APC 2011 Annual Report Download - page 56

REGISTRATION DOCUMENT 2011 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC54
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
2GREEN AND RESPONSIBLE GROWTH DRIVING ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
Energy efficiency
Context
Energy effi ciency means using less energy for equivalent
performance or service.
Energy effi ciency is the fastest, most economical and most effective
way for governments, businesses and individuals to reduce CO2
emissions. According to the International Energy Agency (World
Energy Outlook 2011), energy effi ciency represents nearly 50% of
the reduction in CO2 emissions required to save the planet.
Schneider Electric is one of the fi rst companies to have taken a
strong position in support of energy effi ciency by developing
effi cient and competitive offers for all the large market segments.
Thus, the growth rate for energy effi ciency activities in 2011
exceeded the Group’s revenue growth by over 14points.
Offers
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, systems, services
and software:
•Products: dimmer switches, timers, heating and air-conditioning
control, variable speed drives, etc;
•Systems: building management systems, lighting control,
process supervision;
•Services: energy audits, optimisation of energy purchases,
participation in demand reduction programs, etc;
•Software: data analysis, remote monitoring, integrated
management of energy fl ows over several sites, etc.
These solutions respond to the standards and regulations in force in
each country where they are marketed.
Schneider Electric is continually developing new offers to better
respond to the needs of its customers, notably in the area of
services and integrated management, as well as developing new
distribution channels.
Schneider Electric’s energy services activity is experiencing strong
growth.
The Group’s large customers want to manage their energy better
and therefore must better understand their energy fl ows. This
involves energy effi ciency audits, metering, monitoring and analysis
services.
They then want to optimise these fl ows, done using the best
purchasing policies, in order to participate in demand reduction
programs, implement energy performance contracts, and obtain
certifi cations (e.g. the new ISO 50001 international standard).
These are energy management services.
Finally, this energy management allows customers to reduce the
environmental impact of their activities and to improve their carbon
audit. This involves evaluation and carbon footprint management
services, closely linked to energy management services.
The Company’s integrated energy management solution is also
experiencing strong growth.
It involves achieving a consolidated view of energy fl ows over
various activity zones of a single site, several sites, or the whole
of a company. Understanding the fl ows means they can be
monitored and then optimised, thus improving the long-term energy
performance of the site or company.
Schneider Electric has developed an integrated offer called
EcoStruxure, combining products, systems, services and software
within a single energy management architecture.
Schneider Electric has competitive offers for energy effi ciency, as
well as for energy fl ow management of industrial processes, security
systems, data centres, and of course buildings. EcoStruxure
combines these various offers to provide the customer with a single
vision – complete supervision of their sites or their company.
Finally, Schneider Electric is rolling out an EcoXperts Network in
many countries to provide its smaller customers with simple and
competitive solutions for energy effi ciency and energy source
integration. These are specialised external partnerships trained and
supported by the Group to develop closer working relationships
with their customers at a local level.
This network is already in place in the United States, France, Spain
and Italy and currently is being developed in about ten countries,
mainly in Europe and Latin America.
Renewable Energy
Context
Renewable energy is one of the key principles of Schneider Electric’s
development, societal responsibility and environmental goals.
According to the International Energy Agency’s forecast (World
Energy Outlook 2010), renewable energy sources, in particular
solar, wind and hydraulic, should account for more than half of
new energy capacity installed globally by 2035, making it strongest
growing energy mix.
Renewable energies allow for growing energy needs to be met
while limiting environmental impact. Ever more effi cient integration in
electrical transmission and distribution networks means that these
renewable energies are also contributing to the advent of smart
grids.
Offers
Schneider Electric offers a full range of products, systems and
services for solar, wind and hydroelectric energy.
Group teams ensure that these are well-integrated into the
electricity grid thanks to our expertise in electrical distribution (low
and medium voltage), conversion and energy management.
Schneider Electric serves and connects power plants and large
buildings to the electricity grid, provides equipment to turbine
manufacturers and supplies the residential market through its
network of partners and distributors.