
There needs to be a price tag for polluting the atmosphere. Polluting can’t be free of charge. Once that’s in place, I am an optimist. I believe market dynamics and the adaptability and innovative power of humans will take care of the rest.

World leaders have a perfect opportunity in four weeks as they are getting together for COP26 in Glasgow. The meeting has the potential to change the direction of our planet. It can show us a way out of the climate crisis. It can define how we are able to:

1. minimize the carbon footprint as fast as possible.
2. empower people and businesses to act.
3. keep the wheels of the world turning even if the population is growing and living standards improving simultaneously.

We need the right regulations and incentives. We need governments, investors, businesses, individuals all to do their part. There is a big KPI on the line – the future of the planet and the humans on it.

We humans have grown to be the dominant species on earth. As a negative side-effect of our growth, we have put an unsustainable amount of stress on our planet. We have the power – It’s up to us to decide how to use it. I for one am ready for a change for the better.

The post The measure of a man is what he does with power — Plato (428/427–348/347 B.C.E.) – A call to action for COP26 appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Metsä Board selected ABB’s most efficient solution, SynRM motor-drive packages, to replace the old motors. Compared with the IE2-rated induction motors, the SynRM models achieve 60 percent lower losses.  

Compared with the existing motors, each SynRM motor saves an average of 13,900 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year. The six motors, combined with ABB ACS880 drives, save more than 83,000 kWh per year – the equivalent amount of electricity used to power approximately four Swedish households.  

These energy savings mean that the motors are also more cost-effective to operate. The cost of upgrading to high-efficiency models pays for itself in just 18 months.  

“We want to be at the forefront of the industry in this regard. Metsä Group has a visionary view of achieving low energy consumption, and the most effective way to achieve our self-sufficiency targets is to use less energy while producing the same amount of product. That is why the SynRM project is important: by choosing energy-efficient motors, we get higher availability and lower energy consumption at the same time,” explains Elias Agrell, Automation Engineer at Husum.  

“Replacing the older DC-motor with efficient IE5-motors offers great energy savings and a short payback time for the investment,” says Stellan Rosenquist, Product Marketing Manager at ABB Motion, Sweden. Additionally, the lower losses in the motors will decrease the temperature rise, and increase service intervals, and the overall lifetime. In summary, this investment lowers the total life cycle cost for the owner.” 

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By the end of 2020, the manufacturing sector was the second largest energy user in Indonesia, behind the fuel-intensive transportation sector, according to the Industry Ministry. Industry demand for electricity will clearly not disappear and will instead continue to rise steeply to support the development of digital infrastructure and expedite the implementation of the Making Indonesia 4.0 roadmap, a central point in Indonesia’s strong commitment to Industry 4.0.

Energy efficiency in Indonesia’s manufacturing sector

The guarantee of a sufficient and reliable power capacity is of great importance in promoting growth in Indonesia’s manufacturing sector. Unless there is an extraordinary situation such as major disasters or a pandemic, cutting down on electricity consumption is obviously out of the question as Indonesia strives to boost national production capacity and increase its exports-to-GDP ratio from below 10 percent currently.

While expectations are currently being realigned due to Covid-19, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has projected that the overall demand for electricity will rise by 4.9 percent annually until 2030, lower than the previous estimate of 6.4 percent. A total of 41 GW of power is expected to top up the 71 GW (as at June 2020) of installed capacity by 2030, with nearly half of it to come from renewable sources.

Energy efficiency measures lower costs and reduce carbon footprints

Energy procurement costs will continue to be one of the primary operational expenses that must be borne by companies. Efficiency measures through investment in and implementation of advanced technologies are thus becoming necessities, not only to lower costs but also to reduce carbon footprints from increased industrial activities.

Realizing sustainability with energy efficient solutions

When inadequately mitigated, a fast-evolving economy and growing manufacturing sector may risk putting more strains on the environment. Globally, industry accounts for 37 percent of energy use and 29 percent of CO₂ emissions, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) in its Tracking Industry report in 2020.

The shift to renewables is important to alleviate ecological impacts from increased power consumption

It is reassuring that the Indonesian government also considers low carbon development in planning its economy. The shift toward renewables that Indonesia is attempting now, for instance, is important to alleviate the inadvertent ecological impacts from a significant rise in power production and consumption in the future.

While the transition is still underway, priorities should also be allocated to encourage wider adoption of energy efficient initiatives and technologies to ensure there is sufficient, affordable, and sustainable energy reserves in the long run. As a large percentage of all industrial electrical energy use goes to powering electric motors, switching to energy efficient motors is obviously key to reducing energy use and carbon emissions.

Additionally, the utilization of smart, variable speed drives designed to run motors based on certain needs at a specific time – instead of at full speed all the time – has been found to help reduce energy consumption by 20-50 percent, according to an ABB independent study. Through an economic lens, the implementation of energy efficiency measures by Indonesian companies had saved up to Rp3.5 trillion in costs in 2019, the Industry Ministry has said.

Tackling challenges

The aforementioned ABB research showed that if all of the roughly 300 million industrial electric motors in active service today were replaced with higher-efficiency models and equipped with drives, global energy consumption could be reduced by up to 10 percent. Such a reduction would contribute to the 40 percent of total greenhouse gas emission reductions in 2040 that matches the target set in the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

Encouraging businesses to make the swap to energy efficient technologies in parallel with its highly promising move to decarbonize its power generation sector appears to be a no-brainer for Indonesia. These steps are beneficial in meeting Indonesia’s pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 29-41 percent by 2030.

As the country is currently ranked among the world’s biggest producers of greenhouse gas emissions, which also have a large impact on global warming, every measure to help make Indonesia’s pledge comes true is important and critical in fighting climate change. The energy efficient solutions and technologies that are required are already available. All it takes now is a strong joint commitment and concerted efforts by all stakeholders to ensure continued progress and achieve its climate-resilient vision of growth.

References

Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS)

International Energy Agency (IEA) in its Tracking Industry report in 2020

WHITE PAPER: Achieving the Paris Agreement, The vital role of high-efficiency motors and drives in reducing energy consumption

https://new.abb.com/news/detail/75020/abb-urges-greater-adoption-of-high-efficiency-motors-and-drives-to-combat-climate-change-global-electricity-consumption-to-be-reduced-by-10

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Since its first race in Beijing in 2014, ABB Formula E has served up speedy entertainment for fans around the world with 12 teams competing in the 2020-21 series. The “E” stands for electric, meaning that cars cannot use any other type of energy to power themselves. But while it is a lot of fun, there is a deeper purpose to the series, in promoting sustainable mobility and ultimately helping to counteract climate change. These goals are shared by the companies involved. “The involvement of Porsche in Formula E is part of the global strategy of the manufacturer,” says Champenois.

One of the company’s long-term plans is to have a CO2-neutral value chain by 2030. “A key part of the company’s strategy is electrifying road cars,” he explains. Porsche’s first hybrid racing car was released in 2010 as the GT3 R, and since then several more have been manufactured, such as the 919 Hybrid, which won the 24 hours of Le Mans endurance race three times. For regular consumers, hybrids like the Cayenne and Panamera are available, along with the Porsche Taycan, the manufacturer’s first fully electric vehicle, available since 2019.

“If you don’t manage your energy, you don’t finish the race.”

Even if the cars used in ABB Formula E have much higher specifications than road cars, the principles governing their construction are broadly the same. “If you don’t manage your energy, you don’t finish the race,” says Champenois. “What we do in Formula E is try and maximize our performance to be the quickest at the finish line with the defined amount of energy, which is quite comparable with road cars where you want to extend your range with a given amount of electricity.”

As might be expected even by the layman, developing electric cars is not an easy process despite the steps made so far. Potential difficulties for electric road cars become much more pronounced in the world of high-performance racing. One particularly striking statistic is that ABB Formula E cars use a vastly smaller amount of energy when racing compared to petrol-drive cars. “We have to do a race with the equivalent of six litres of petrol in terms of energy,” Champenois points out, while a Formula 1 car can use up to 150 litres of fuel per race: a huge difference.

Optimizing energy efficiency bit-by-bit

Unsurprisingly, when trying to wring the best possible performance out of a relatively small amount of energy, energy efficiency has a particularly important role to play. Champenois states that power train efficiency, energy efficiency and management, and the software in use all need to be considered. While the software issue is of particular importance in racing, the power train and energy efficiency elements are equally vital for road cars. “The idea of Formula E is really to push the development of technologies which can be relevant to the road cars of the future, and that is directly connected to road car development.” He also points out that different types of cars need to be optimized in different ways – driving a car on a racetrack is quite distinct from driving in a city centre.

Clearly, ABB Formula E racing cars are extremely efficient – more than 95% of the power generated is used to create movement, compared with just 65% in Formula 1 cars – but as technology advances even more gains are to be made. “The current Gen 2 car is being pushed to its limits. The big step is when we go to Gen 3. With the car that is under development now we will be able to recuperate energy under braking on both axles, at the front and at the rear, meaning a big step in energy efficiency.”

“Energy is not an unlimited resource.”

Although the racing team’s immediate goal is success in the championship, there is the hope that the technology being developed will encourage other manufacturers on the path to a more sustainable industry. “We all know energy is not an unlimited resource, and as engineers we have to develop technologies that push the world to better utilisation of this energy,” Champenois concludes.

“Energy efficiency is really one of the key aspects of the drive towards sustainability. Small increments in a few areas can make a big difference, so I would say keep pushing for those small increments, and all-in-all they will make a big difference in the future.”

The post Driving energy efficiency appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Model Group operates two of these mighty machines at its main Swiss facility in Weinfelden. These machines generate paper for corrugated cardboard production, which takes place in the same factory.

The production of paper is energy intensive. In addition to the electrical energy needed to drive the machines, a lot of heat is required. “We get it as steam via a three-kilometer pipe from the Weinfelden waste incineration plant,” explains Philipp Lenhard, technical manager at the facility. “If we were to generate this heat ourselves, we would have to burn around 20 million liters of heating oil a year.” With such large amounts of energy required, increasing efficiency would result in substantial energy and economic savings.

Sustainability in the DNA

Sustainability is to a large extent in the DNA of Model Group, as recycled fibers from paper and cardboard are largely the starting materials for its products. In Weinfelden, recycled cardboard and paper is used as the starting material, which is first cleaned of any contaminated material in several steps.

The powerful second paper machine of the Model AG facility in Weinfelden was retrofitted for better efficiency.

“Recycling and energy-efficient production have the highest priority for us – from an ecological as well as an economic point of view,” says Lenhard. This priority also applied to the renewal of the drive systems for paper machine two in Weinfelden. Previously installed components were reaching the end of their technical life expectancy. Frequency converters suffered from a lack of spare parts, while the motors dated from 1991 and required extensive overhauling – a cost avoided with the retrofitting.

“When planning the retrofit, it was clear to us that energy efficiency was an important element when choosing a provider,” says Lenhard.

This planning had to take into account tight time frames. The machine basically runs non-stop, and only stands still for a longer time in the summer, but for just six days. During this short period, the new components had to be ready on site, installed, and put into operation.

In a first step, the frequency converters were replaced in summer 2019 with the latest ABB ACS880 Multidrives. Then, in the summer of 2020, a total of 36 electric motors were replaced with the most efficient IE4-class models, also from ABB.
“The offer from ABB was very convincing, technically speaking. And we already had reason to value the support we have received from their experts in the past, from configuration to commissioning,” Lenhard points out.

900 meters of paper per minute

The corona pandemic brought new challenges to the planning for the 2020 engine retrofit, but these were well handled. “We exchanged ideas through virtual meetings, and via tracking we were also able to see where the goods were on their delivery route. For us it was of the utmost importance that all the motors were here on time, otherwise we would have lost a year.”

“Recycling and energy-efficient production have the highest priority for us.”

Delivery and commissioning worked as planned. Paper machine two was able to start up again in August 2020 – quieter and more economical than before. “According to our calculations, we can save up to nearly 900,000 kilowatt hours a year with the energy-efficient motors and converters.” This is about the same amount of energy consumed by 200 single-family houses.

Today the 2.5-meter-wide paper web runs through paper machine two at some 900 meters per minute, although the new drive solutions are capable of running at a speed of one kilometer per minute. In addition, the new motors run at only 1,000 rpm – 33 per cent less than previously. This has made it possible to optimize or eliminate gears, thereby significantly reducing friction.

The final result of the retrofit is increased production speed, significant energy savings, and a return on investment (ROI) of five years at most.

Model Group

Model Group develops, produces, and supplies high-quality packaging made of solid and corrugated cardboard, from simple transport packaging to highly refined chocolate and perfume boxes. The group has subsidiaries in eight countries. The main markets include Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Poland, Benelux, Austria, France, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The company’s headquarters are in Weinfelden, Switzerland.

www.modelgroup.com

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By implementing new technologies and industry best-practices, energy efficiency can be improved by up to 30%.

Globally, electric motors account for almost 70% of electricity used in industrial applications. And 45% of the world’s electricity is used to power electric motors in buildings and industrial processes, including data centers, steel factories, food processing plants, and packaging centers. Unfortunately, most of the electric motors installed in these facilities are outdated and inefficient. This means that most businesses which rely on motors could cut their energy costs now, simply by modernizing their motors systems.

By implementing new technologies and industry best-practices, energy efficiency can be improved by up to 30%.

Only pay for the energy you need

When added to an existing motor of a pump, fan or compressor, a variable speed drive can typically reduce power consumption by 25%.

About 70% of industrial motors are used to power fans, pumps and compressors. Most of these operate at partial load, with the motor running at full speed while the speed or flow of the application is controlled mechanically using brakes, throttles or valves. In contrast, using a variable speed drive to control motor speed and torque directly, prevents energy being wasted by mechanical speed or flow control. This means that the motor system will only use the amount of electricity that is actually needed, when it’s needed, and no more.

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Read the white paper

Global electricity consumption could be cut by as much as 10 percent through the adoption of highly energy efficient IE5 motor technology, especially when replacing obsolete equipment. Changing only one motor can make a difference.
Read the white paper

Ensure future compliance

Upgrading to the most efficient motor technology available will help ensure future compliance.

Regulations are in place to help drive industry to update the installed base, however, these regulations typically specify the minimum acceptable energy efficiency standards. In fact, the latest available motor technology is already significantly more efficient than regulations require. For example, in the US, NEMA actively supports adoption of Premium efficiency motors (equivalent to IE3) to improve efficiency throughout the market. However, ABB’s EC Titanium technology delivers ultra-premium efficiency (equivalent to IE5), which is considerably more efficient than the minimum requirements, and it delivers 40% lower losses than Premium efficiency motors.

Since energy efficiency regulations are likely to get tighter over the upcoming years, it makes sense to upgrade motors to more than the minimum standards in advance. This will enable easier compliance, as well as bringing clear energy and cost savings.

Benefit from overall life time savings

Upgrading technology now will pay back in savings for the rest of the application life cycle.

Although many older motors are still in good working order, they are built to meet older, outdated efficiency standards. This means that the whole system is running at a lower than optimum efficiency level, which will continue to add unnecessary costs throughout the lifetime of the application. As a result, it is well worthwhile updating a working motor to improve system efficiency before the end of its working life. The long-term savings far outweigh the initial costs and, in fact, the initial investment can often be paid back in as little as one to three years.

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ABB Motion’s Sustainability Challenge 2021 put future engineers to the test

The competition – open to Swedish University and College students – was themed ‘Developing the most sustainable solution for a better world’. Launched in April, the contest brief pointed out that ‘the energy that does not need to be consumed has the least environmental impact’, a message that Carl took to heart while developing his entry.

“Being creative on demand was a challenge,” he says, “but I found that it was possible to work around this issue by inverting the problem. If you instead investigate reasons not to use energy efficiently, you have an easier time locating possible sources of the problem.” One issue that can prevent uptake of more efficient motors is the cost.

Carl’s solution, called “Charge per Energy”, seeks to reduce the number of inefficient motors connected to the grid. The idea is to charge customers a fee per megawatt hour for the use of an electric motor, rather than needing to purchase one themselves, thereby transferring the financial risk to ABB and ensuring that more energy efficient motors reach the market as quickly as possible.

“The fee per megawatt hour can be adjusted to ensure that the customer’s running costs remain unchanged,” explains Carl. “At the same time, the customer gets greater value for money as the new motors will have a higher availability factor.” Replacing inefficient motors has a great effect, helping to reduce energy usage and carbon emissions.

Engagement and opportunity

ABB Motion’s Sustainability Challenge aims to engage students with the pressing issue of energy efficiency. “When a third of all electricity consumption is spent on driving motors in the world, it is of the highest priority that we use as energy-efficient motors, generators and drive systems as possible”, says David Bjerhag, Regional Division Manager, ABB Motors & Generators.

36 entries were submitted, of which ten were chosen as finalists. “This has been a really fun competition and a great way to have an exciting dialogue with students who are passionate about future energy solutions,” Bjerhag continues. “Carl’s competition entry is both innovative and implementable and shows a deeper thinking linked to business systems that facilitates transactions between the parties”.

Carl, who studies Energy Systems as part of his Master’s degree in Engineering, will start a summer job at ABB Motion in Västerås, Sweden as part of his award for winning the competition.

Carl believes it is possible to ‘engineer’ our way out of an environmental crisis, so his fellow students have a major role to play in improving sustainability. “Many talented engineers are educated each year and I am confident that the next generation of engineers will be the source of many new innovations and ideas.”

However, he adds, “It will require great effort and lots of multi-disciplinary research to ensure that solutions, which at first glance may appear good, do not further accelerate the crisis. The solutions that will take us out of the crisis also need to be cost effective, as they will otherwise have a hard time in a market economy. The Energy Efficiency Movement is a good initiative showing how you can build good businesses around efficient use of energy.”

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Electric trains are one of the most efficient modes of transport available and even when trains are powered by fossil fuels, they are still significantly more efficient than cars and trucks. For this reason, many countries and regions are investing heavily in their rail networks. For example, 2021 is “The European Year of Rail”. This is an EU initiative to promote rail as a sustainable, smart, and safe means of transport. Currently, the EU is calling for massive investments in energy efficiency, and it aims to decarbonize transport, and to promote and support a shift to rail use by both passengers and freight. 

Indeed, around the world, trillions of dollars are being invested over the next decade to improve rail networks in countries including China, India, Russia, and the USA. However, new regulations require the industry to improve its efficiency still further. Given the huge difference in operating needs between an electric car running around 4,500 hours in its lifetime, and an electric train running 6,500 hours a year with performance specifications 20 times higher, this is not a trivial task. 

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Transportation is an essential and integral part of our lives, and the world is seeking ways to reduce emissions and eliminate fossil-fuels. Therefore, we require cleaner, more sustainable and more energy efficient modes of transport.
Read the white paper

The question, then, is how can we improve the efficiency of rail transport? There are several technologies available that can make trains more efficient. These include improving the efficiency of the traction chain and enabling hybrid electric-diesel operation, as well as retrofitting and upgrading older rolling stock. 

This white paper discusses the efficiency benefits of rail over other modes of transport, as well as looking at technologies like traction converters and on-board energy storage. 

Meeting sustainability goals requires concerted efforts from stakeholders in all areas of society. Two examples of forward-thinking companies are Rhaetian Railways (RhB) and Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ) in Switzerland, which have adopted new technology as a means to increase value for their business, their customers, and wider society.

The post Improving transport efficiency appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

The devil is in the detail 

‘Energy efficiency first’ is a key principle of the EU, intended to ensure sustainable and affordable energy supplies in the area. Elements of this strategy include the target of a 32.5% reduction in energy consumption, and legislation concerning the energy efficiency of buildings and consumer products, for example. 

Petersen is not complacent about the challenges ahead. “There is attention from the parliament, but we need to keep on pushing and ensure we keep it on the agenda,” he explains. “We need to make sure that energy efficiency is something that we are ambitious about. We are faced with a tsunami of legislation, so it is an exercise in itself to ensure a coherent, systematic approach, guaranteeing that the energy efficiency principle is there. The devil will be in the detail as usual, so we have to be vigilant.” 

Motivation creation 

Certain energy efficiency standards are more advanced than others, Petersen notes. Europe has long had legislation on electric light bulbs, and electric motors, for example. But applying energy efficiency to new areas can cause resistance. “As an example,” he says, “renovating buildings is a very costly exercise, even though you have high rates of return or low payback times. People are unsure what the benefits are. But if we point out that you also stimulate the local economy, create jobs, and so on, and make it easier to finance, then there is more motivation to renovate public and private buildings in an energy-efficient way.” 

Assuming that there are benefits to the energy efficiency first principle, and that the theory is sound, the challenge seems to be, then, how does one apply the principle in practice? “A mix of policy and incentives is needed. People should be encouraged to be an active member of society in relation to energy efficiency, and we have to make it easier for them to make the right choices.”  

The power of business 

Not surprisingly, businesses are also key to transformation. “They play a key role in developing smart solutions,” Petersen agrees, “not only in developing and implementing these technologies and proving their worth in financial terms, but also as a source of inspiration to all of us to improve energy efficiency. There are both idealistic and financial benefits.” 

Furthermore, collaboration between businesses and public authorities can yield immediate benefits. “There was an interesting project in a municipality in Denmark,” he continues, “where dashboard solutions were created for municipal buildings that might say, okay, the energy consumption on the third floor of this school is going through the roof. So, what is happening? A window might be open, or lights left on. And with this solution you incentivize the public authorities by saying they can save a certain amount if they close the window or turn off the light. These are the kinds of incentives and information flows that you have to have in order to make it convenient and easy for people to do the right thing.” 

“We hope our ambition will serve as an inspiration“

Recent initiatives such as the European Green Deal give support to Petersen’s ideas. “The concept of the Green Deal is fascinating, and I am a big fan,” he concurs. “The vision of transforming entire economies is mind-blowing. But if we succeed – and we must succeed, given the urgency of the situation – then Europe will be the first continent to have such a broad and coherent package of legislation, which will have an effect outside the EU’s borders. We talk about the Brussels effect in green sectors, where these crazy Europeans spend years legislating back and forth, but when they finally act, people take note and adopt the same practices. We hope our ambition will serve as an inspiration.”  

A diminishing path to success 

Where there is a will, there is a way, goes the saying. For Morten Petersen himself, the motivation to improve energy efficiency drastically and speedily is simple – combatting the climate crisis. “The climate issue and associated challenges are so serious,” he says, noting a recent IEA report about the path to net-zero energy use.  

“The report said that there is a way to achieve this by 2050, but the path is getting smaller and smaller. For every day that passes without serious action it is going to get more difficult, so I think that was a stern warning to all of us that we really have to get our act together. In doing so we need support from all of public life, from NGOs and academia to businesses, politicians and so on. Everybody has to play their role in this if we are to succeed.” 

The post Energy Efficiency First: setting the standard for a sustainable future appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Wierod’s main topic in this podcast is the role that energy-efficient motor and drives can play in the fight for a more sustainable future. Electric motors consume about 45% of global electricity, he points out, meaning that there are huge energy savings to be made. “In 2020 ABB’s installed bases or motors and drives saved over 198 terawatt hours of energy. By 2023, it is estimated that expanding this installation will help our customers save an additional 78 terawatt hours annually.”

One example of a project where significant savings were made was in Queensland, Australia, where a food and beverage manufacturer realised reductions of 14% in their energy consumption thanks to modern synchronous reluctance motor technology.

Industrial energy efficiency has the single greatest capacity for combating the climate emergency

For Wierod, there are two central elements in fighting global heating. The first is using technology to increase efficiency. Although renewable energy sources also have an important role to play, we cannot use them to replace carbon-based energy sources quickly enough. Therefore, improving the efficiency how we use energy is also required. “One of my main goals is to continue to set higher standards and make this technology available worldwide, so that we can really get the savings that we need to be able to create the future that we all want,” he says.

Secondly, cooperation between businesses, industry, decision-makers, and regulators is vital. “We can’t do this alone. We need commitment, collaboration, and action from all stakeholders. We need to be aware of the opportunities.” Wierod states, “I believe industrial energy efficiency, more than any other challenge, has the single greatest capacity for combating the climate emergency.”

Listen to the podcast here.

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Experts from Remtron, an ABB Channel Partner, worked with the council to identify the root of the issue: the system’s softstarter motor controller was introducing harmonic distortion into the power network. Harmonics lower energy efficiency and can cause issues for other electrical equipment on the network.

The experts recommended installing a variable speed drive to enable the pumps to operate closer to their best efficiency point (BEP). The council selected an ultra-low harmonic drive for the pur-pose. A typical 6 pulse drives produce 30-45 percent Total Harmonic Distortion (THDi), while ULH drives generally emit less than 3 percent. Now, even when the motor’s speed is varied, harmonics reduction ensures the network remains stable.

The council also replaced the motor with a more modern, efficient model. The combined benefits of variable speed operation and a more efficient motor have resulted in overall cost savings of up to 30 percent.

“The results are genuinely impressive. Using energy efficient motors and ultra-low harmonic drives, with the added benefit of Unity Power Factor, has allowed us to capture cost savings in total power consumption,” says Mitch Palmer, Electrical Supervisor for Construction and Mainte-nance at AlburyCity.

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Harmonics are electromagnetic pollution on the power network

Harmonics are electromagnetic pollution on the power network, and they result in current and voltage waveform distortion. This negatively affects power networks and connected equipment. The higher the harmonic content, the higher the losses in the network and the higher the risk of connected equipment malfunction and failure. The effect of harmonics on equipment reliability can have serious implications for any electrical network, but most seriously for critical applications in facilities like hospitals, utilities and data centers.

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Harmonics negatively affect power networks and connected equipment. Read the white paper to find out how harmonics can be mitigated and how this can benefit applications that require a low harmonic content.
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Because harmonics can have negative effects on businesses and their applications, it’s critical to select equipment based on its power quality performance, and harmonics in particular. This also applies to drives that are installed to substantially increase process efficiency. Some drive technologies can introduce significant harmonic content to the network, resulting in poor network efficiency and reliability. To overcome harmonics, additional filtering is required, which can have its own negative effect on the network, like increased losses and poor performance at partial loads.

Another solution is to apply drives that simply do not generate harmonics in the first place. ABB’s ultra-low harmonic (ULH) drives are based on active front end technology with DC bus capacitors, and they produce a harmonic content that is less than 3%. In systems that require minimal harmonic content, this can lead to improved overall efficiency and contribute to process reliability.

In addition, ULH drives are available in variants that have regenerative capability. This allows energy to be recovered from system mechanics, for example, during application braking, instead of wasting it as heat through braking resistors or mechanical brakes. Because the energy is recovered and can be reused, this reduces energy consumption and costs, and improves the overall energy efficiency of the application.

This white paper discusses electrical harmonics, their sources and ULH drives / ULH drives with regenerative capability for increased process and system efficiency without compromising on reliability.

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“With ESS you can run without diesel to reduce emissions and fossil fuel consumption.”

“In some crowded areas around cities they have installed overhead power lines up to 10 or 20 kilometers outside the city,” explains Beat Guggisberg, Head of Product Line Energy Storage Systems at ABB. “This means that either you have to use two different train types and the passengers have to change trains outside the city, or, more usually, the operator simply uses a diesel-powered train and runs it into the city! In this case, the overhead power lines in the city are useless. There are large possibilities to reduce emissions and fossil fuel consumption.”

One way to reduce these emissions is by using batteries. BORDLINE® ESS is a Lithium-ion based onboard energy storage system designed for use in road and railway vehicles. Although similar batteries have become more common in private cars, and devices such as laptops and mobile phones, the requirements for railway vehicles, for example, is quite different. For example, an electric train runs more hours in a year than an electric car does in its entire life.

“If we look at an electric car battery with a lifetime of approximately eight years, it will probably run for around 4,500 hours in total,” says Guggisberg. “Compare that to a train operating eighteen hours a day, or 6,500 hours a year, where you have performance requirements twenty times higher. That’s the main difference between these types of lithium ion batteries compared to standard electric cars.”

Reusing energy to reduce fuel consumption by up to 25%

The technology used in the BORDLINE® system is designed for high-performance applications. “Adding the system to a diesel engine in a train can reduce fuel consumption by twenty or twenty-five per cent because you can reuse the braking energy and you can operate the engine in an optimal area with much less emissions,” explains Guggisberg. “All the electrical systems in a train can use electrical regenerative braking very efficiently. Since you have extremely low rolling resistance you can recover a lot of the energy retained by the mass of the train. With energy storage, it’s even better because you can store it locally.”

Increasing performance and overall efficiency

On the other hand, the situation with public buses is a little bit different. “Trains have their own tracks, so they don’t get stuck in traffic,” he continues. “Getting stuck is very inefficient and makes it difficult to dimension the battery size and so you need also a smart charging system to really optimize the battery weight and reduce the overall environmental impact. If you are a bus operator you can lower fuel consumption and maintenance needs with ESS. Electric powered systems have much lower operating costs than diesel, perhaps around thirty or forty per cent less.”

Decreasing fossil fuel consumption is not only a question of which engine to use, however. It is one piece of a puzzle that involves infrastructure planning and the digitalization of transport networks. “The efficient use of energy is a very important topic for all applications, and BORDLINE® ESS can help to improve it, not only for road and rail traffic but also marine traffic and stationary applications like cable cars,” Guggisberg says. “Digitalization helps the operation of these systems. Traffic is a huge contributor to energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and with our ABB products we can support the efficient use of energy.” In addition to railways and buses, BORDLINE® ESS is also designed for use in trolleybuses, off-road vehicles, eTrucks, and maintenance vehicles.

Concerning future opportunities, Guggisberg points out that although one hundred per cent efficiency is impossible due to physics, advances in technology will increase performance and overall efficiency. “The big topic of battery energy storage is still the energy density. Because the energy density of batteries is lower than that of fossil fuels, the overall efficiency of a drive system is of even higher importance, otherwise the required operating range will not be reached,” he remarks. If electric batteries can be reduced to a fraction of their current size, it will have a huge effect in terms of efficiency and capacity.

“I want to make sure that my grandchildren will have a good world to live in fifty years from now.”

Advancing the causes of sustainability and energy efficiency is something that we can all get behind. For Guggisberg, his work has a deeper impact. “For me personally, the reduction of environmental impact is very important,” he concludes. “I want to make sure that my grandchildren will have a good world to live in fifty years from now.”

The post On the right track with Energy Storage Systems appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Having called Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, home for the last five years, it is easy to imagine that climate change, carbon emissions, and the degradation of our ecosystem is a problem for scientists and conservationists elsewhere. In tropical Malaysia, there is lush greenery and blues skies in most places. For the more adventurous nature enthusiasts, Malaysia boasts the Belum Temengor Rainforest, one of the world’s oldest rainforests, estimated to be more than 130 million years old; the Mulu National Park which has the largest cave passage in the world; and the Sipadan island which regularly appears on lists of top three dive spots. It would be unimaginable if future generations are only able to marvel at these natural wonders through books or the internet due to our actions or inactions.

Cities as a starting point

According to the United Nations, cities make up just 3% of earth’s land area but generate about 80% of the world’s GDP. The importance of cities will continue to increase as two-thirds of the world’s population are projected to be living in urban hubs by 2050, with the largest expansion expected in developing countries. As the epicenter for human activity, cities account for 60% to 80% of energy consumption and at least 70% of carbon emissions.

Against this pressing landscape, we are reaching a tipping point to restore the natural harmony between cities and the environment. This needs to happen at a speed and scale which will avert a greater crisis. Human activities have altered almost 75 percent of the earth’s surface. It is time to restore our relationship with nature and the ecosystem which we all depend on.

Energy efficiency in buildings

How cities evolve moving forward will be crucial to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. The potential to make tangible progress towards a sustainable future begins with energy efficiency – in our homes and the places we work and play, in how we commute, and in the water networks that we rely on. The value of energy efficiency is underscored by its ability to meet our energy needs without having to expand energy supply. It means deploying solutions and prioritizing actions at the final point of consumption i.e., in buildings, tools, products and machinery, without adding further strain on energy infrastructure.

Buildings account for more than one-third of the energy and half of the electricity used globally. They are also responsible for approximately one-third of global CO₂ emissions. According to the International Energy Agency, direct and indirect emissions from electricity and commercial heat used in buildings rose to 10 GtCO2 in 2019, the highest level ever recorded, after flattening between 2013 to 2016. By adopting proven heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) technologies, we can take the first steps towards driving a low-carbon future for cities.

Such new technologies open opportunities for smart buildings operations. Energy requirements of a building can be automatically adjusted to adapt to the actual needs. For example, air flow in offices would slow down in the early mornings or late evenings and during weekends, when the occupancy level is low.

Flow control is also relevant. In older buildings, valves, throttles, and dampers are used to regulate the flow of air or liquids.  This means that the motors in fans and pumps applications are running at full speed all the time and wasting a lot of energy. A better and more efficient option is to use variable speed drives to control these motors. With a variable speed drive, the motors can run at exactly the speed that is needed for each application and according to the actual load of the building. Also, it might be useful to investigate the actual efficiency of a motor and if it is older than IE3, consider upgrading it to IE5. The solutions are available. All that is needed is a will to fast-track their adoption so that cities can move towards a more sustainable future.

The post Energy efficiency – can cities inspire change? appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Throughout history, humans have sought to overcome the challenge of converting energy into motion via the most efficient means possible. Beginning with the use of wind and water mills in the earliest civilisations, to the invention of the steam engine in 1772, and the adoption of the electric motor in the 1910s, each successive invention was more efficient than the last and has accelerated our development as a species.

Today, this need for energy efficiency is more pressing than ever as the world looks to decarbonise industries and infrastructure. The good news is that the technology needed to significantly reduce energy consumption is already available today.

In an attempt to meet the Paris Agreement’s target of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, the EU has pledged to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and has set two critical interim targets to achieve by 2030. Firstly, the bloc has targeted reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by  55%, while the second target will look to improve energy efficiency by at least 32.5%. This year’s EU Green Week addressed the need to deliver sustainable industrial systems and promote cleaner technologies.

However, the EU recently acknowledged a technology that will play a key role in reaching its energy efficiency targets. It’s one that we rarely consider, but nonetheless has an undeniable presence in our daily lives: electric motors.

Electric motors are everywhere. They run the compressors that keep our food cold, power the pumps that supply us fresh water and drive the HVAC systems that keep us warm (or cool). Yet the issue is that too many of these motor-driven systems are inefficient and waste too much energy. There are around 8 billion electric motors in all applications across the EU which, according to its own estimates, account for almost half of the EU’s energy consumption.

In light of this, the importance of energy efficiency has been brought to the attention of governments and industry bodies targeting net zero emissions for the global economy. In May, the International Energy Agency (IEA) published a landmark report pointing out that increased energy efficiency will allow the world economy to grow by 40% by 2030 all while using 7% less energy than today. The IEA’s message to industry is to adopt near-zero emissions technologies such as motors, while advising the need for mandates to reduce their overall energy consumption by 2030.

One such mandate, the EU’s new Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2019/1781, will come into full effect on 1 July 2021 for low-voltage induction motors and variable speed drives. The new industry benchmark will require a wide range of electric motors to meet the IE3 premium efficiency standard.

But what does this regulation mean in practice? By implementing the use of higher-efficiency motors, and the drives that control their speed and torque to save even more energy, the EU aims to save 110 terawatt-hours by 2030. That’s equal to the entire annual electricity consumption of the Netherlands.

However, 1 July is only the first step in a two-year process of transition to even greater efficiency. The Ecodesign regulation expands in July 2023, raising the base level for certain motors to IE4 super-premium efficiency.  The leading role the EU is taking on this issue is an ambitious one which sets the precedent for all countries looking to cut carbon emissions.

Fortunately, the technology needed to help achieve these goals already exists, and even surpasses the regulatory demands required now and two years from now, with IE5 ultra-premium efficiency motor and drive packages already on the market. It begs the question: why stop at IE3 if industry can go the extra mile? We should be taking advantage of today’s available technology to get a step ahead of the regulations and reduce energy consumption as fast as possible in the process.

Investing in the latest technology can have a massive impact. ABB’s recent energy efficiency study highlights that if the more than 300 million industrial motor-driven systems currently in operation were replaced with optimized, high-efficiency equipment, global electricity consumption could be reduced by up to 10 percent. That’s roughly 91 percent of the annual consumption of the entire EU.

Just as wind, water, steam and electricity allowed us to travel faster, build higher and fly further, this new generation of energy efficient motors and drives could become the unsung heroes in the next stage of humanity’s journey. What’s more, these solutions will allow us to keep the world turning without needing to sacrifice our most valuable asset: the planet itself. Given the necessary technology to achieve this is already waiting in the wings, the question is not whether, but when the world will take the next step in accelerating the transition to a more sustainable future.

The post Energy Efficiency: the unsung hero on the route to decarbonisation appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

To meet the government’s Action Plan Towards Carbon Neutrality, the library must use the most energy-efficient HVAC system possible.  

Shanghai Songneng Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Engineering Company was brought in to work on the HVAC system. Experts from the company recommended variable speed drives (VSDs) to greatly reduce the building’s energy use. VSDs can cut a motor’s energy use by as much as 60 percent if it is running at partial load, which is common for motors in the HVAC system.  

The library was equipped with 129 VSDs throughout the HVAC system. This means that the pumps, fans and compressors will run at exactly the required speed, saving power. The drives further save power by reducing electromagnetic interference. The use of VSDs is estimated to cut power use by 30 percent, saving the library over 635 megawatt-hours (MWh) every year.  

Energy saving will be combined with other sustainability measures to make the library as sustainable as possible. It uses energy management software to optimize energy use, generates power using solar panels, and operates a heat recovery system.  

“ABB’s ACH580 is dedicated specifically to the needs of HVAC applications. This drive was chosen to ensure the right environmental conditions for the East Branch, while saving tremendous amounts of energy per year. It stood out due to its proven product characteristics such as stable operation, precise control, and advanced safety features,” explains Yongjian Wang, General Manager of Shanghai Songneng Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Engineering Company. 

The post Energy-efficient HVAC system uses 30 percent less power at Shanghai Library appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Urbanization is one of the megatrends of our time and by 2050 it is predicted that 68% of the world’s population will live in cities. As a result, many cities around the world are building rapidly to accommodate their new inhabitants. This means that right now is a good time to reconsider how we design and operate buildings, and to choose more energy efficient designs and technologies for the future. Governments around the world are already legislating to direct things in a more sustainable direction and, for example, the European Union hopes to reduce the energy consumption of new buildings to close to zero.

So, what methods are available for reducing the energy consumption of buildings?

Buildings are responsible for over 30% of global energy consumption.

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Buildings are responsible for around 30% of global energy usage. Read the white paper and discover how smart technology can greatly increase energy efficiency.
Read the white paper

Smarter building management

In addition to basic elements which can reduce the running costs of a building, such as good thermal insulation, modern buildings can benefit from building management systems. With these systems, the energy requirements of the building are automatically adjusted to adapt to the actual needs. For example, a building management system can turn off lights when no one is using a room. It can automatically reduce the air flow and heating in offices at the weekends, and even during lunch breaks. Or, in hot countries, it can automatically close the blinds when the windows are in the direct sun. By adapting to the actual needs, less energy is used. Considering that over 50% of a commercial building’s operating costs can come from running the HVACR systems, it makes good financial sense to make building systems smarter.

In a commercial building, over 50% of the operating costs can come from HVACR.

More efficient equipment control

Another way to reduce operating costs is to run the equipment in building systems more efficiently. For example, in older buildings, applications like HVAC fans and water pumps tend to have single speed motors that use valves, throttles and dampers to control flow. This means that the motors are running at full capacity all the time and doing unnecessary work. A better and more efficient option is control these motors with variable speed drives. With a drive, the motors can run at exactly the speed that is needed for each application and according to the actual load of the building, and they can operate faster or slower, as required. Again, this technology reduces energy consumption and cost by adapting to the actual energy needs of the motor and the building.

Variable speed drives can typically reduce energy consumption by 25%.

Whole system thinking

Once we start to look at the different ways energy is used and needed in buildings, we can quickly find individual areas that could be improved. However, it’s always important to look at the bigger picture and to consider how the power systems in the building are interrelated. When we view the system as a whole, it’s possible to find greater efficiency savings.

For example, using both building management systems and variable speed drives to control the HVAC would reduce energy consumption. But what about the fan motors? They are part of the system too and their efficiency should also be taken into account. If they are older IE3 motors, upgrading to more efficient IE5 motors would save yet more energy.

An IE5 synchronous reluctance motor can reduce losses by up to 40% compared to an IE3 induction motor.

Another example can be found in elevator systems. While the motors may already be highly efficient, adding regenerative braking would enable the building to recover electricity every time an elevator descended and stopped. Again this lowers overall energy use.

Even the quality of the power supply in a building matters. If there is a high level of harmonics in the building power supply, it can damage equipment and reduce efficiency. Technology like ABB’s ultra-low harmonic drives can protect motors from harmonic disturbance and improve overall system efficiency.

The digital future

In addition to urbanization, digitalization is another megatrend. Digital services will increasingly connect devices, equipment and buildings. These new services will make it possible to find new ways to optimize and improve building efficiency. For example, building management systems will not only be connected to information in the building, but also to information from the outside world. This will enable things like predictive management of heating and cooling needs according to the weather forecast, smart management of EV charging stations in the car park based on traffic data, and identifying opportunities for efficiency improvements throughout your property assets.

For building owners, the majority of a building’s costs come from operating it. And although investing in energy efficient technology does cost money, the energy and cost saved can pay back within a year or two. It’s not just environmentally friendly to make buildings more energy efficient, it’s better for your bottom line, too.

The post How can we save energy in buildings? appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

From about 1750, when the industrial revolution got underway, until the modern day, we have managed to improve the efficiency of power generation from 1% with coal-fired steam engines to 60% with gas turbines. There have been similar efficiency improvements on the power consumption and use side, for example with the transition from incandescent bulbs to LED lights, and now the change from internal combustion vehicles to electric vehicles. As Professor Ahola points out, the world is moving towards electricity-based systems. As a result, digitalization will also be playing an increasingly important role. As Professor Ahola says, “the first step in energy efficient actions is measurement. You have to know where you are in order to do something.” This means that new, real-time measurement systems and analyses will be needed to minimize and optimize our energy use.

The first step in energy efficient actions is measurement. You have to know where you are in order to do something.

In addition, there is a lot of research on ways to improve energy efficiency, as well as ways to reduce emissions. In his own research, Professor Ahola has worked on ways to extract CO₂ from the air and turn it into valuable products, some of which could be used in new types of batteries.

Watch the video to find out more about the most promising technologies, the role of digitalization and the latest research into the energy efficient systems of the future.

The post Energy efficiency in industry and the role of technology appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Karlsson has been a part of the development process of their servo hydraulic presses from the very beginning. Before his current role as the product manager, he was the R&D manager responsible for the development project. He recollects that working together with ABB has always been more of a close partnership than a simple customer-supplier relationship. “ABB presented their new SynRM motors as an alternative to the product we were initially discussing with them,” he explains. The SynRM motor ticked all of AP&Ts boxes. It delivered great performance paired with improved environmental factors such as not using any rare earth metals like cobalt or neodymium.

Thanks to their smart design including the use of SynRM motors, AP&Ts servo hydraulic presses, which are being used to press sheet metal as well as other materials such as wood-based fibre composites, have been reported to deliver considerable savings in terms of energy consumption. “In some industrial applications we have reported reductions in energy consumption of up to 70%. That is a considerable number,” Karlsson points out. “The SynRM motors we source from ABB do play an important role. In some of our bigger machines we may have up to 16 of these motors installed.”

Sustainability and energy efficiency are listed as high priorities within AP&T. Mikael Karlsson explains how the company views these things. “We we were quite early to recognize and understand that in order to be competitive, we need to be energy efficient and work on the sustainability of our products. Our strategy is to have a sustainable product lifecycle, which also includes total cost of ownership.” He feels that there are three key factors surrounding energy efficient motors: performance, cost efficiency and sustainability. “With the servo hydraulic presses utilizing SynRM motors, we believe we have a product that has all the important factors covered.”

When asked about the drivers behind the growing demand for more energy efficient industrial machinery, Mikael Karlsson is quick to mention ever-tightening regulations and standards. “We tend to see these shifts in both attitude and legislation take place here in Northern Europe first. But with two thirds of our business outside of Europe, in both directions – East and West – we are happy to see a similar shift starting to take place very quickly.”

When asked about the future goals of AP&T, Mikael Karlsson says, “We have made huge leaps in energy saving, as I said 70% in some processes, but until we are at 100% energy efficiency, there’s always something to do. We want all energy to go into the forming process, not end up as wasted energy.” He also felt that with the benefits it provides in terms of efficiency and sustainability, the technology that is being used in the company’s servo hydraulic presses should eventually become the technology of choice for the company’s entire press portfolio. Karlsson sums up the topic with an important reminder. “It is important for the discussion around energy efficiency to continue and to also spread across the entire value chain. It is not just about meeting targets and regulations. It is not just the interest of the end customer, either. This is a topic that should be important to all of us.”

The post Energy efficiency is a pressing matter appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Before this investment, sludge pumping station II used six motors to power its pumps. The operator adjusted the impeller geometry and replaced these motors with four highly efficient SynRM models, resulting in significant energy savings.  

The operator also paired the new motors with ACS880-31 ultra-low harmonic variable speed drives (VSDs). These drives enable the pumps to dynamically adjust to varying hydraulic loads and reduce the risk of disturbances on the power network, further improving the water treatment plant’s efficiency.  

“The sewage treatment plant has its own power grid. Our ultra-low harmonic drives ensure that it is free of harmonics, so as not to impair the sensitive measurement technology,” explains Markus Flierdl, Sales Engineer Region North-West at ABB Motion Germany. “Due to reduced harmonics, there is also less heat generation. This protects all electrical components in the system and extends their service life.” 

Three more motor-drive packages were used for the flocculation filtration system, delivering the same efficiency and control benefits. Collectively, these upgrades have reduced the plant’s power consumption by 40 percent.  

The sewage treatment plant uses biomass, photovoltaics and wind energy to generate around 6.3 million kilowatt hours of renewable electricity per year on-site. Following these efficiency improvements, the plant now consumes less power than it generates. As a result, the project to improve energy efficiency in the water and wastewater facility has also resulted in a supply of additional renewable electricity to the local power grid. 

Andreas Wehren has been Operations Manager for the past ten years and is dedicated to improving the efficiency of the sewage treatment plant. “Because of climate change, we want to become more and more energy efficient. When I took over the sewage treatment plant as manager, we still needed almost five million kilowatt hours to operate. Now we need an average of around three million, partly because we have invested a lot in energy-efficient technology,” he explains.

Iction Initiative, the Federal Environment Ministry supports projects that make a contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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The motors behind your everyday life

Whether we like it or not, almost everything we use in everyday life comes from some sort of factory. From food and water to clothes, everything is manufactured or processed. And wherever things are produced, there is a production line running continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. And every single production line in the world needs motors to keep it in motion and fans to cool it. This also applies to the water industry. Wherever you have a water supply, there are electric motors driving the pumps. Any industry you can think of needs motors. As a result, there are an estimated 300 million industrial electric motor-driven systems in the world.

If we could improve the efficiency of each of these motors by only a few percent, it would save a huge amount of energy. Synchronous reluctance motors offer the kind of big savings we’re looking for but it took many years of development to get this far. Let’s take a look at 5 things about synchronous reluctance motors.

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Read the white paper

Synchronous reluctance motors (SynRM) are quickly becoming the technology of choice for achieving IE5 efficiency. Read the white paper to find out how magnet-free motors and variable speed drives are making a difference.
Read the white paper

1. The reluctance motor is an old concept
The reluctance motor was invented in 1838 and the first type was a switched reluctance motor, which used mechanical switches to control the motor speed. This switched mechanism meant that the motors could only rotate as fast as the switches could be operated. Back in the 1800s, when steam engines were still in vogue, this was a very slow speed. Over time the switching methods improved, however the motors still had drawbacks, including inconsistent rotation speed due to torque ripple.

What is reluctance?
Just like electricity flows through wires, magnetism can flow through metal. The more difficult it is for the magnetism to flow, the weaker the magnetism. When it is difficult for magnetism to flow we call it “reluctance”.

2. The first synchronous reluctance motor was invented in 1923
In theory, synchronous reluctance motors promised much more consistent rotation speeds than switched motors because their rotation was synchronous with the frequency of the supply current. However, the technology for accurate control didn’t exist at the time so the motors couldn’t be operated effectively. It took almost 90 more years for the right control technology to become available.

3. Synchronous reluctance motors rely on variable speed drives to work
Variable speed drives use sophisticated solid-state power electronics and software to control the frequency of the motor supply current very precisely, switching it thousands of times per second. This gives variable speed drives the ability to drive synchronous reluctance motors very efficiently, maintaining exactly the right speed and power of rotation.

How does controlling a motor with a variable speed drive save energy?
Many machines in industry, like conveyor belts, use electric motors that run at a single speed. When you want to change the speed of the machine you use good old-fashioned gears to change it, just like the gears in your car. However, this means that the motor is driving the gears, too, and often running at an unnecessarily high speed. All this wastes energy.

However, when you can control the speed of the motor directly, you don’t need gears. When you want your machine to run slower, you simply run your motor slower. This is what variable speed drives do – they control the speed of the motor directly. No gears are needed and no unnecessary energy is used.

4. ABB introduced the first modern synchronous reluctance technology to the market
In 2004, engineers at ABB realised that their variable speed drive technology had the potential to run synchronous reluctance motors successfully. In 2011, after years of research, testing and development, ABB finally unveiled their new SynRM motor-drive packages at the Hannover Fair, in Germany. These new motors were designed from the beginning to be used as a package together with variable speed drives. This ensures optimum efficiency, accurate motor control, excellent reliability and a long product life-time. Believe it or not, product life-time matters. In some industries, where production is non-stop, they have to replace their motors every three to four months.

5. IE5 motors are the most energy efficient type of motors available
ABB now offers SynRM motor-drive packages with the IE5 ultra-premium energy efficiency class for the motor. This means that ABB offers the best available technology for motor efficiency. To give you an idea of the difference this could make to global energy use, most industrial motors currently have an IE3 efficiency class. ABB’s IE5 SynRM motors offer up to 40% lower energy losses compared to IE3 motors, as well as significantly lower energy consumption and CO₂ emissions.

Save money and save the planet

In business terms, SynRM technology can save a lot of electricity and therefore money per year. In environmental terms, it can also lead to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.

The technology to make a difference is here, now. We just have to decide to use it. Join the Energy Efficiency Movement and let’s make the world more energy efficient.

For the highest process efficiency, choose a SynRM motor matching pair from our drives portfolio yourself or use the Drive selector tool for the guided choice.

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We are rightly proud of what we have been able to achieve, innovate and create during this time. Starting from the simplest of tools, to machines, factories, and complex systems such as an electricity grid or the Internet. But, if we look at the sophistication of our inventions and creations, they are still relatively elementary in comparison to the workings of the natural world.

Our choices, actions and decisions affect the future of the whole planet, and with that comes an enormous responsibility.

I am a junkie for nature documentaries and take great inspiration from one of my all-time heroes, Sir David Attenborough. Watching and listening to him explaining the many wonders of the world instantly puts the accomplishments of the human race into context and clearly shows us that we are just inhabitants here on Earth. The big picture is still beyond our comprehension. We still can’t create anything living without relying on the re-creation process given to us by nature.

Yet, despite this, we have become full of ourselves. We seem to think that because we have become the dominant species, we are omnipotent and entitled to take and to do whatever we want. That we don’t need the Earth, but somehow vice versa. There is a really good video narrated by Julia Roberts that nails down this thought exceptionally well.

Being dominant means that our choices, actions and decisions affect the future of the whole planet, and with that comes an enormous responsibility – a responsibility that we have neglected in many ways, and in many cases because we didn’t understand the consequences of our actions. Now, when it comes to climate change and the mass extinction of species, we can no longer claim that we don’t know or understand. We have the facts. The question is, are we ready to make the smart choices and act responsibly? How do we use the power we have?

Beautiful –  balanced – harmonious – regenerative – renewable – circular – efficient – adaptive – evolving. These are just some of the words that come to mind when I think about the Earth and nature. Intuitively, I believe that the application of those same principles to our life and man-made processes might just be the start we need. Instead of trying to live off the land, let’s live with the land. That to me is also the essence of sustainability – a choice between two options:

1. Do you live your life or run your business to maximize your own benefit in the short-term, and at the expense of the planet and others inhabiting it?
2. Do you live your life and run your business in a way that benefits everyone in the long-term and allows others to live and thrive?

As said, I believe the reason that we have become the dominant species on this planet is because we are able to communicate on a relatively sophisticated and conceptual level. We are able to explain complex topics and act on the information. What that enables is collaboration. We are able to – if we so choose – to collaborate and even create cultures of collaboration. Individual choices matter, but the real magic happens when our choices, as individuals, cities, countries, businesses and organizations are aligned. That’s when we are able to change things, in a relatively short period of time, and have a lasting impact.

To preserve the planet, we need all stakeholders to work together, to use all the creativity and determination in us. Use the existing solutions available and to continue to innovate for more. We need to invest in areas that help mitigate climate change and we need governments to guide our actions by regulation and incentives.

This is exactly what the Energy Efficiency Movement is all about. Bringing together all stakeholders to innovate and act for a more energy efficient, regenerative, adaptive world. Together, we can make a real difference if that’s how we decide to use our power.

By Sebastian Linko,
ABB Motion,
Group Vice President,
Head of Communications.

The real magic happens when our choices, as individuals, cities, countries, businesses and organizations are aligned

The post The measure of a man is what he does with power — Plato (428/427–348/347 B.C.E.) appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

The progress and evolution of adopting IEC standards as national standards also outside of Europe has been the result of intensive and effective collaboration between all stakeholders participating in different IEC technical committees and working groups. The next steps that would be extremely beneficial for industry, end users and manufacturers would be the harmonization of directives, regulations and different kinds of registration schemes in countries and perhaps in regions, as is the case in Europe for example. But it is worth noting that this is even more complex that the harmonization of standards. And all this will not happen overnight.

The developments in energy efficiency in low voltage motors are usually generated through directives, regulations and standards, depending on national legislation. Directives and regulations are national, country-specific or regional, as is the case within the EU for example. Since they are created by governing bodies there is no true alignment and standardization when it comes to marking, registration and validation of products. This makes life more complicated, not only for motor manufacturers, but all equipment manufacturers delivering their incorporated motor products or spare parts around the world. There are however certain requirements that are becoming globally common and accepted as a minimum requirement. Jukka sees this as a positive development. “In most markets with regulations regarding the minimum efficiency requirement the IE3 or equivalent energy efficiency class is becoming the accepted norm. But as requirements continue to become stricter every year, we are already seeing IE4 class electric motors become more common. In the EU for example, the IE4 class will be mandatory in the 75-200kW range from mid-2023 onwards.”

“It is extremely important to set legislation that truly has a positive impact on sustainability and efficiency.”

Setting the right efficiency targets

Jukka Hannuksela has seen the rapid development in sustainability regulations driven by the need for reducing CO₂ emissions by improving the performance and energy efficiency of entire processes. He recognizes the urgency of the situation in terms of the environmental impact industry is having on the world around us, but at the same time urges governing bodies to take their time in preparing, defining and passing new regulations. “It is extremely important to set legislation that truly has a positive impact on sustainability and efficiency. This sense of urgency runs the risk of resulting in technical requirements and targets that are increasingly difficult to comply with, that don’t deliver equally tangible benefits.”

Already it can be seen that it is becoming increasingly difficult for smaller electric motor manufacturers to stay on top of all the regulations in place around the world. It takes considerable muscles and a global network to both follow and meet the coming changes in all local regulations. And efficiency will not only mean energy efficiency and performance. More and more we see it relating to the increasingly efficient use of materials, for example when designing motors for higher performance, considering material recycling at the end of product life, or planning the re-use and repurposing of products. Today, such definitions as circular economy or circularity can be widely seen in many circumstances when talking about efficiency.

The key to environmental performance

Jukka has also seen the drastic changes taking place in the environment over the past 30-40 years. “As a typical Finn who loves to spend time in nature, I share concerns over global warming. At the same time, we must recognize that energy demand is increasing all the time. Especially those of us inhabiting the cold and inhospitable North are dependent on energy to heat our homes and electricity as a part of our lives.” So, if energy is something we can’t live without, but excessive consumption is becoming harmful to our environment, the only logical solution is to seek out more efficient ways to use it. This is exactly what modern electric motors are designed to do.

Developments in engineering and technology

When seeking to improve the operating efficiency of typical low voltage motors, which are still today mostly induction motors, we generally mean increasing a motor’s size and mass by increasing active material use in components, namely the rotor and stator. This enables us to reduce power losses in the stator and rotor of a motor, leading them to run cooler. Improving efficiency allows motors to run at cooler temperatures, helping them last longer, requiring less service and maintenance.

The key challenge for the future according to Jukka Hannuksela is finding ways to increase operating efficiency and the performance of whole systems, including not just a motor but all the other components in the operating chain without continuously increasing the physical size of motors. This will lower the threshold and allow for the replacement of old motors with newer, more efficient ones without the need to rebuild motor foundations and surrounding structures. “This is something motor manufacturers like ABB are working towards in the case of induction motors, but also by exploring and developing new technologies such as synchronous reluctance motors (SynRM),” Jukka Hannuksela explains. He also reminds us, “not forgetting circularity and sustainability”.

“Energy efficiency is the key to tackling climate change and ensuring sustainable development.”

Whatever the future holds, energy efficiency is the key to tackling climate change and ensuring sustainable development. The universal truth is that we can’t live without energy. The demand for industrially produced goods and commodities is not going away. Neither is the demand for electrically powered devices. It is the shared responsibility of governments, industries and societies to find ways to improve the efficiency together.

Jukka Hannuksela
Head of Global Standards and Compliance 
ABB IEC Low Voltage Motors

The post Making the right moves toward energy efficiency appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Professor Thornhill is a self-admitted fan of both science and science fiction. “I was brought up on science fiction. The great thing about science fiction is that it has shown us that energy is absolutely crucial for the future of mankind. With unlimited energy we could pretty much solve all of the world’s problems, support a growing population and pretty much do whatever we want, provided that the energy we use doesn’t pollute the planet… whatever planet it may be.” While those visions of the future are not yet a reality, major steps in the right direction have been taken. The developments in renewable energy provide hope for the future. Also, with private investments pouring in to drive the development of nuclear fusion, there may be a new clean and plentiful nuclear source of energy available in the not-so-distant future.

Fictional visions of the future are not yet reality, but major steps in the right direction have been taken.

Storage and distribution challenges

“But even if we discover a source of unlimited energy, that energy has to be deployable. This means overcoming the challenges in storage, recovery and distribution,” Professor Thornhill reminds us. For electric energy especially, finding solutions for buffering and storage is already a quest for today. The answer will most likely lie in the development of large-scale batteries and solving the challenges of distributed storage, utilizing the grid itself. “To some degree this is already becoming a reality, for example when it comes to charging stations for electric vehicles. Cost-effective charging takes place during hours of lower electricity demand, and it is already also possible put some energy back into the grid during peak hours.”

Green energy is not just green electricity

Professor Thornhill also reminds us that when we talk about energy, we are not just talking about electricity. Sustainability should be a focus when discussing today’s fuel and gas sources. Luckily, many advances have already been made when it comes to finding alternatives for fossil fuels. Professor Thornhill is optimistic about things such as heat pumps, and carbon-neutral blue and green hydrogen. “The ability to make green hydrogen out of clean water through electrolysis has exciting implications for the future.” She looks forward to the day that all of the UK has been able to change out their traditional gas boilers for more efficient and sustainable solutions thanks to scientific and technological development and new innovations.

Energy efficiency is today’s solution

But since we do not have an unlimited source of clean energy at our disposal yet, the challenge we face today is to find ways to improve the efficiency of how we consume what we have. While all of us can do our part in improving energy efficiency in our everyday lives, the real difference can be made in industry. Professor Thornhill believes that the real game-changer in energy efficiency is variable speed drives technology. Smooth adjustability in motor speeds has the potential to deliver massive improvements in energy efficiency with variable speed drives. Leading technology providers such as ABB are bringing out features and functionalities that help reduce energy consumption. Professor Thornhill mentions features such as ride-through functionalities that allow processes to drive through disturbances, as the type of innovations that help improve energy efficiency and environmental performance. “By maintaining a process and avoiding an unscheduled shutdown by using stored rotational energy as auxiliary energy in a gas pumping application for example, we can minimize emissions from a standstill and avoid having to rely on flaring to release pipeline pressure.”

The real game-changer in energy efficiency is variable speed drives technology.

Industry needs innovators

Nina Thornhill, Professor of Process Automation at Imperial College London stresses the importance of co-operation between the academic world and industry in overcoming todays challenges together. It is a long path for a researcher to see their idea become a part of a product, but that is always the ultimate goal. She makes sure that all postgraduate students working on their PhD with her spend some time with an industry partner. In many cases, based on her long-standing fruitful relationship with the company, that partner has been ABB. “That’s how the students begin to understand the real-world industrial problems they are solving, and their real-world relevance. Our shared mindset is that we are interested in solving real problems. It is those problems that inspire us to do new theory and develop new methods.” For us to make science fiction science fact, we need curious minds, analytical thinkers, practical doers and true innovators.

We are interested solving real-world problems.

The post Energy is the key to the future appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Throughout our conversation, he stresses the fact that the focus of the sustainability and climate change conversation is perhaps too concentrated on the energy supply side and eliminating fossil fuels. He states that governments could really see economic benefits from implementing energy policies with a stronger focus on energy efficiency in their fight against climate change. While huge leaps have been taken to improve energy efficiency, the research carried out by the IEA shows that there is still a lot that can be achieved. “In fact, every sector of the economy could become twice as efficient over the next two decades if there was a stronger policy focus on energy efficiency. And of course, in every sector there are opportunities whether it’s making our buildings more efficient or making our vehicles or transport systems more efficient. And of course, in industry too there is a huge opportunity to make key technologies such as motors, drives, pumps and fans more efficient.”

Every sector of the economy could become twice as efficient.

When asked about where technological development is most urgently needed to improve efficiency, Brian Motherway was quick to remind us that many such technologies already exist. “There are many new technologies that are ready and should be deployed. We just need to be a lot faster at deploying those technologies.” He feels that there is a lot of inefficiency locked into the things we use daily; building, vehicles, appliances and such. “There’s a real urgent need to concentrate on stopping that lock in and really just making everything that is built or bought or installed today as efficient as it possibly can be.” He goes on to say that he is extremely happy to see that attitudes have changed over time.  “I think there has never been a stronger focus than today on energy efficiency and that’s good to see. I think there’s a better understanding among governments that energy efficiency has a very strong role to play in climate change, but also in making energy systems, more resilient, more affordable, bringing energy to more people around the world.”

As the Head of Energy Efficiency at IEA, Brian Motherway has a unique view into the world of energy. While he pointed out the many areas where plenty of progress has already been made – electric vehicles, energy efficient homes and more efficient industrial motors to name a few – he recognized digitalization as the next thing to revolutionize the energy efficiency game. “When digitalization really gets deployed in terms of artificial intelligence, big data and the optimization of systems, I think we’ll see a whole new generation of potential opening up. Even when every component is already efficient, with advanced control and advanced digital technology, we’ll be able to take that to the next level in terms of optimizing and making things even more efficient.”

A whole new generation of potential is opening up.

In 2021 The International Energy Agency is working very closely together with the UK government in conjunction with their COP26 presidency (The United Nations Climate Change Conference), helping them encourage other world governments to raise their ambitions regarding energy efficiency. “It’s all about governments around the world saying, we want to move faster to higher levels of efficiency, and we can do that together. The more global the conversation, the more collaborative and harmonized the policies, the more effective they can be.” Brian Motherway is clearly optimistic about the future and believes that 2021 will be an important year for global energy efficiency development. He feels that it is equally important for individuals, companies and governments to set their ambitions high and demanding the same from those around them.

He finished off our inspirational conversation with a few good tips on how we as individuals can do our part and make a difference in creating a more energy efficient and sustainable world. “I think the most important thing all of us can do as individuals, is to be part of that societal movement. We need to express to our elected officials our impatience for stronger policies. We need to see ourselves as part of the collective solution and a part of the bigger picture in addressing these issues.”

Let’s all be part of the social movement towards energy efficiency.

The post Creating a better tomorrow through better energy policy appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Young people like Emma are showing us the way forward. It is through a scientific and fact-based approach to a topic that often evokes great emotional responses, that we can truly inspire and drive change. Her work not only points out where we can find room for improvement, but it can in fact serve as the basis for creating concrete actions that can improve the energy efficiency and thus environmental performance of industry as a whole.

When asked why the topic of her thesis was important to her, Emma explained that it combined many of her professional and personal interests. She is a well-educated, technically- and technologically- minded professional with a strong personal link to nature and a belief in taking responsibility for our actions. She sees that through technical innovations we can make changes that are beneficial to both business and environment at the same time. In the case of improving energy efficiency, there really is no down-side to be found in reducing energy consumption.

Emma sees the role of independent studies, especially those carried out by students and young people, to be real drivers for positive change. Her master thesis from Linköping University not only launched her professional career, but it now has all of us taking a closer look at the implications and possibilities of improved energy efficiency in large industrial motor applications. In her case it is safe to say that people have taken note of her work and her work has been highly valued at ABB. Emma exemplifies exactly the kind of people the energy efficiency movement needs.

When asked about how Emma sees the future, not just her own, but society and environment at large, she is hopeful. “There is a lot that can be done. It is definitely the responsibility of all three – governments, industry and individuals, to work together to make a positive impact. Personally, I want to continue to contribute to the themes of energy efficiency and sustainability. It is important for me to be able to work in a company and environment that reflects my own values.” We agree with Emma and urge everyone to commit to a future of improved efficiency and environmental performance.

The post Partnering with the next generation appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

According to the EU’s own estimates, there are about 8 billion electric motors in use in the EU*. This includes all the electric motors, including those in consumer devices like laptop fans, as well as larger industrial electric motors like water pumps and HVAC systems. By making these motors, and the drives that control them, more efficient the EU aims to save 110 Terawatt hours by 2030. To put that number in context, with the energy saved, you could provide power to the whole of the Netherlands for one year. That is a staggering fact: simply by using more efficient motors and drives, the EU will save more energy than an entire country uses per year.

“Simply by using more efficient motors and drives, the EU will save more energy than an entire country uses per year.”

Achievable energy savings

The good news is that these energy efficiency improvements are achievable. The change simply means that instead of using motors with the old IE2 minimum energy efficiency class, new motors will have to be IE3, and all new drives will have to be IE2. Products that comply with the new regulation have already been on the market for many years, so the switch is technically easy, and it will give motor owners clear energy savings and reduced running costs.

Adding drives to control these motors would improve energy savings even more. In fact, the right combination of drive and motor can cut energy bills by up to 60% compared to a motor continuously running at the full speed in direct-on-line (DOL) use.

This is only the beginning

However, while using more efficient motors and drives according to the new regulations will bring great benefits, there is still the potential to reduce energy consumption even further. This is because the regulations only specify the minimum efficiency standard required. There are, in fact, motors available which are significantly more efficient than the minimum level, and together with efficient drives they can give you even better performance, especially at partial loads.

By choosing highly efficient motors and variable speed drives, companies can save significant amounts of energy, and they can also ensure that they will comply with new energy efficiency requirements well into the future.

How much could our motors save?

Since ABB offers compliant products, it’s also worth asking what kind of difference ABB motors and drives might make to the world’s energy consumption. To answer, over the course of 2020, ABB’s installed base of high-efficiency motors and drives enabled 198 terawatt-hours of electricity savings, which is equivalent to over three times the total annual consumption of Switzerland.** Again, that’s a lot of saved electricity.

Find out more about the Ecodesign regulation

Learn more about what the new Ecodesign requirements mean for your motors and drives, and your business, and how ABB can help you ensure compliance. We explain which types of motors and drives the regulation applies to, here: Ecodesign for motors and drives | ABB

* https://ec.europa.eu/info/energy-climate-change-environment/standards-tools-and-labels/products-labelling-rules-and-requirements/energy-label-and-ecodesign/energy-efficient-products/electric-motors_en

** ABB urges greater adoption of high-efficiency motors and drives to combat climate change – global electricity consumption to be reduced by 10%

The post Save enough electricity to power a whole country appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

Where should we start? There is so much we can and should do to mitigate climate change as individuals, businesses, cities and countries. There are things that have immediate and big impact and there are things that have a smaller or a more long-term impact. We must also look at the human cost of the actions we take. We cannot simply stop everything without causing massive human distress.

Where we should focus our attention are areas that have a high impact in the short and long term and have minimal negative impact to human life. One such area is energy efficiency in industries, cities and infrastructure. With the rise in population, automation, urbanization and electrification, the demand for energy will continue to grow.

The most effective way to reduce carbon emissions is to use less energy. However, we can’t switch off everything. We need to produce food, keep water running, air flowing, trains moving and ships sailing, while continuously improving the energy efficiency. With high-efficiency motors and variable speed drives we can do just that.

Independent research estimates that if the existing motor driven systems were replaced with optimized, high-efficiency equipment, the gains to be realized could reduce global electricity consumption by up to 10%. In turn, this would account for more than 40% of the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions needed to meet the 2040 climate goals established by the Paris Agreement.

Please find our white paper on the energy efficiency potential of motors and drives here:

I believe industrial energy efficiency, more than any other challenge, has the single greatest capacity for combatting the climate emergency. It is essentially the world’s invisible climate solution. With high-efficiency motors and drives that power most of the critical processes around us, we can keep the world turning, while saving energy every day.

Our role as ABB, together with all the global technology companies, is to always provide the most energy efficient technologies and products and to continue to innovate for more. We should also let everybody know of these technologies and innovations, so that they can take them into use. But, as stated in the beginning, we can’t do this alone. We need commitment, collaboration, and action from multiple stakeholders:

• Public decision makers and government regulators need to incentivize rapid adoption of the most energy efficient technologies.
• Businesses, cities, and countries need to be aware of both the cost savings and environmental advantages and be willing to make the investment.
• Investors need to reallocate capital toward companies better prepared to address the climate risk.

Human beings are amazing. When we share a meaningful, urgent and inspiring purpose, we can accomplish almost anything. Together, we can progress and sustain the future of industry and humanity. We are moving forward, but with your help, we can go much further.

Morten Wierod
President, ABB Motion

Join us and be part of the energy efficiency movement.

The post Let’s keep the world turning while saving energy every day appeared first on Energy Efficiency Movement.

For example, our Large Motors and Generators team recorded the highest efficiency ever for Induction Motors with an efficiency value of 98.16% resulting in a new World Record. This record is a huge milestone of innovation and great engineering skills.

It’s good news for our customers as it limits their energy costs and lowers overall operating costs. But it is even greater news for our planet – every increase in efficiency means a reduction in energy usage and lower CO₂ emissions.

Over a 20 year period, this higher motor efficiency will result in the saving of more than 5,900 tons of CO₂ [1], equating to more than 3000 round-trip flights over the Atlantic from London to New York. [2]

If we can replicate the carbon and energy savings from this motor across all similar motors in operation globally, the energy savings would be enormous. Incremental changes, small tweaks to a design, and the collective contributions of individuals can make a big difference.

Pablo Picasso once said “Everything you can imagine is real.” For us, as engineers the only limit to our ingenuity is our imagination. If we can imagine a future that is clean and green, with motors that consume half as much energy, then it must be achievable. It is our job to make that happen.

Heikki Vepsäläinen
Division President, Large Motors and Generators at ABB

1 Calculated on the basis of the CO₂ Baseline Database published by the Central Electricity Authority in India.

2 Flight Carbon Calculator – Offset your Flight Carbon Footprint – CLevel

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A1 Electric Motors installed a 72-kilowatt (kW) SynRM IE5 electric motor at the Shepparton plant – and it met the high expectations of the forecast. The high-efficiency refrigeration compressor motor used 14 percent less power than the old model. This results in an annual reduction of approximately 131 tons of CO₂ emissions. 

The new motor has also reduced operating costs for the facility by around AUD 15,000 per year. These savings mean that the new motor will quickly pay for itself. The motor also operates more quietly and at a lower temperature than the previous model. In addition to efficient refrigeration and energy savings, the facility has also been able to drop its overload currents from 125 to 110 amps.  

Following the success of this project, Campbell’s Shepparton upgraded a second refrigeration compressor with a 55 kW SynRM motor and ACS580 variable speed drive. Subsequently two additional refrigeration compressor motors were also upgraded with SynRM motor technology, bringing the total to four. 

“After the initial project success, it was a no-brainer to add further SynRM installations, given the rising energy prices, our increased ability to meet our sustainability target and also the fact that we could now rely on a critical piece of infrastructure,” explains Mark Hyland, Environmental and Safety Manager at Campbell’s Australia. 

“Campbell’s Shepparton runs their refrigeration plant 24/7 which means that the SynRM technology has the greatest opportunity to deliver significant energy reductions, resulting in remarkable cost savings,” adds Chris Cheong, Director of A1 Electric Motors. 

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The management conducted an energy efficiency audit with Exel Industrial – an ABB Value Provider. It revealed that the most significant consumers of power within the hotel were the eight pumps that supply the HVAC system and provide hot water to guest rooms. Working with experts from ABB, hotel management decided to replace them with 16 higher-efficiency electric motors.  

The new pump motors were paired with 13 ABB ACH550 variable speed drives (VSDs) designed for HVAC applications. They enable more precise operation and save power any time the motor is not running at full speed. The motor-drive packages are also quieter and more reliable than the old motors.  

These upgrades to the hotel heating and cooling systems, combined with an intelligent motion solution, reduced energy use by 445,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually – a 40 percent decrease. This huge saving has a significant impact on the hotel’s operating costs, cutting its annual energy spending by approximately $37,000. As a result, the upgrades paid for themselves in under two years.  

The more energy-efficient hotel exceeded InterContinental’s objectives, eliminating the equivalent of 253 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year.  

Esteban Rodriguez, Chief Engineer of the InterContinental Hotel Madrid, explains: “InterContinental is very interested in increasing the sustainability of the chain through the Green Engage program. In this program, all the hotels aim to achieve higher levels of sustainability.”  

Enrique Bernard Lillo, Quality and Financial Manager of Exel Industrial, adds: “During this fieldwork, we observed that decreasing the frequency of the motor by 10 percent would produce energy savings of 40 percent.”  

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