In an era of surging global energy demands and escalating costs, industries worldwide are coming face to face with hard economic realities. Climate change, energy shortages and the augmenting energy costs – oil, gas and electricity – have led to significant additional energy costs for companies. Thus, calling for an urgent imperative to revolutionise their energy consumption patterns.
Global energy usage is projected to increase by almost per cent by 2050 with industrial sectors accounting for nearly 40 per cent of global energy consumption and more than 30 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In Egypt, the nation’s total energy consumption from the electricity sector alone was 158 TWh in 2020. By 2030 Egypt’s energy consumption is poised to soar by around 120 per cent creating an ample opportunity to adopt energy efficiency measures across all the economic sectors.
ABB, a global leader in technology and automation, is at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging its expertise to foster sustainable development and energy efficiency. In Egypt, ABB’s initiatives and solutions are driving significant advancements in industrial efficiency, contributing to the nation’s economic growth and environmental conservation.
The Growing Need for Sustainability
The Egyptian government’s Vision 2030 plan underscores the importance of sustainable development, aiming to balance economic growth with environmental protection and social equity.ABB’s innovative solutions align perfectly with these national objectives, providing the technological backbone to support Egypt’s sustainable industrial growth.
Ahmed Hammad, Chairman and Country Holding Officer ABB Egypt highlighted ABB’s commitment to supporting Egypt’s sustainable development goals. He stated, “Egypt’s economic growth relies heavily on the energy sector, which accounts for 13.1 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). ABB is honoured to work alongside the Government of Egypt and other partners to promote the Egyptian government’s energy diversification strategy, known as the Integrated Sustainable Energy Strategy (ISES) to 2035, to ensure the continuous stability of the country’s energy supply by stepping up the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency practices. Through our innovative solutions and initiatives, we aim to enhance climate resilience, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and foster the transition to a low-carbon economy in line with Egypt’s vision for 2030.
Enabling a More Sustainable Future
As a technology leader in electrification and automation, ABB is at the core of accelerating the energy transition. Every day, ABB empowers customers worldwide to enhance, electrify, and decarbonise their operations.
ABB’s Sustainability Agenda aligns perfectly with this mission. Adhering to recognised best-practice standards and guidance, and integrated across all business operations, it aims to enable a low-carbon society, preserve resources, and promote social progress towards a net-zero future.
Enabling a low-carbon society
To support the creation of a low-carbon society, ABB is setting ambitious net-zero targets in line with the SBTi Net-Zero Standard. In 2023, ABB submitted its revised scope 1, 2, and 3 targets for 2030 and 2050 to the Science Based Targets initiative for validation. ABB is dedicated to reducing its own greenhouse gas emissions, helping customers avoid emissions and increase renewable energy use, and collaborating with suppliers and partners to enhance their sustainability efforts.
Preserving resources
With the effects of climate change becoming increasingly apparent worldwide and growing pressure on natural resources, industries and governments are swiftly adopting measures to reduce their environmental impact. Amid these ambitious sustainability goals, the concept of “circularity” is gaining prominence. Recognising this critical need, ABB has made circularity a cornerstone of its mission, prioritising the elimination of waste and the continual use of products and materials to support a more sustainable future.
To help customers fulfill their circularity commitments, ABB offers retrofit, take-back, and recycling solutions that extend or give a second life to its products. Examples include recycling large motors and retrofitting windmills, ships, and robots. By adopting circularity strategies, organisations can ensure Earth’s resources are efficiently used, and products are designed in a way so they can be reused, remanufactured, or repaired, keeping them in circulation so they don’t contribute to landfilling. With these services, ABB ensures that some of the world’s most complex and critical infrastructure lasts longer and operates more efficiently.
Promoting social progress
ABB is committed to driving positive change across all aspects of its operations. With a strong focus on innovation and corporate responsibility, ABB aims to create a lasting impact on society. To promote social progress, ABB is dedicated to helping workers, communities, and societies reach their full potential. To achieve this, ABB aims to ensure zero harm to its employees and contractors.
Industrial IoT and the surging need for dgitalisation
Internet of Things and digitalisation offer even more opportunities to reduce energy consumption. With remote connections and services, the status of equipment and even whole processes can be checked at any time, from anywhere, enabling better decisions about energy efficiency.
Data collection and data analysis enabled by the industrial Internet of Things increase knowledge and allow predictions. When this data is turned into preemptive action to resolve minor issues, this can result in major savings on maintenance issues and boost efficiency.
Furthermore, providing remote access to data and analytics to service experts will close the loop of continued improvement. Online availability of support from a device or process expert is essential for a quick resolution of unwanted situations. Coupling remote access with new technologies allows earlier detection, and better diagnostics, and therefore facilitates faster service – resulting in better planning and an increase in efficiency.
In addition, new flexible business models are emerging that offer the potential for continuous energy optimisation services. For example, a trusted partner, like ABB, can share the responsibility for gradually improving the energy efficiency of electrical motor-driven equipment over time, while maximising the value customers get from their assets.
Energy efficiency movement
Stemming from the belief that “change comes from within,” ABB is committed to taking measurable action on climate change, empowering ABB’s professionals and partners, and engaging the larger ecosystem to adopt solutions that accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Thus comes the ABB Energy Efficiency Movement (EEM), which brings together all stakeholders to innovate and act for a more energy-efficient, regenerative, and adaptive world. It’s about addressing energy efficiency to help mitigate climate change and its associated rising costs.
Sherif Ismail, Vice President – Electrification Commercial Director ABB Egypt highlighted that We believe energy efficiency is the first fuel for a decarbonized future and an essential contributor to environmental protection. It is an under-exploited opportunity that can be better utilised to reduce both costs and emissions. The technologies and solutions required for enhancing the efficient use of energy already exist, but they need to be put to proper use. Thus, we are calling for more commitment from industry leaders to reduce energy consumption and protect the environment while reducing costs,” It is worth mentioning that since its launch in 2021, the movement has been met with widespread enthusiasm and it’s now an independent non-profit organisation, with more than 500 companies worldwide signing on
In Egypt, ABB has recently launched the Energy Efficiency Movement (EEM) in May 2023. EEM details ten actions that are indispensable pillars for achieving the net zero emissions goal, providing companies with a platform to discuss achievements and the environmental challenges they face. Through this movement, ABB aims to promote affordable energy sources, scalable alternatives, and technical best practices to decrease energy usage.
ABB’s factory and market leadership in Egypt
Mohamed Salem, Business Manager Electricity Transmission & Distribution solutions and Director of Factories, ABB Egypt highlighted that we are producing in our factories in 10th Ramadan city a wide range of products to serve the electricity transmission and distribution as well as the industry and process automation, measuring and control systems and provide market segments with motors and drives since 1978. Our major customer are electricity distribution and transmission companies, utility, infrastructure, marines, ports and industry. In average 40 per cent of our components are locally sourced and in-house made.
We are producing at world class quality standards and our cost is quite competitive derived by the low labour cost in Egypt and fully certified by the international quality standards, ISO 9001: 2015,ISO 14001: 2015, ISO 50001: 2014 and OHS 18001: 2007.
We Export to all middle east, Africa, Europe, and America. Today Europe and the Gulf Regions are the biggest export destination for our products,
Also, we secure 1st place in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Brazil Safety Champions League. This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to safety excellence and quality standards
ABB as a technology leader and a trusted partner to the GOE, has succeeded in enabling Egypt to reduce energy consumption by offering a diverse range of innovative sustainable solutions and contributing to mega projects as follows :
World’s largest wastewater treatment plant gears up with innovative ABB technology
Considered the world’s largest wastewater treatment plant, the Bahr el-Bakar facility in Sinai, Egypt, will deliver a world record-breaking capacity of 5.6 million cubic meters of treated water per day for agriculture development projects and industrial production.
ABB delivered a range of high-end solutions to the project that are part of an integrated offer including technology from its Electrification, Motion and Process Automation business areas.
located away from main utilities, the treatment plant will integrate renewables to create its own microgrid to support infrastructure and operations at the plant.
ABB also delivered 20 Super Premium Efficiency IE4 motors controlled with 20 Ultra-low harmonic variable speed drives that maximise energy efficiency and improve the reliability of the plant’s pumping applications. The project also features ABB’s MV motors.
The project is also supported by the latest ABB AbilityTM System 800xA asset control system to enable efficient and sustainable management of the water treatment cycle through remote maintenance. With advanced process control technologies, operators have complete visibility and a rich choice of operational features to connect all systems and processes in one platform, increasing efficiency and performance.
Egypt’s most valuable artifacts protected by ABB energy efficient solutions
ABB was awarded the opportunity to furnish power and automation technology and expertise for one of the most spectacular tourist attractions in Egypt. The project comprises the maintenance of a continuous power supply to preserve ancient valuables with energy-efficient safety, performance, and dependability.
Drawing upon its impressive nearly five-decade history in Egypt, ABB provided the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) with a cutting-edge electrification and building management system to ensure cost-cutting energy performance and quality lighting. This system comprises medium voltage (MV) panels, transformers, low-voltage main and sub-panels, as well as a building management system based on the 800xA platform that adopts the IEC 61850 system and KNX automation systems.
The vital role of efficiency in reducing energy consumption and environmental impact
As the world advances to a low-carbon future, industrial businesses should be looking to significantly reduce their carbon footprint. Electric motor-driven systems serve as a critical part of global industry, with industrial businesses running around 300 million of them. At the moment, about 70 per cent of the electricity consumed by industry is used by electrical motors. Thus, enhancing motor efficiency stands as a key avenue for reducing CO2 emissions and waste, with practical measures that lower industry energy costs as well.
In this context, ABB co-operated with the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the General Organisation for Export and Import Control (GOEIC) to donate an energy-efficient electric motor testing lab with the aim of rating imported motors and verifying their levels of energy efficiency following the approved Egyptian standard specifications and ensuring the technical standards of imported engines are compatible with import stipulations of its global counterparts.
This laboratory is part of ABB’s social responsibility projects, supported by ABB’s Drives and Motors business, to purchase and install the necessary equipment and supplies needed for the establishment of this laboratory, in addition to providing test benches for motors with a capacity of up to 75 kilowatts. This initiative contributes to defining international technical specifications for electric motors in Egypt and developing quality control for this type of motors all while establishing an integrated matrix to control exports and imports according to international standards.
Mohamed Ismail, Services Division Manager, Motion-Egypt, North & Central Africa highlight that “Industrial activities and processes consume nearly 40 per cent of total generated electricity, according to the International Energy Agency. So, the potential for energy savings in industries and utilities is enormous, especially in systems applying electric motors. We are thrilled to be a part of the Ministry of Industry’s initiative to leverage smart technology and enhance energy efficiency by establishing and developing this specialised laboratory, as outlined in our memorandum of co-operation. This co-operation will allow regular exchange of experiences and advanced technology and will contribute to the efforts deployed in reducing energy consumption and improving its efficiency to meet the future energy challenges in Egypt”
It is worth noting that ABB’s specialized measurement laboratory contributes to Egypt’s national strategy for climate change in 2050 by providing greater access to electric motors with stringent minimum energy performance standards (MEPS).
Conclusion
Despite the recent and anticipated future increases in fuel prices, solutions exist that enable cost- and energy-efficiency. For 45 years, ABB Egypt has been a valuable partner to the Government of Egypt and the private sector, consistently offering digitally enabled solutions and life-cycle services to help companies optimise their energy efficiency efforts. Sustainability and energy efficiency are no longer optional but essential for the future of industry.
ABB’s commitment to these principles is evident in its extensive portfolio of solutions and active engagement in Egypt’s industrial sector. Through innovative technologies, strategic partnerships, and a focus on education and awareness, ABB is driving the transformation towards a more sustainable and energy-efficient industrial landscape in Egypt.
As Egypt continues to pursue its Vision 2030 goals, the role of companies like ABB will be crucial in ensuring that industrial growth is achieved in harmony with environmental preservation and social well-being. By leveraging its global expertise and local presence, ABB is not only contributing to Egypt’s economic development but also paving the way for a more sustainable and prosperous future.innovative path to sustainability and net-zero energy goals
