Using energy more efficiently brings many benefits: it makes the energy go further, curbs carbon dioxide emissions and saves money.
Today the most common primary sources of energy are fossil fuels, many millions of tons of which are burned each year to generate power. Through inefficiencies, from the gathering of these energy sources to their eventual consumption, a staggering 80 percent of their potential to generate power is lost.
With global energy consumption predicted to climb substantially by 2035, such high levels of inefficiency will needlessly add to the already growing carbon emissions. Estimates suggest energy efficiency improvements could deliver half the cuts in emissions needed to slow global warming over the next 25 years.
ABB has been in the energy business for 120 years and has pioneered many innovations that define the industrial and utility landscape today, such as high voltage direct current, variable speed drives, and industrial robots. Our technologies are used along the entire energy value chain from the extraction of resources and their transformation into electricity, liquefied natural gas or refined petroleum products, to their efficient use in industry, transportation and buildings. ABB can help industrial and utility customers improve energy efficiency by providing specialists to audit energy use and identify areas for improvement, and by providing equipment, systems and solutions to reduce energy consumption and improve productivity.
Participate in the conversation
Together with Bloomberg Business Week, ABB asked CFO's, government employees and energy professionals for their point of view on the future of energy. You can see the full results and participate in the survey yourself at ABB better world.
Learn more
In 2011, ABB sponsored one of the most comprehensive overviews of energy efficiency in industry and utilities available, Trends in Global Energy Efficiency. This publication is a contribution to raising awareness about the importance of using energy more efficiently and the opportunities that exist for industry and power utilities.
The first part of this report measures and analyzes the attitudes and ambitions of business around the world regarding energy efficiency. The second part provides a global overview of energy efficiency in industry and utilities, as well as in-depth reviews of the countries which collectively account for 75% of the world’s energy consumption.