ABB retrofits 110-year-old Spanish factory site

ABB’s factory in Oiartzun, Spain, has become the first ABB site in Spain to achieve zero operational emissions under the company’s Mission to Zero programme. 

The site, which produces wiring accessories and smart home solutions, now meets 100% of its energy demand through renewables, supported by more than 580kWp of photovoltaic panels installed on-site. 

The factory also uses ABB building automation and energy management technologies to optimise lighting, heating, and power distribution across the site. Energy performance is monitored through ABB eLink, a digital platform that provides real-time visibility into energy consumption and helps teams make informed decisions to enhance efficiency and reliability. The facility is also equipped with EV charging stations, supporting ABB’s transition toward clean and electrified operations.  

Over the past five years, the 110-year-old plant has achieved a 42% reduction in energy consumption compared to 2019 levels, driven by a sustainability roadmap focused on electrification, automation, energy management, heat recovery, and process optimisation. The site has also eliminated fossil fuel use, operating entirely on renewable electricity generated on-site and from certified sources. 

Commenting in a release was Mike Mustapha, President, ABB Electrification’s Smart Buildings Division: “Achieving zero operational emissions at our Oiartzun site marks another important step on ABB’s Mission to Zero journey. 

“As our first facility in Spain to reach this milestone – and one of many sites worldwide advancing toward the same goal – it shows how we are turning ambition into action: electrifying our operations, embedding circular design, and using digital energy management to make decarbonisation real. Through this progress, we aim to set a benchmark for sustainable manufacturing and help customers accelerate their own transition to net zero.” 

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The Oiartzun factory works closely with technology centres, suppliers, and circular economy forums to advance sustainable manufacturing and stay aligned with evolving market and regulatory standards. 

Beyond decarbonisation, the site’s sustainability strategy spans social commitment, efficiency, and circularity, adds ABB.

The factory is certified to ISO 50001 for energy management and has achieved Zero Waste to Landfill status. Additionally, with ABB’s EcoSolutions framework, all products are designed and verified to meet environmental standards, made from up to 95% recycled materials.

Decarbonising buildings

As per a March 2025 report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the buildings sector remains a key driver of the climate crisis, consuming 32% of global energy and contributing to 34% of global CO2 emissions. The sector is dependent on materials like cement and steel that are responsible for 18% of global emissions and is a major source of construction waste.

The Oiartzun factory joins ABB’s growing network of Mission to Zero manufacturing sites around the world.

The programme was launched six years ago and sees selected sites apply technologies, backed by ABB’s digital solutions, to integrate renewables and drive their decarbonisation.

Over 20 sites are part of the programme, from India and Finland to the US and China, as the company pushes the transition to low-carbon, energy-efficient, and circular operations through electrification and digital innovation. 

To achieve Mission to Zero status, sites must achieve minimum requirements, applying ABB solutions and integrating third party solutions to enable greater electrification, efficiency and use of renewable energy. 

These include implementing a number of actions, such as electrification through EV charging infrastructure and replacing fossil fuel fired systems; energy efficiency and process optimisation; green energy generation on-site or local green energy procurement.

Additionally, the site must be able to achieve a minimum of one of the following targets: improve energy productivity by 15%; use locally produced renewable energy for 15% or consumption; reduce CO2 emissions by 15%.