APC 2010 Annual Report Download - page 59

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT ANDFOR ETHICS, MOTORS OF ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
>PARTNERSHIPS WITH START-UPS
Aster Capital, the joint Schneider Electric and Alstom risk-
capital fund, focuses on identifying new opportunities
for growth and innovation. It detects emerging market
and technology trends ahead of the curve and develops
partnerships with promising start-ups. In 2009, Aster
bought a 20% stake in Solaire Direct, a company that
designs and installs photovoltaic infrastructures of all
sizes for solar power generation.
Significant events 2010
In 2010, approximately 2% of Schneider Electric’s revenue came
from renewable energies.
Schneider Electric worked on several photovoltaic park projects,
for example in Vinon-sur-Verdon (France) with Solaire Durance (a
subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts and Solaire Direct), Saint-Benoît
(Reunion) for the Casino retail group and in Italy in partnership with
AES SOLE Italia S.r.l.
Participation in the Tenerrdis competitiveness
cluster
Tenerrdis, based in the Rhône-Alpes region (France), works to
develop the new energy channels of tomorrow that are competitive
innovators and growth drivers.
Tenerrdis is leading over 400 labeled projects, worth EUR300million
in investments, EUR145million of which are fi nanced by the State
and local authorities.
It has six priority industries: solar power, energy effi ciency in buildings,
smart grid management and electrical storage, biomass, hydrogen/
fuel cell and hydroelectricity.
Internationally, in 2010, Tenerrdis signed a cooperation agreement
with the NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) in the USA
and participated in several different missions (in Denmark, Egypt,
Germany and the United States) to connect small and medium-sized
companies from the Rhône-Alpes with these different countries.
Electric vehicle
Context
The electric vehicle has been put forward as a response to the
need to reduce CO2 emissions, to resolve the problem of urban
congestion, and adapt to the scarcity and rising cost of fossil energy.
Acceptance by consumers and the development of the electric
vehicle mainly depends on the re-charging infrastructure, which must
combine safety (for users, the vehicles, buildings, and the power
grid), facility (availability of charging terminals at all times, in every
location, and for all requirements), and the effective integration of
the power grid (fi rst mobile charge in history).
Offers
Schneider Electric has developed a range of solutions to respond to
the specifi c needs of eight electric vehicle charging environments:
vehicle fl eet, shopping center car parks, street parking, private
company car parks, pay and display car parks, residential or co-
owned garages, and rapid re-charge.
Significant events 2010
Pilot projects
Schneider Electric is actively involved in pilot projects allowing them
to test solutions in real conditions and help rapid and successful
adoption of the electric vehicle.
The Group is involved in the following projects:
•the SAVE project (Seine Aval Electric Vehicle), which brings
together Schneider Electric, the Renault-Nissan alliance, EDF,
Total, le Conseil Général des Yvelines, l’EPAMSA, and the Ile-
de-France region to test 100 electric vehicles and charging
infrastructures in Yvelines at the start of 2011.
•the PHV-Strasbourg experimentation project in collaboration
with EDF, Toyota, and the City of Strasburg, for which the Group
provided 135 charging terminals.
Partnerships and Collaborations
Schneider Electric is also taking part in a large number of initiatives,
including a French-German work group on electric vehicle
infrastructures.
Solar
Photovoltaic parks/solar power plants
•Preliminary studies
•Design and optimisation of electrical distribution architectures
•Equipment supply and installation
•Installation life cycle maintenance and operation contracts
Residential solar Conversion and protection products sold through our network of
general and specialised distribution partners
Wind Components and systems for primary and auxiliary circuits and
control circuits
Hydraulic Distribution automation and control
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