In a remarkable stride towards sustainability, the ABB Santa Palomba production facility in Italy has adopted a Net Zero blueprint, signaling a significant shift in environmental consciousness and energy efficiency. This milestone was achieved by adopting renewable energy sources, establishing an innovative smart grid, and installing photovoltaic panels.
675 Tonnes of CO2 Emissions Reduced
ABB’s residual current device (RCD) and energy metre factory in Santa Palomba, Italy, is now cutting 675 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. A new photovoltaic system provides 25% of the site’s energy, supplementing its existing sustainable sources.
The ABB Electrification Smart Buildings factory employs over 350 people and produces more than 16 million devices each year. Since 2019, the Santa Palomba facility has purchased electricity exclusively from renewable sources.
To further its goal of reducing carbon emissions, the team partnered with logistics partner Laziale Distribuzione to implement a cutting-edge smart grid project.
Nearly 3,000 solar panels, with a peak power of 1.52 MW, have been installed on the company’s warehouses near the ABB plant. As part of this effort, photovoltaic shelters were also installed in the parking lot, powering 17 charging stations for the company’s fleet of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles.
Smart Grid and Energy Management
The facility’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond generating renewable energy to intelligently managing it. By harnessing solar power, the site has significantly reduced its carbon footprint and contributed to the global transition toward a greener future.
To manage this system, the ABB Ability building management software solution was installed, enabling real-time monitoring and optimization of energy consumption. The software provides the Santa Palomba team with valuable insights, accessible both on-site and remotely.
The software is crucial for managing energy efficiency across systems like air conditioning, compressed air, and air intake, as well as lighting, which has already been fully transitioned to LED technology. To continue its move away from fossil fuels, the Santa Palomba site also aims to replace its boilers with high-efficiency heat pumps by 2025.
Facility Aligns With ABB’s ‘Mission to Zero’ Journey
Mike Mustapha, President of ABB Electrification’s Smart Buildings, noted that the Santa Palomba facility aligns with ABB’s ‘Mission to Zero’ journey, which prioritizes sustainability and resource efficiency. He emphasized the importance of integrating renewable energy sources and increasing electrification to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, highlighting how ABB empowers customers worldwide to optimize, electrify, and decarbonize their operations.
“Much more electric power will be required to power the cities and structures in which we live and work. We adhere to the ‘Mission to Zero’ journey’s guiding principles at our operations site in Santa Palomba. It is an ongoing project that demonstrates our dedication to making the future more resource-efficient and sustainable for all of us. We enable clients worldwide to optimise, electrify, and decarbonise their operations on a daily basis,” Mustapha noted.
Under the ABB Mission to Zero programme, the company aims to reduce its CO2 emissions by 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2050 against a 2019 baseline. Driven by regional teams, the sites focus on enhancing productivity by using ABB’s cutting-edge technology and third-party integration for energy generation, management, and storage.
