ABB has signed a supply agreement with Aker Solutions, a leader in sustainable energy solutions, to provide major electrical, automation and safety systems for the Northern Lights project in Norway. Aker Solutions is the design, procurement and construction (EPC) general contractor for the project.
ABB has signed a supply agreement with Aker Solutions, a leader in sustainable energy solutions, to provide major electrical, automation and safety systems for the Northern Lights project in Norway. Aker Solutions is the design, procurement and construction (EPC) general contractor for the project.
The Northern Lights project is the first industrial carbon capture and storage joint venture between Norwegian oil company Equinor, Shell and Total Energy to develop an open and flexible infrastructure for the safe storage of CO2 emissions from European industry. The first phase of the project, scheduled for completion in mid-2024, will enable the permanent storage of 1.5 million tons of CO2 per year, and the second phase will expand storage capacity to more than 5 million tons per year.
ABB's automation, electrical and digital solutions will be an important part of the Northern Lights project, helping the new carbon capture terminal to be remotely operated and ensuring the facility operates efficiently. With ABB Ability™ System 800xA, ABB's industry-leading distributed control system, operators will be able to get a clearer picture of how Northern Lights storage facilities are operating. ABB systems provide real-time and historical data analytics capabilities that present plant operational data and KPIs in real time, helping operators make more accurate and informed decisions and select the best asset and process performance optimizations.
Kristin Glenna, Northern Lights project Manager at Aker Solutions, said: "ABB is not only a market leader in distributed control systems, but also a long-term trusted partner with a comprehensive understanding of our business and expertise in onshore, offshore and subsea projects. This is a key consideration in our selection of suppliers. We had to entrust important remote operations to a partner with a proven track record of success in both reliability and performance optimization to lay a solid foundation for this important development program."
Per Erik Holsten, Head of ABB's energy industry for Northern Europe, said: "Given the current inability to curb industrial carbon emissions, industrial carbon capture and storage capacity will undoubtedly be critical if the world is to reach 1.7 gigatonnes of CO2 capture by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. Northern Lights is a significant development initiative that not only helps rebalance the carbon cycle, but also demonstrates the spirit of innovation. We are excited to be part of this inspiring project and contribute to a safer, smarter and more sustainable future."
The captured and liquefied CO2 is transported by dedicated carriers from the point of discharge to the Arctic Light Øygarden storage facility in western Norway, where it is operated remotely from Equinor's Sture terminal facility, located approximately 7 km away. To enable remote operations, ABB will establish an advanced extended operator workstation at the Northern Lights storage facility that will work in tandem with Sture's central control room to dramatically reduce response times through seamless communication, providing 24/7 remote operations.
ABB will not only provide the shore power solution, but will also deploy the main electrical system through the power process management system and the integration of high and low voltage switchboards and transformers to provide power support for the entire project.
