APC 2010 Annual Report Download - page 58

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
2RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT ANDFOR ETHICS, MOTORS OF ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
Solutions
Schneider Electric promotes active energy effi ciency, which consists
in optimising the entire energy cycle through several steps:
•initiate an energy audit that will result in a series of quick win
actions to quickly make substantial savings, as well as an action
plan;
•then, automating the systems to maintain these savings;
•and fi nally, monitoring, controlling and adjusting to make
sustainable savings on energy.
To do this, the Group offers a range of products, software and
services:
•products: dimmer switches, timers, heating and air-conditioning
control, variable speed drives, etc.;
•systems: building management systems, lighting control, process
supervision, etc.;
•services: energy audits, data management, remote monitoring,
etc.
These solutions are adapted locally according to the standards and
regulations in force in each country where they are marketed.
Significant events 2010
In 2010, the growth rate for energy effi ciency activities exceeded the
Group’s average revenue organic growth by over 8.3points.
Among the Group actions that contributed to this growth, it is worth
highlighting:
•the consolidation of teams organised around energy effi ciency
in each country, in coordination with the Energy Effi ciency and
Solutions Department;
•launching the “Ecoexpert” initiative, external partners trained in
energy effi ciency solutions, with pilots in France, Spain, Italy and
the United States;
•the development of high-added value service solutions;
•the development of energy effi ciency architectures included in
our solutions;
•the reinforcement of energy effi ciency training actions for
customers and other external stakeholders.
Renewable energies
Context
Renewable energy is key to Schneider Electric’s development,
societal and environmental goals.
Its energy challenge, which consists in increasing global energy
production twofold while cutting CO2 emissions in half, calls for
a profound change in the energy mix. It will have to signifi cantly
increase the percentage of energy coming from renewable sources
and better integrate these intermittent sources into the electrical grid,
primarily through gradually setting up smart grids.
According to the International Energy Agency’s forecast (World
Energy Outlook 2010), renewable energies, in particular wind and
hydraulic power, should account for 1/3 of total energy production,
a threefold increase between 2008 and 2035.
Offers
Schneider Electric offers a full range of products, systems and
services for solar, wind and hydroelectric energy.
Our teams ensure that they are well-integrated into the electrical grid
thanks to our expertise in electrical distribution (low and medium
voltage), conversion and energy management.
We use and connect to power plants’ and large buildings’ electrical
network, provide equipment to turbine manufacturers, and supply the
residential market through our network of partners and distributors.
Schneider Electric has actively reinforced its solutions in recent
years, primarily through external growth, including the acquisition of
Xantrex, a global leader on the photovoltaic inverter market. Xantrex’s
solutions are currently a part of the Group’s Power business, and
they have been marketed under Schneider Electric’s brand since
2010.
2010 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC56