Green energy harnessed for NSK plants
February 2022
Electrical Power & Protection
NSK has signed a contract with the electricity provider of its two UK manufacturing facilities in Newark (industrial bearings and linear guides) and Peterlee (automotive bearings) that ensures the supply of ‘green electricity’ generated from wind power. In other words, the provider confirms that it is producing green electricity from renewable sources to match the consumption demands of NSK’s UK-based plants.
With these contracts, all five NSK European production plants – including Munderkingen in Germany and Kielce and Wałbrzych in Poland – are now sourcing green electricity, as is the company’s European headquarters and technology centre in Ratingen, Germany. This positive development is one of many steps that NSK is taking to reduce the impact of its activities on the environment and is part of the company’s European target to achieve the operation of carbon-neutral manufacturing facilities (scope 1 and 2 emissions) by 2030.
The use of green energy has a considerable impact on the reduction of climate-affecting emissions. When the Kielce factory – the biggest NSK site in Europe – fully switched to electricity from renewable resources in 2019, the subsequent year saw a reduction in emissions of approximately 65 000 tonnes of CO2.
In addition to sourcing green energy, 23 NSK facilities worldwide are generating solar and wind energy on-site, reducing CO2 emissions by about 3900 tonnes per year. This activity meets with the company’s ongoing ambition to reduce energy consumption at its factories and offices.
As early as 2008, NSK introduced a KPI for the environmental impact of each new product: the so-called ‘Neco’ factor. Says Eddie Ward, quality and environmental systems manager, EQA (European Quality Assurance), NSK Europe: “With this factor, we address eco-efficiency indicators to assess the eco-friendliness of our products comprehensively and quantitatively. Our goal is to develop new products with a Neco score of 1,2 or higher. In 2020, we achieved this goal with six new environmentally-friendly products, comprising bearings, linear guides, actuators and greases. We are continuing this activity with all our new product developments.”
Further reading:
Unpacking the technoeconomic case for cleaner power in wastewater plants
Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Behind every reliable wastewater plant is an electrical system exposed to the effects of harmonics, voltage distortion and overloaded networks caused by fleets of variable speed drives on pumps and aerators.Together, they steadily drive up maintenance demands and elevate the risk of failure.
Read more...
Energy strategy as a competitive advantage for African businesses
Electrical Power & Protection
Energy is no longer simply something that businesses consume. When managed effectively, it becomes a controllable asset that supports resilience and efficiency and sets the foundation for long-term competitiveness.
Read more...
World’s fastest 14 bit arbitrary waveform generator
Vepac Electronics
Electrical Power & Protection
The ARB Rider AWG-700 from Vepac is the world’s fastest 14 bit arbitrary waveform generator, with a 20 GS/s real-time update rate and 14 bit vertical resolution.
Read more...
Transformers for mining house in Botswana
ACTOM Electrical Machines
Electrical Power & Protection
LH Marthinusen is completing the manufacture of two 30 MVA transformers for a mining house in Botswana.
Read more...
DIN-rail power supplies for reliable and efficient AC/DC conversion
Conical Technologies
Electrical Power & Protection
The Claf Power AD75-2BxxS series DIN-rail power supplies are designed for industrial automation, control systems and process environments.
Read more...
Rethinking power for Africa’s data centres
Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Africa’s digital economy is scaling faster than its power systems. If it wants resilient, competitive and sustainable data centres, the starting point must be a grid-to-chip architecture rather than a genset-first mentality.
Read more...
The growing decentralisation of power grids
Electrical Power & Protection
The decentralisation of power generation is changing how national grids function. For electrical engineers, several new challenges and opportunities are on the horizon.
Read more...
Custom mini substations for Zambian copper mine
Electrical Power & Protection
Recent orders to supply seventeen specially engineered mini substations for an underground copper mine in Zambia reinforces Trafo Power Solution’s track record in delivering customised electrical solutons for challenging environments.
Read more...
Unifying building information into a sea of insight
Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Facility managers realise that in order to gain the most from building automation, they can longer deploy and operate technologies in isolation. Modern, integrated building management solutions address this challenge by bringing data from multiple sources and dispersed locations like HVAC, lighting, access control, lifts, generators, field devices, energy and
Read more...
Smart power solutions for a low-carbon future
ABB South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
As the world marked Earth Day 2026, ABB is highlighting the role of low-voltage smart power solutions in improving energy efficiency, reducing emissions and enabling more sustainable infrastructure.
Read more...
printer friendly version