ABB OF ASEA BROWN BOVERI

Their core work

ABB is a global industrial technology company that brings power grid and building automation expertise to EU-funded smart energy projects. Within H2020, their Belgian entity contributes to energy storage, smart grid interoperability, and smart building integration — areas where ABB has substantial commercial product lines. They serve as a technology provider helping demonstration projects connect homes, buildings, and energy communities through interoperable digital platforms.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ABB's H2020 involvement began with large-scale energy storage and distribution infrastructure (STORY, 2015), then shifted decisively toward smart energy communities, decentralised systems, and digital interoperability from 2018 onward. The keyword shift is clear: early work centred on planning tools and flexibility in energy systems, while recent projects emphasise smart contracts, decentralisation, and cross-domain interoperability across homes, buildings, and grids. This mirrors ABB's broader corporate pivot toward digitalisation of energy infrastructure.

ABB is moving from hardware-oriented energy infrastructure toward software-driven interoperability platforms that connect distributed energy assets across buildings and communities.

How they like to work

ABB participates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator — consistent with how large corporates typically engage in EU projects, contributing industrial-grade technology and real-world deployment sites rather than managing research agendas. Their 131 unique partners across 19 countries indicate they join large, multi-national consortia. Their modest funding shares (often under EUR 100K except for STORY) suggest they provide in-kind technology contributions and demonstration infrastructure rather than performing core research.

ABB has collaborated with 131 unique partners across 19 countries through just 4 projects, reflecting participation in very large consortia typical of Innovation Action (IA) projects. Their network spans most of the EU, with no apparent geographic concentration.

What sets them apart

As a global industrial company with commercial products in power grids, building automation, and energy management, ABB brings real deployment infrastructure and market access that most research partners cannot. Their participation signals industrial validation — if ABB is in a consortium, the technology is expected to reach market. For consortium builders, ABB offers credibility with reviewers and a path from demonstration to commercial deployment.

Highlights from their portfolio

• STORY
  ABB's largest H2020 investment (EUR 794K), focused on energy storage value in distribution systems — a core ABB business area.
• InterConnect
  Large-scale IA project (2019-2024) on smart home/building/grid interoperability, directly aligned with ABB's digital platform strategy.
• RENAISSANCE
  Addresses smart energy communities and decentralisation with smart contracts — signals ABB's interest in emerging distributed energy business models.