To help assist utilities reach their decarbonization goals, while managing more reliable, efficient, sustainable, and flexible grids, Schneider Electric unveiled Nov. 30 several solutions for renewable power generation, grid operation and equipment, and legacy fuels. They’re intended for small, medium and large utilities, as well as energy players on the generation and demand sides of the grid.
"We’re facing two significant, simultaneous energy challenges. The first is an energy crisis and the solution is energy security, especially in Europe. The second is climate change, which can be solved by energy decarbonization,” says Frederic Godemel, EVP for power systems and services at Schneider Electric. "Energy choices and investments should address each challenge, and we recognize that digitalization answers both and should be the focus of all energy stakeholders today."
Schneider Electric reports its new products and collaborative projects address energy security and decarbonization through the values of the Grids of the Future program. This enables energy transition and a net-zero future via sustainability, flexibility, reliability, resilience and efficiency. These efforts include:
- Sustainability with EcoStruxure for Renewables software to extend digital twins from the design and engineering stage into operations and maintenance of renewable energy installations. Two pilots of AirSeT pure-air, medium-voltage switchgear are presently live in southern Germany. Plus, a green energy strategy is helping grid owners build a control room of the future that can manage multiple types of energy delivery, including green hydrogen.
- Flexibility via active network management and a partnership with ENWL to let grids connect more renewables, electric vehicles, energy storage and increased load electrification by using EcoStruxure ADMS software with DERMS modules. It’s also undertaking electric vehicle (EV) charging orchestration by working with EV manufacturers and German utilities, such as EWE Netz and Bayernwerk Netz as part of the unIT-e2 project.
- Reliability and resilience with EcoStruxure Grid Operation software that provides outage management and SCADA modules for small- to medium-sized utilities, as well as EcoStruxure XR Operator Advisor software and services, which help field crews service and maintain equipment using a digital overlay projected in real-time using one-to-one, digital modeling for real-life assets.
"We’re thrilled to pioneer these technologies and services for grids of the future, enabling energy independence and decarbonization," says Alexis Grenon, senior VP of digital grid at Schneider Electric. "And the timing is right, as we see many governments removing barriers and incentivizing the move toward green and digital energy technologies, such as the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in the U.S."
