The use of the word sustainability in ABB is based on the classic definition: "Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable - to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." (From United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987)
Sustainable development combines economic growth and increased prosperity with preservation of the environment and quality of life for people around the world.
The role of eco-efficient products
Getting more from less...
Much of ABB’s research and development focuses on new technologies that reduce environmental impacts - particularly those that contribute to curbing CO2 emissions.
Each working day, ABB manufactures nearly a million products. The greatest environmental impact - often 99 percent or more - usually occurs from energy consumption during the useful life of the product. Therefore, continuously increasing the electrical efficiency of our products - delivering more to society from each unit of energy - is a principal aim for ABB.
Some recent examples:
- Wind power is increasingly competitive with conventional power. ABB is by far the world’s largest supplier of components for wind power technology.
- Turbec, a company set up by ABB and Volvo, is a world leader in microturbine technology. Fueled by natural gas, microturbines are ideal for supplying local heat and electricity needs in areas not connected to power grids.
- ABB’s Motorformer, the world’s first highvoltage electric motor, offers higher efficiency, lower energy consumption and connects directly to the grid, eliminating the need for transformers and other ancillary components. This has both economic and environmental advantages.
- ABB’s variable-speed drives match motor speeds to process requirements -in some cases cutting electricity consumption by as much as 70 percent, with corresponding reductions in CO2 emissions.
To explore how we are integrating sustainability more closely into all our operations and decision-making processes please visit ABB Group Sustainability pages on the right.