Schneider Electric makes strong case of energy-efficient technologies for sustainability 

In an exclusive interview with The Nation Group, she observed that the current global green energy movement was focusing heavily on the supply side.

She pointed out that the shift towards renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and some biomass is only one side of the coin. More awareness is needed on the demand side, too.

"The demand side is about the energy consumption, not the energy production. It's how we use energy. It's about energy efficiency," she said.

The transition to renewable energies was not an option, but an obligation, so that the world could achieve the true goal of sustainability, she added.

It's not surprising to see countries and companies around the world change the way they source energy with less harm to the environment and more effective use, she said.

According to the International Energy Agency's Energy Technology Perspectives 2023, the global market for key mass-manufactured clean energy technologies will be worth approximately US$650 billion per year by 2030. If countries around the world fully implement their announced energy and climate pledges, the figure will be more than three times higher than it is now.

Meanwhile, clean energy manufacturing jobs would more than double from 6 million today to nearly 14 million by 2030, with further rapid industrial and employment growth expected in the following decades as there is progress in the transition.

However, Leong pointed out that there was still a lack of practical action on the part of users.

She said that sustainability cannot be achieved solely through the usage of renewable energy; users must also learn how to use energy efficiently.

"Our job right now is to communicate more with consumers, telling them that there are energy-efficient technologies available on the market," she said.

She then demonstrated some of Schneider's technologies that have already been implemented in hotels around the world.

She described it as a technology solution for managing floor occupancy that automatically turns off and on the lighting and electrical systems without the need for human intervention.

"Smart automatic sensor is the technology that provides you with comfort while also helping you save energy," she explained.

Meanwhile, another example is a monitoring solution that has already been implemented by 50 million Thai households outside Bangkok with the assistance of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA).

She noted that the Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) from Schneider allows PEA to access data on consumption and demand in the supply and is very capable of regulating this.

The ADMS system can forecast when producers will increase production capacity.

Leong emphasised the significance of energy efficiency, stating that electricity is currently the best source of decarbonisation.

However, if people continue to use electricity in the same way as they do now, without implementing energy-efficient technologies, CO2 emissions would double, worsening the climate change scenario, she explained.

Many places would be submerged due to rising sea levels, she said.

"But the point is that the solution is now available. Everyone should make use of it, right?" she said, adding that there aren't many people talking about the existing energy-efficient technologies.

Sustainability is an output, whereas digitisation is a means of sustainability, she said.

Leong also addressed concerns about the cost of having energy-efficient solutions, saying that Schneider prioritises the context and needs of consumers.

That means some people only need a motorbike rather than an entire rocket, she explained, implying that consumers and small and medium-sized businesses may only require parts of energy-efficient solutions rather than the entire system, compared to large corporations.

In addition, she noted that Schneider also worked with local partners and installed through local installers, allowing it to become a part of the community and help the company remain at the forefront of the energy solution industry for the past 130 years.

Leong added that she would like to encourage consumers to change their mindset about cost and price.

A price is just a tag, a number. She said that everything should be viewed in terms of value.

"What is your cost of ownership if you buy a cheap car but have to repair it every month? On the other hand, you purchase a more expensive car of higher quality, which saves you money and time. It's the same with Schneider products," she explained.

Schneider, according to Leong, wants to be a part of the solution, not the problem, during this energy transition. She revealed that Schneider is working on numerous marketing plans for this year and beyond to promote energy efficiency on the demand side.

Also, in order to achieve sustainability, everyone must be able to fully utilise their resources for progress. Schneider is prepared to operate energy efficiency on both the supply and demand sides, she said.

Schneider Electric is a multinational French corporation that specialises in digital automation and energy management. By combining energy technologies, real-time automation, software, and services, it addresses homes, buildings, data centres, infrastructure, and industries.