ABB launches Clean Air Initiative for Aging U.S. Power Infrastructure

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, today announced it has launched a new initiative, The Clean Air Initiative, to ensure that the company’s power plant and utility customers are aligned and protected against the many challenges to the power generation industry.

This announcement was made in advance of the Power-Gen International 2012 exhibition and conference in Orlando. ABB is exhibiting in booth #2000 in the Orange County Convention Center.

The combination of an aging coal fired fleet, increasingly stringent EPA regulations and an abundance of natural gas are driving change in the power industry that will result in a future landscape that looks much different from today's version. As utilities work through the process of coming into compliance some plants will retire, others will be retrofit with air quality controls and new generating capacity will need to be constructed. In response to this changing landscape, ABB decided to launch its new Clean Air Initiative.

The initiative is led by a cross functional team that aims to make it easier for customers to access the full value of ABB expertise in products and services.   

"It is important for ABB to understand the industry drivers and have an intimate understanding of how those factors are impacting our utility customers,” said Rodney Durban, ABB director of the Clean Air Initiative. “We'll be looking carefully at constraints and making appropriate adjustments to ensure we are ready to deliver anything from individual product needs to fully integrated solutions covering the complete range of instrumentation, control, and electrification for retrofit and new generation projects."

In addition to the obvious needs in power generation, the retirement of generating assets in certain areas will create pockets of grid instability that must be addressed. Drawing on years of experience, ABB and its Grid Systems business in North America will consult with its customers on the best possible courses to remedy grid instability and to take responsibility for turnkey installation of solutions, including static VAR compensators, static synchronous compensators, and capacitor banks.

The magnitude of change facing the power industry dictates an approach that requires dedicated focus on the trend. By establishing that focus through the creation of a strategic initiative, ABB is affirming its commitment to partner with customers in a way that adds value beyond traditional equipment supplier roles.