@schneider_electric_sweden
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Valentin Monteiro, Head of Sustainability at Schneider Electric recently spoke with We Don’t Have Time for an exclusive interview reflecting on Schneider’s work in 2023. Commenting on the current state of initiatives at Schneider Electric, Valentin shared the core principles that we pride ourselves on as an impact company: These are made up of “five simple principles. The first one being performance, because it is the foundation of doing good. The second would be business, to include sustainability in the core of what the company is doing thanks to innovation and technology. The third one is to raise the ESG bar to bring it into the core of the company strategy. The fourth would be setting a model and culture bringing everyone along to participate and commit. Leading us to the fifth principle of engaging all stakeholders, from customers, employees, suppliers, and the entire societal grid. In summary, we have to do well to do good, and do good to do well.” With these five principles in mind, we’ve been able to not only reduce our emissions but also actively reduce the emissions of our supply chain and our global contributions to CO2. “We are having an impact of 90 million tonnes of saved and avoided emissions, so roughly 30 million tonnes” of net CO2 emissions reduction every year when considering the footprint of our operations and value chain. The key to making this impact was actively working with our suppliers over the last years, as “less than 1% of it is the actual operations of Schneider Electric” while the rest comes primarily from our customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. As such, it has been crucial for us to consider these Scope 3 emissions in our sustainability efforts to make our impact as significant as possible. As Valentin pointed out, “we have a special program with the top 1,000 suppliers of Schneider Electric to help them decarbonize their operations by 50% by 2025.” Beyond this work on decarbonizing their own value chain, Valentin further shared two core missions allowing Schneider Electric to have the most impact on society. “We see two axes that we are really advocating for and supporting companies with… Electrification for decarbonization… and Digitization for efficiency.” Electrification focuses primarily on how we can electrify the operations and processes of our customers, to help them phase out the fossil fuel consumptions of their energy mix. Digitization is about leveraging sensing technology and data analysis to easily find the untapped potential for efficiency and then automate actions that allow customers to seamlessly reduce the energy consumption of their operations. The benefit of this is that digitalization is already an important area of focus for a lot of businesses, including fellow We Don’t Have Time Partners Ericsson and BT, and in Sweden in particular “if you look at the pace of electrification vs the rest of the world, it’s expected to go twice as fast in the next decades”. This opens a massive number of opportunities on the market, requiring unprecedented speed of deployment to meet decarbonization goals. Something that can only be achieved with an open and collaborative approach, therefore it is key to bring all partners up to speed. As we look forward to the next year, we’re excited to continue both advocating for and leading by example in relation to both Digitization and Electrification, and we hope that given the signed deals for a tentative phasing out of fossil fuels our leadership in this space will help to accelerate, or at least initiate the global decarbonization journey that both businesses and the society need to achieve in the coming years. See Valentin’s full interview with We Don’t Have Time here: https://youtu.be/f_socvO5DWU?t=25915 About the COP28 Climate Hub We Don’t Have Time hosted the COP28 Climate Hub, in partnership with Race To Zero, UNDP, the Exponential Roadmap Initiative, and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, amplifying the important high-level discussions at COP28 to a global audience. The live broadcast spanned over 10 days and covered a variety of climate-related topics. Rewatch the COP28 Climate Hub anytime on We Don’t Have Time Play.
In many of the climate crisis conversations, the focus is on what is often coined as “the green transition”, in other words, migrating our energy dependency off of fossil fuels and onto renewables or other non-fossil fuel based energy sources. But one frequently “unsung hero” of reaching net zero is energy efficiency - or put more simply - our ability to get more bang for our buck for the energy we currently generate. This may come across initially as a half-measure, but as studies are continuously showing, and businesses are continuously proving, energy efficiency is at the heart of the battle for our planet and a fundamental part of the longevity of a sustainable energy system. And here’s why. Energy Efficiency - The “First Fuel” To Tackle Emissions The goals of the IEA are ambitious, albeit greatly necessary, and they are dependent on decarbonizing the world energy system, which is currently responsible for 73% of all global emissions. 1/3rd of these emissions, however, are currently caused by inefficiencies in our energy consumption, and can be considered the low-hanging fruit of the emissions reduction game, because the technology and processes to combat them are already being put into place. In fact, they’ve already been instrumental in keeping our emissions increases to a minimum despite situations like the 2014 consumption boom, where “Energy-related GHG emissions increased by 1.4% to over 32.5 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent (Gt CO2-eq) in 2017 – the first increase since 2014, after strong global economic growth led to greater use of emissions-intensive fuels.” And they are projected to continue to be instrumental in keeping emissions down as we move into the future, “delivering over 40% of the abatement required to be in line with the Paris Agreement”. Versailles 2023: The 10 Commandments for Energy Efficiency Armed with this information, Schneider Electric recently partnered in an energy efficiency summit in Versailles, organized alongside none other than the International Energy Agency (IEA) to discuss and illustrate the role of energy efficiency in our net zero goals. The outcome of which was the Versailles 10x10 Actions, “a set of priorities needed to accelerate our efficiency and decarbonization journey”. The Versailles 10x10 Actions Summarized: Convened by “Governments with official delegations [that represented] 70% of global energy consumption”, the transition to energy efficiency and net-zero buildings involves several key factors, including Efficiency & Waste Elimination, AI-driven Optimization, Awareness, Knowledge, and Ownership, as well as several other imperatives which can be summarized as: A commitment to enhance energy efficiency and achieve net-zero buildings necessitates digital innovation for consumption measurement, AI optimization, and grid integration. This transition demands awareness dissemination, skill upscaling, and recognition of total ownership costs, with governments showcasing leadership through example. Effective regulation, accelerated grid expansion, and utilization of existing technology are pivotal, enabling the rapid adoption of energy-efficient solutions while driving universal net-zero construction practices across the globe. A Rapid Transition: Putting these plans into action One of the most promising aspects of this transition is that it is so ambitious in its directives. Versailles 10x10 aims to do no less than double our global energy efficiency capabilities in just 7 short years by 2030, and has been signed by 45 governments from around the world. In practice, this would mean, “ramping up annual energy efficiency progress from 2.2% today to over 4% annually by 2030 in a move that would create jobs, expand energy access, reduce energy bills, decrease air pollution, and diminish countries’ reliance on fossil fuel imports – among other social and economic benefits.” This is particularly vital as governments have a large stake in the control of energy efficiency due to their large portfolio of properties, land, and infrastructure. Considering that buildings account for roughly 40% of all global emissions, governments must both lead by example by making their own buildings more energy efficient, and bringing policy into play for the private sector to follow suit. After all, according to even the most recent studies by the IEA on Energy Efficiency, “the greatest short-term energy savings potential is in the buildings and transport sectors, with around 37 EJ and 34 EJ of avoided energy demand by 2030 available, respectively,”. And this comes with a clear icing on the cake, so to speak, as these improvements in efficiency “are already cost effective and pay for themselves through energy savings, even more so at today’s energy prices” according to the IEA. In certain cases, as with our partnership with Madison School County District, businesses are already taking the initiative by actively working with stakeholders to enact energy efficiency strategies with long-term commitments in line with Versailles 10x10. The hope and goal of this initiative is to be reinforced within the year at COP28 in Dubai, where both government and business representatives will be convening to discuss the next phases and current progress of our net zero goals. Schneider Electric Country President: “The Focus For Sweden” As a solution provider for energy efficiency with extensive operations in Sweden the Country President for Sweden, Jenny Larsson, lists her top three most vital tenets of Versailles 10x10 for Sweden 1: Measure & Diagnose, 2: Awareness & Knowledge, and 10: Build The New Net Zero - and for good reason. As a point of reference, the ability to digitize our measurement capabilities as it relates to energy efficiency is going to be crucial to reaching net zero. With any role or task, you always get the best results when you have accurate, trackable KPIs that provide you with both a North Star goal and the ability to constantly assess and tweak your own performance. The best part of this is that we have the data-driven solutions readily available to digitize energy consumption and gain the insights needed to make the informed changes needed for greater energy efficiency. Similarly, Awareness & Knowledge are going to be crucial for an expansive transition, or in other words, as a means of ensuring that this is a country-wide movement. Energy efficiency won’t work if the majority of the market doesn’t move with it, and the best way to ensure that this is a majority movement is by spreading awareness on the best practices, new solutions, and expertise on energy efficiency to peers in industry and beyond. And lastly, Building the New Net Zero provides us with a future-thinking approach to our technology and operations. As with our data-driven solutions for tracking and measuring our progress in efficiency, the technology for better energy efficiency already exists, it is simply a matter of implementing it. Commenting on these three core tenets of the wider Versailles 10x10, Jenny Larsson, Country President of Schneider Electric, Sweden had this to say: “Energy efficiency is an effective, and yet underutilized, measure for sustainability. There are many many low-hanging fruit opportunities in this space. It provides renewed opportunities for both end users and companies like Schneider Electric to support a positive transition towards a more sustainable energy use. The ability to track, diagnose, and implement efficiency solutions links directly with the Science-based Targets Initiative, because it’s all about putting your business in an informed position to make climate-positive changes. As a leading energy solutions provider, Schneider Electric is in a unique position to help our customers and partners find the “efficiency North Star” and implement the solutions they need to reach it. The technology already exists and as it can potentially reduce as much as 40% of emissions from the energy sector, it’s an exciting opportunity that can’t be passed up on.” What we’re hoping to see now, though, is a government-business partnership in an energy efficiency acceleration and we’re looking forward to continuing to form our own unique partnerships to push the needle in that direction at Schneider Electric. Learn more about what went on at Versailles 10x10 below: https://blog.se.com/energy-management-energy-efficiency/2023/07/05/how-can-the-versailles-10x10-actions-accelerate-efficiency/
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The hope for net zero remains alive
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Great transition focus. Your 3 core tenets sound great. I love your steps to achieve your goal. Good luck.
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This is great! Energy efficiency needs to be prioritised by everyone if we want to reach net zero!
As Europe grapples with ongoing energy challenges, Schneider Electric recently emphasized the crucial need for the world to draw lessons from the 2022 energy crisis in a Financial Times article. With a focus on electrification through renewables and digitalization, we wanted to highlight the urgent necessity to implement sustainable solutions. Addressing the Lessons of the 2022 Energy Crisis: In 2022, Europe experienced an energy crisis that compelled households and businesses to curtail energy usage, impacting seasonal festivities. Even the iconic Eiffel Tower light show in Paris was dimmed to conserve energy. While these efforts helped avert blackouts, the milder winter weather played a role in preventing widespread disruptions. However, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warns that Europe faces a similar threat in the upcoming winter, with projected shortfalls of nearly 30 billion cubic meters, equivalent to approximately 7% of the 2021 demand. Philippe Delorme, Executive Vice President of Europe Operations for Schneider Electric, underscores the prevailing vulnerability of Europe's energy markets, stating, "The immediate future remains unclear, and Europe's energy markets are still in a very vulnerable position." Delorme further highlights the substantial sums governments spent on energy subsidies last winter, equating to the funding of the upcoming Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games eight times over. We need to continue urging governments and organizations to invest in technologies and solutions that drive energy efficiency, to prove their cost-effectiveness in both the short and long term. Philippe Delorme, Executive Vice President of Europe Operations for Schneider Electric Embracing Digital Efficiency to Meet Demand and Reduce Consumption: While green energy infrastructure investments primarily focus on augmenting clean power supply through initiatives like wind farms and efficient solar panels, experts argue that digital efficiency holds the key to short-term solutions. Leveraging smart energy management devices that monitor and track resources can curtail energy consumption and costs across residential, commercial, and energy-sensitive facilities. Moreover, many demand-side measures can be readily introduced using existing technology. Delorme affirms the importance of optimizing energy usage and minimizing waste, stating, "We all need to optimize our energy use and reduce waste, and we can do this by leveraging the technologies we already have available to us." By prioritizing electrification, Europe can simultaneously bolster energy security and drive decarbonization. This entails transitioning all aspects of transportation, heating and cooling systems, and industrial-scale processes to renewable energy sources, marking a transformative shift away from fossil fuels. The Role of Electrification and Efficient Technologies: A 2022 study published in Scientific Reports emphasizes that the electrification of multiple applications within buildings is paramount to achieving lower carbon emissions and meeting global net-zero goals. The study highlights the significance of employing efficient electrical heating systems to manage demand, with ground-source heat pumps serving as an exemplary solution. Our own research estimates that by prioritizing electrification in the buildings and transport sectors, Europe can increase the share of electricity in its overall energy mix from 20% to 50%. This approach not only substantially reduces reliance on fossil fuels but also minimizes or eliminates energy waste. The Lippulaiva Urban Development: Pioneering Energy Efficiency: The Lippulaiva urban development, situated near Helsinki, Finland, represents a remarkable example of energy efficiency technologies and digitalization systems. Comprising residential flats and a retail park, this project aims to be both carbon-neutral and Europe's most energy-efficient development. Through the use of onsite solar panels and geothermal wells, the Lippulaiva center leverages digital technology to monitor and manage electricity demand and supply. Battery storage facilitates the usage of electricity as needed, while excess power generated can be fed back into the local grid. This pioneering initiative embodies what is achievable in 2023 and serves as a blueprint for constructing a sustainable future. Moving forward: The urgent need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, promote electrification, and transition to renewable energy sources to address Europe's current energy crisis and reduce emissions is clear. Political will is evident, as demonstrated by the willingness to allocate funds for action. However, it is crucial that such actions and investments be strategically directed to prevent recurring challenges in the upcoming winter and beyond. By collectively learning from the lessons of the 2022 energy crisis, governments, organizations, and individuals can foster a resilient energy sector and pave the way toward a greener and more sustainable future. Read the full article below! https://www.ft.com/partnercontent/schneider-electric/europes-energy-crisis-lessons-must-be-learned.html?
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Excellent article- thanks for sharing.
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Congratulations 👏. Green energy is the best way to go.
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Do you think that the energy crisis is over?
Schneider Electric is a global technology provider for energy management and automation, which places us in a pivotal spot to help drive the transition towards a sustainable energy system. While scaling up the production of green energy is crucial, the industry needs to change how energy is used to meet short-term climate targets. Schneider Electric Sweden joined Stockholm Climate Week to explain how we help customers do just that. On April 19, Schneider Electric Sweden participated in the first-ever Stockholm Climate Week. Valentin Monteiro, Head of Sustainability of Schneider Electric Sweden, opened the session from SPACE Arena in Stockholm with a keynote about our roadmap to drive sustainability and energy efficiency in Schneider Electric and with different customers. Schneider Electric has been recognized as one of the most sustainable companies in the world, and we started our sustainability journey 15 years ago when most people weren’t talking about the climate transition in the same way we do today. In his keynote, Valentin Monteiro explained that as a big industrial player in the energy sector, Schneider Electric needs to be serious about our sustainability work in order to lead the transition to a net zero future. “Energy being about 75% of the problem when it comes to GHG emissions, we have a key role to play as a provider of energy management solutions,” Valentin explained. However, there is a lot of work to do in our own operations and value chains as well: “The full scope of emissions for the entire group of Schneider Electric[...] in 2022 was about 61 million tonnes. That is equivalent to the emissions from a country like Sweden.” This shows the importance of decarbonizing Schneider Electric as a company, but what is also interesting, says Valentin, is that we are also part of the greater solution: “We see that we [help our customers save and avoid emissions] for a bit more than 90 million tonnes of CO2 last year.” Our positive impact is currently bigger than our negative impact when it comes to emissions, and we are looking to continue widening this gap as we move to become a net zero company across all our operations, including our upstream (suppliers) and downstream (customers) value chains in the coming decades. So how can we do this? Through solutions within everything from energy efficiency to digitalization and eco-design, we have a high potential to help our customers reduce their emissions. To expand on this and give some concrete examples, Jenny Larsson, Country President of Schneider Electric Sweden joined the following panel along with some of Schneider Electric’s customers. Combining energy efficiency and digitalization to transform how we use energy can be the key to solving both the climate and energy crises, Jenny explained: “Today there is a lot of focus on the supply side, and the transformation that is needed in how we generate electricity… We do not sufficiently address the demand side — how energy is used. 55% of the [potential for reducing] emissions are still on the demand side, so we need to address that.” At Schneider Electric, we are addressing this through electrification as well as digital smart solutions. We need policymakers and companies to recognize the importance of optimizing energy use to solve the climate crisis, and our role is to continue to educate and provide solutions to do just that. Watch the full session below to learn more and stay tuned to our profile here on We Don’t Have Time, where we will continue to share examples and insights on how we contribute solving our connected climate and energy crises. https://youtu.be/61bwsSqheBc?t=18923 Rewatch Stockholm Climate Week anytime on We Don’t Have Time Play.
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Such an important work helping customers avoid emissions. Keep it up and expand it - hopefully exponential!
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This is a great influence to reducing carbon foot print. Well done Schneider!
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If one organisation can pull this off, imagine the scale of work that could be accomplished if more companies did it
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Collaboration is key! We all need to work together to achieve global decarbonization.
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Very interesting to hear from one of the biggest players out there!