ABB India Launches Rare Earth-Free IE5 Motors

30 Sep 2025 CW Team

ABB India announced an investment of Rs 140 crore to expand and modernise its Low Voltage (LV) motor manufacturing facility in India. Alongside this, the company launched rare-earth-free IE5 ultra-premium efficiency motors.

“These investments reinforce India’s role as a key global manufacturing hub,” said Stefan Floeck, President – IEC Low Voltage Motors, ABB.

The new motors, with power ratings of 45 kW to 1000 kW, operate on both Direct-On-Line (DOL) and Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) systems. Their launch comes after China imposed export restrictions on seven rare earth elements critical for permanent magnet motors, disrupting global supply chains.

“These motors combine proven induction technology with ultra-premium efficiency—without relying on rare earths,” said Sanjeev Arora, President – Motion Business, ABB India. The solution helps industries mitigate risks from rare earth shortages affecting automotive, defence and renewable energy sectors.

Infrastructure Urban

30 Jul 2026

Centre Clears Power Distribution Upgrade for Uttar Pradesh

The Central Government has approved power distribution projects worth Rs 407.39 billion for Uttar Pradesh under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). The investment will be used to modernise the state's electricity distribution infrastructure and strengthen network capacity across urban and rural areas. The package targets one of the country's largest distribution networks as the state experiences rapid urbanisation and rising electricity consumption. Planned interventions include the strengthening of distribution lines, modernisation of substations, replacement of ageing electrical ..

India Data Centres To Consume 191 TWh By 2040 Driving Renewables

A Wood Mackenzie report says India's operational data centre capacity is projected to increase more than fivefold to 12 gigawatt (GW) by 2030 from 2.2 GW in 2025 as artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing drive demand. It projects electricity consumption to rise from 10 terawatt-hour (TWh) in 2025 to 191 TWh by 2040. The study forecasts a compound annual growth rate of around 40 per cent and notes AI-dedicated capacity will surge nearly 24-fold from 275 megawatt (MW) in 2025 to 6,546 MW by 2030. The report places India's digital economy at Rs 32 trillion (tn) in 2025 and says it contr..

Hydrogen Train Completes 1,200 Kilometres Of Trials

India's first hydrogen train was flagged off between Jind and Sonipat on July 17 and has travelled over 1,200 kilometres in trials, saving diesel consumption of more than 3,200 litres, a Railway Ministry press release said. The deployment marks the introduction of a zero-emission fuel cell train into route testing and represents a milestone in domestic rail innovation. The train generates electricity onboard through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, producing electricity to propel the vehicle while emitting only water vapour as a by-product. There is no smoke and no tailpipe car..