Decarbonisation Technology May 2026 Issue

Northern Lights Industrial decarbonisation, CO storage for Europe

Control room solutions

Remote operations

Integrated electrical system ABB Ability System 800xA

CO ow from Europe

Onshore CO capture

Oshore CO capture

Figure 2 Norway’s pioneering Northern Lights project

rapid demand growth, and new technologies that change the shape of consumption. Meanwhile, global carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions reached a record 37.8 gigatons in 2024 ( IEA, 2025c ), more than 50% higher than pre-industrial levels. Energy-intensive industries face the challenge of delivering more output to meet growing demand while reducing emissions. Add to this geopolitical shifts, changing commodity prices, and supply chain challenges, and the pressure is clear: deliver more with less. More output with reduced emissions. More reliability at lower cost. More agility with less risk. This is where automation becomes indispensable. Advanced control systems, paired with energy management software and digital twins, make sense of complexity. They optimise energy use, integrate renewables, and minimise waste in ways that manual oversight cannot. Building resilience At a European power plant, ABB automation enabled smarter energy use and renewable integration, cutting emissions while improving resilience. At Norway’s pioneering Northern Lights project (see Figure 2 ), ABB’s remote, 24/7 automation is ensuring reliable operations, with the first CO2 volumes already transported through a 100 km pipeline and securely injected deep beneath the seabed ( ABB, 2022 ). These are not future promises. They are real projects already in operation, showing how automation is turning ambition into reliable delivery.

Adopting automation is not about buying technology; it is about building resilience, securing compliance, and staying competitive in a world where all three are key areas of focus. Modern automation platforms are designed to evolve, not expire. Modular and upgradeable, they allow operators to scale capabilities without removing what already works. From liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities to biotech labs, this philosophy – innovation with continuity – means that investments made today remain relevant tomorrow. In Egypt, an LPG producer upgraded a 20-year-old system to an ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system (DCS) (see Figure 3 ), expanding controller capacity fivefold and preparing for smart grid integration, all without a full system replacement. In Saudi Arabia, a caustic soda plant was modernised by ABB in just 20 minutes of downtime, doubling capacity from 150 to 300 tons per day. Elsewhere, systems exist that, despite being developed decades ago, can be upgraded and updated efficiently, allowing operators to modernise without disruption. As an example, ABB’s Freelance DCS, introduced in the 1990s, continues to support new protocols while remaining compatible with its earliest hardware. Continuity matters not just for cost and efficiency, but also for workforce confidence. Engineers and operators often invest years in mastering a system, and it is important to retain that expertise. When platforms evolve with the workforce, institutional knowledge is retained