Global engineering group ABB is using the Internet of Things (IoT) to try and help reduce the world’s energy consumption. An industry target of 10% reduction will not all come from IoT, reports Antony Savvas, but the company believes IoT will be paramount in finding opportunities for savings.
After her presentation to this week’s IoT Solutions World Congress in Barcelona, ABB Motion’s digital lead, Mari Haapala sat down with IoT Now to explain how our industry could lead the way in sustainability.
Industry faces the challenges of net zero targets like everyone else, along with rising energy costs. Expert analysis of data from digitally connected motors and drives can identify the best ones to boost energy efficiency, and this is what ABB Motion is focusing on.
“45% of all energy in the world is used by motors, making this process more efficient can have a huge positive effect towards achieving net zero,” says Haapala. “If we achieve this we could save 10% of the world’s energy.
“75% of the world’s motors are not run efficiently, and we want to provide IoT data to the industry to help optimise them, re-purpose them or, where necessary, replace them.”
In the future, she added, industrial companies may well be able to use their sustainability efforts in things like better running motors as cash positive items on their balance sheets, so there is extra impetus for firms to act.
Haapala stressed that ABB as a group was not working alone in such sustainability efforts. Indeed, Microsoft has joined its Energy Efficiency Movement.
The Movement is a multi-stakeholder initiative to raise awareness and spur action to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions to combat climate change. Companies are invited to join the Movement and make a public pledge as a way of inspiring others to take action.
Microsoft joined the likes of Deutsche Post DHL Group and Alfa Laval in the ABB effort.
The author is Antony Savvas, a global freelance business technology journalist.
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