Dive Brief:
- Schneider Electric and Capgemini are working together to develop a tool intended to simplify energy management and consumption.
- The Energy Command Center is an integrated and centralized platform that can monitor, predict, control and optimize all building assets consuming energy, including data centers and critical environment rooms, according to a May 22 news release. The platform combines artificial intelligence, machine learning and Internet of Things technologies to measure and predict various metrics like energy intensity, critical operations, renewable energy generation, the health of critical assets and the overall performance of energy assets, Schneider Electric said.
- Alongside Schneider Electric’s connected products, edge control and advisory applications, the solution can help organizations efficiently manage their energy supply across multiple assets, such as offices, factories and other infrastructure, while reducing energy consumption across operations, per the release.
Dive Insight:
Energy use accounts for more than 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to estimates from the International Energy Agency. Combining clean electricity with the digitization of energy management technology is critical to reducing consumption and meeting sustainability goals, Schneider Electric said.
By using real-time energy consumption and carbon emission data, along with modular and interoperable building management software and systems, the Energy Command Center can lower energy consumption and spending “to help achieve organizational goals while accelerating toward a net-zero future,” Schneider Electric said in the release.
Capgemini CEO Aiman Ezzat said the company will apply its technology and data expertise to Schneider Electric’s solutions to help organizations expedite their pathway to decarbonization.
“Tackling the energy and climate crises is paramount, and energy efficiency plays a key role in mitigating these challenges. Decarbonization through electrification and digitization is a necessity for a sustainable future,” Schneider Electric CEO Peter Herweck said in the release. Herweck noted that the collaboration with Capgemini would allow Schneider Electric to advance its efforts to drive energy efficiency and sustainability practices.
A prototype of the energy management solution has been tested since 2022 across Capgemini’s operations in India, which account for about a quarter of the company’s energy footprint, according to the release. That prototype enabled real-time monitoring and efficient control of energy supply across assets, cutting energy consumption by 29% in 2023 across eight Capgemini campuses in India, compared with a 2019 baseline, per the release.
As energy use reduction continues to factor into organizations’ operating procedures and sustainability commitments, the collaboration with Capgemini adds to Schneider Electric’s growing list of products, solutions and services aimed at promoting energy management. In April, the company launched a new battery energy storage system aimed at boosting microgrid efficiency. In March, Schneider Electric announced it is integrating Mainspring Energy’s power generation technology with its EcoStruxure Microgrid solution to help businesses like data centers and healthcare facilities generate electricity efficiently on-site and reduce reliance on the power grid.