ABB SCHWEIZ AG

Their core work

ABB Switzerland is the Swiss arm of ABB Group, a global leader in power grids, electrification, and industrial automation. Within H2020, they contribute deep expertise in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems, power electronics (solid-state transformers, circuit breakers), and advanced computational modelling for industrial applications. Their participation is primarily as a third-party contributor or partner, providing real-world industrial infrastructure and engineering know-how to research consortia tackling energy transmission and mathematical modelling challenges.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ABB's early H2020 involvement (2016-2017) focused squarely on energy transmission — HVDC grids, offshore wind, circuit breakers, and grid protection for the North Sea. Their later projects (2017-2018) shifted toward computational modelling, mathematical methods for industrial systems, and advanced power electronics research (solid-state transformers). This suggests a move from applied energy infrastructure toward more fundamental research on simulation and next-generation power conversion technologies.

ABB is investing in the mathematical and simulation foundations that will underpin next-generation power systems, suggesting interest in digital twins and model-based engineering for energy infrastructure.

How they like to work

ABB almost exclusively participates as a third party or junior partner — they coordinated zero of their four projects. With 86 unique partners across 15 countries, they operate within large, multi-national consortia rather than leading them. This is typical for a large industrial company providing use cases, test infrastructure, and domain expertise while academic partners drive the research agenda.

ABB Switzerland has collaborated with 86 unique partners across 15 countries, reflecting a broad European network. Their consortia span both energy-sector industrials and leading research universities working on mathematical modelling and power systems.

What sets them apart

ABB brings something few academic partners can: real-world industrial scale. Their involvement means projects can validate research against actual HVDC grids, power conversion systems, and industrial processes. For consortium builders, ABB provides credibility with reviewers, access to proprietary infrastructure, and a direct path from research results to industrial deployment in the energy sector.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PROMOTION
  Major multi-partner project tackling meshed HVDC offshore grids for North Sea wind power — directly addresses Europe's offshore energy transmission challenge.
• ROMSOC
  Unusual cross-domain project applying reduced order modelling to diverse industrial problems from blast furnaces to blood pumps, showing ABB's interest in simulation beyond its core energy business.
• ASSTRA
  Focused on solid-state transformers — a technology expected to disrupt power distribution — positioning ABB at the frontier of power electronics research.