ABB committed to China’s growth of renewable energy and sustainable mobility

Shanghai, May 12, 2010 –ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, staged its annual North Asia Region “ABB Automation World” here today. The event, themed “Smart Technologies and Energy Efficiency”, showcased the company’s comprehensive smart technologies and energy efficiency solutions, demonstrating how they contribute to industrial productivity with a focus on China’s high growth areas such as renewable energy and high-speed railways.

Brice Koch, Executive Vice President of ABB Group and Head of Marketing and Customer Solutions, said at a press conference today, “Tapping renewables and developing high-speed railways has become a pressing task to maintain the sustainable development of China’s economy. With ABB’s leading technologies in these areas, we hope to play an active role in bolstering the country’s infrastructure construction.”

As a leading player for wind power sector, ABB is the largest supplier of electric components for wind turbine and the leading supplier for connecting power to grid. It has actively participated in a big number of large-scale wind projects in China, including China’s biggest wind farm in RuDong, Jiangsu and the country’s first offshore wind farm — the Donghai Bridge Offshore Wind Farm Project in Shanghai. In 2009, ABB China’s wind power business increased over 125% from the previous year.

ABB is a leading smart technology provider in the hydroelectric field, boasting advanced computer control systems such as the 800xA, and a variety of leading technologies for HVDC transmission. ABB’s 800xA systems have been widely used for hydro power plants in China, integrating automation functions in a single operation and engineering environment. ABB’s power transmission technology is also used for the 2,000 km-long Xiangjiaba (Sichuan)-Shanghai 800kV Ultra High Voltage power link, setting a new benchmark in terms of distance and transmission capacity.

ABB actively contributes to China’s solar power industry with a full range of solutions. The company has engaged in a number of large-scale solar photovoltaic projects in China and throughout Asia.

As a world leading independent supplier of rolling stock equipment to the rail vehicle industry and fixed installations to rail network operators, ABB smart technologies and solutions cover every aspect of rail line infrastructure. The company has participated in a number of key high-speed railway construction projects, including the world’s fastest and longest high-speed railway — the Wuhan-Guangzhou line — and the Zhengzhou-Xi’an and Wuhan-Hefei high-speed passenger lines. ABB’s equipments also have been widely installed in locomotives and electric multiple unit (EMU) trains, ensuring high efficiency and reliability. In 2009, ABB’s railway business in China more than tripled compared with the previous year.

ABB’s smart technology and energy efficiency solutions are also widely applied in World Expo. From the GIS used in Jing’an transformer substation, China’s only underground 500 kV transformer substation, to drives used by the center stage of Expo Culture Center, ABB has participated in over 50 World Expo related projects, offering its best solutions and services to the world most eye-catch event of the year.

Renewables are a key focus of China’s future development. According to China’s renewable development plan, non-fossil fuels will make up 15% of total energy consumption by 2020. By 2020, 160,000 km rail lines will be built (60% electrified) and high speed railway is a key infrastructure area in China, accounting for 58% of total China’s railway investment from 2009 to 2013.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 117,000 people. ABB has a full range of business activities in China, including research and development, manufacturing, sales and services, with 15,300 employees, 30 joint ventures and wholly owned companies, and an extensive sales and service network across 60 cities.