2008-04-23 - German Chancellor Angela Merkel was among the visitors that have been streaming into the ABB stand at the Hanover Fair to discover the innovative, energy-efficient power and automation technologies on display.
Peter Smits, head of ABB in Germany and regional manager for Central Europe, speaks to delegates at the ABB stand in HanoverABB has centered its display at the event - the world’s largest industrial trade show - around the themes of energy efficiency and combating climate change.
"There is strong demand for energy-efficient technologies, and we are benefiting from this," Peter Smits, head of ABB in Germany and regional manager for Central Europe, told journalists at a briefing in Hanover. "The political discussions on energy issues are also supporting our business. After all, most of our portfolio can contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions.”
Smits and Hubertus von Grünberg, ABB’s chairman, showed Chancellor Merkel how ABB is helping to combat climate change by improving energy efficiency and providing solutions that make renewable sources of energy more attractive.
One example being showcased is the technology ABB will use to connect the world’s largest offshore wind farm to the German grid. ABB won the order last year from E.ON Netz.
A model demonstrates how ABB’s high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for linking offshore wind parks to the power grid. The technology improves control over intermittent wind supplies, has lower losses than conventional power transmission systems, and uses oil-free cables.
Hubertus von Grunberg with Volker Jung from ABB Germany and Peter Smits at the 800xA demonstration
On show for the first time is ABB’s IRB 6640 robot, which is now capable of being used in the manufacture of solar panels. ABB worked with systems integrator Sieghard Schiller GmbH, a specialist in automated manufacturing, to create a new “clean room” version of the robot. The project was undertaken in response to the strict specification required for thin film production processes used in solar module manufacturing, where cleanliness is a critical factor.
The degree of cleanliness required, plus the size and weight of the modules, precludes using traditional manual production methods. It is therefore impossible to construct the modules in an economic way without using “clean” robots.
These are just two of the innovative technologies showcased by ABB's five divisions at the 1,500 square-meter booth located in Hall 11.
In addition, ABB has contributed to a special exhibition on energy efficiency in industrial processes. ABB is showing that energy savings of as much as 70 percent can be achieved by using variable-speed drives in pump applications.
ABB is one of the main sponsors of the World Energy Dialogue, a two-day conference held in parallel to the Hanover Fair that serves as a platform for leading experts worldwide to discuss the problems and potential solutions relating to the vital energy issues of our times.