Evidence of this is the eta energy efficiency award that was presented by Eskom and the department of energy to ABB South Africa because of its energy efficiency head office, manufacturing and logistics centre at Longmeadow, Johannesburg. The Longmeadow facility includes a basket of energy efficient technologies.
These technologies include a building automation system, high-efficiency drives and motors, power factor correction as well as the incorporation of renewable energies such as 140m2 of solar power panels, which together with a heat recovery wheel enable the air-conditioning system to provide heating for the hot water in the building.
To increase its energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint, ABB South Africa recently commissioned a carbon footprint study of its operations in South Africa including the Longmeadow facility as well as the electric motor factory in Alrode, Johannesburg.
Although ABB's operations are considered part of the light manufacturing industry, it has a vision to continue to be a pathfinder in its energy efficiency practices in its operations.
It also needs to meet the ABB Group sustainability targets for energy savings as well as CO2 reduction. ABB will now embark on a review of the data and decide on actions to take to further reduce the carbon footprint at its main operations in South Africa.
In addition to the internal focus on energy efficiency performance, ABB is a leading provider of power and automation technologies, which help reduce energy for customers across many sectors from large utilities to process industries and commercial buildings.
With the high cost of electricity, ABB is focusing particularly on mining and agriculture.
ABB has successfully worked with medium and large-sized farming operations to substantially reduce their energy bills through its energy efficiency products and systems.
For example, in the irrigation sector ABB, through its technology, is able to both reduce energy as well as increase productivity of farming land through its technologies.
ABB is building some of the largest solar plants in South Africa as part of the renewable energy programme initiated by government and the department of energy to reduce reliance on fossil-based fuel sources.
Even though the company's technology is widely used, ABB's key stakeholders have reiterated in stakeholder dialogue forums that ABB needs to provide more public awareness of its energy efficiency products, systems and technology.
Participation in the Greening the Future Awards is a key component of increasing awareness of energy-efficiency technologies across a wider audience.
ABB salutes those innovators of energy efficient programmes by individuals, companies and groups in the 2013 Greening the Future Awards. Through platforms like this South Africa can achieve greater excellence in energy efficiency and carbon reduction.
This article has been paid for by ABB. Copy and photographs were supplied by ABB.