These prestigious awards highlight the projects of companies that drive digital transformation and sustainability, promoting technological solutions to global challenges. The ABB AbilityTM awards recognize organizations that, through technology, achieve a positive impact in areas such as energy efficiency, carbon footprint reduction and environmental sustainability. The awards ceremony took place on November 12 at Espacio Ventas in Madrid, where the winners in each category have been announced. Laura Alonso García, R&D Project Manager and leader of CT’s green technologies group, accepted this recognition on behalf of the entire team.
The REPERA project (Retrieving Plastic Ebb from Rivers Autonomously), developed by CT, addresses the urgent problem of plastic pollution in rivers and oceans. With eight million tons of plastic entering the oceans each year, REPERA proposes a solution that intercepts the waste before it reaches the sea, taking advantage of river currents and significantly reducing offshore collection efforts. REPERA’s technology combines physical barriers with innovative bubble curtains, forming a self-contained system that integrates into the natural flow of water without interfering with river traffic.
REPERA is a unique and sustainable solution, based on the principles of energy efficiency and digital autonomy. Powered by sustainable energy and controlled by artificial intelligence, this system uses machine learning and advanced sensing technologies to optimize its waste detection and collection operations. Its multifunctional nature allows it to act as a physical barrier or as a bubble curtain, adapting to different locations, from inland rivers to estuaries and coastal areas.
Among the technical aspects of REPERA is the integration of advanced numerical models based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD), developed through the OpenFOAM platform. This tool allows CT engineers to analyze and simulate waste flows in the water, optimizing capture efficiency and system performance. In addition, artificial intelligence and data collected from real-time sensors provide the system with predictive capabilities, enabling more agile and data-driven decision making.
REPERA’s potential lies not only in its capacity to collect plastic waste, but also in its scalability and adaptability to various applications. Its conceptual design allows for future expansion, facilitating the creation of additional versions of the system to respond to the changing needs of each environment.
This recognition at the ABB AbilityTM Awards underscores CT’s commitment to sustainability and technological innovation, demonstrating how digitization and advanced engineering can offer tangible solutions for the protection of marine ecosystems.
