How ABB Solutions Help Industries with the Energy Transition

The energy transition presents both challenges and opportunities across various sectors. 

Adrian Guggisberg is the President of the Electrical Distribution Solutions division at ABB — one of the industry giants ensuring the energy transition is in reach for all. 

Within ABB, Electrical Distribution Solutions focuses on products and solutions for the medium-voltage level of the electrical power grid. Its equipment connects, protects and controls electrical power distribution.

This underpins ABB’s position in supporting energy efficiency and decarbonisation, as its products, solutions and services help electrify and automate the world in a resource-efficient way. 

“With our technologies in electrification and automation, we help industries outrun and become leaner and cleaner,” Adrian explains.

“Electrification of everything while converting electrical power generation to renewable sources is needed to decarbonise industries, transport, buildings and data centres. Therefore, the demand for electricity is steadily increasing as well as the complexity of the power distribution.” 

For example, ABB’s Electrification business area partners with businesses to navigate these challenges, ensuring electricity flows reliably and safely as they move toward a low-carbon future. 

As well as this, ABB’s Motion Solutions division converts electrical energy into motion, with its robot solutions helping industries from manufacturing to hospitals run processes predictably, consistently and energy efficiently.

With this in mind, Adrian shares just some of the ways ABB is accelerating the energy transition — while breaking down barriers around it — with Energy Digital.

Q. With SF6 gas being nearly 24,000 times more polluting than CO₂, what strategies can utilities and industries employ to accelerate the transition to SF6-free switchgear?

SF6 has been used for several decades in medium-voltage and high-voltage products due to its electrical properties and thermal stability that allowed companies to build highly reliable equipment. 

The drawback of this gas is its high pollution risk. For more than 13 years, ABB has been investing in new technologies to replace SF6. 

Starting in 2026, the European Union will ban the use of this gas in some areas, with a further step coming in 2030.

As the medium-voltage grid is the backbone of the electrical power network, the industry is very concerned about reliability and, therefore, rather conservative. 

The regulatory time pressure is now posing a big challenge to make the technology transition. While typically the industry tests new solutions for a decade, the first step has to happen in 18 months.

We recommend that the industry collaborate closely with suppliers like ABB to jointly evaluate new solutions that can be deployed and where to work with alternatives. 

Trade-offs between optimal configurations and available solutions will mitigate risks much better than insisting on past requirements. 

For example, air-insulated switchgear is a reliable and safe solution for medium-voltage power distribution systems and can be used instead of SF6-free, gas-insulated switchgear.

However, air-insulated technology requires more space. Still, it may be a better alternative than dealing with potential reliability and delivery concerns that come with the ramp-up of new production lines for SF6-free gas-insulated switchgear.

Q. ABB research indicates that 51% of respondents need more money and people to support the energy transition. How can European companies and policymakers address this resource gap to prevent the transition from stalling?

This is a very broad question, and there are many different elements to this. This can range from easier access to funds via incentives or more integrated business transition planning. 

It is important to note that the issue is recognised. For example, the EU has flagged the resource gap as one of the key issues to be better resolved.

Energy storage was identified as a significant challenge by 44% of respondents. 

Q. How is ABB working to improve energy storage technologies and what role do you see storage playing in Europe’s future energy landscape?

Energy storage is indeed needed for many reasons. One key driver is to balance supply and demand with more renewable power coming online, as well as more fluctuating loads.

Another use case is related to secure grid stability, with another one being to avoid congestion in the grid. 

In short, storage will be essential for managing peak loads, avoiding energy waste and enhancing grid stability.

At ABB, we work closely with customers to help build such solutions, using our electrification products, solutions and services.

For example, our digital solutions help to manage energy storage systems and allow integration into the network in an optimal way. 

Q. Cybersecurity emerged as the top challenge for continuing Europe’s energy transition. What specific cybersecurity risks are European utilities facing? What solutions is ABB developing to help mitigate these risks?

The utility sector faces unique cybersecurity challenges due to its essential services and its interconnectedness with other critical sectors. 

At the same time, the electrical grid must become more intelligent to integrate renewable energies and additional loads. This means the grid's digitalisation needs to accelerate. 

To develop scalable, secure grid automation solutions, utilities and technology providers must collaborate more closely. 

Safely designing and operating smarter grids must be a joint objective. 

Cybersecurity management must become part of the life-cycle management of installations.

ABB provides well-tested equipment and regular updates and works with customers to tailor security-related solutions.

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