Electricity and Control December 2021-January 2022

ENERGY MANAGEMENT + THE INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT

Halving CO 2 emissions by 2030 – it can be done At the Schneider Electric Innovation SummitWorldTour 2021, presented just ahead of COP26 last year, Chairman and CEO Jean-PascalTricoire pointed to achievable pathways to net zero as set out in The 2030 Imperative: A race against time, the report by the Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute.

Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Chairman and CEO, Schneider Electric.

T he world can accelerate urgent climate action and halve carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions by 2030, according to Schneider Electric. A leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, the company has been recognised by research firm Corporate Knights as the World’s Most Sustainable Corporation in 2021. In its annual Innovation Summit World Tour Schneider Electric sought to address global climate challenges and guide customers, partners, regulators, and policymakers on rapidly reducing emissions to decarbonise the world’s economy in this decisive decade. Attendees had the opportunity to experience the company’s digital and sustainable innovations and learn more about Electricity 4.0 and Next-generation automation. We need to act fast Tricoire urged attendees to adopt critical decarbonisation measures and offered Schneider Electric’s own research as a blueprint to stay within a global warming trajectory of 1.5°C. The report details the need to reduce emissions by 30 to 50% within this decade, compared to current levels. Missing this makes it virtually impossible to limit

temperature rise to a 1.5°C threshold, as outlined by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC). Modelling done by the Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute shows how 10 Gt CO 2 /year can be realistically and affordably abated by 2030. The report focuses on a subset of global greenhouse gas emissions. Out of 50 Gt CO 2 e/year, The 2030 Imperative scenario finds a 30% (10 Gt CO 2 e/year) abatement opportunity from a 30 Gt CO 2 /year baseline of all energy-related emissions, signalling a significant acceleration from current pledges (ranging around 3 Gt CO 2 e/year, which is 10% of the emissions reduction target). There remains however around 20 Gt CO 2 e/year of non-energy related emissions which is not covered in the report’s modelling. Schneider Electric is calling for a three to five times’ greater effort from governments and corporates. The institute believes the only realistic roadmap for success is to deploy proven digital technologies alongside increased electrification as the fastest way to decarbonise buildings, transport, and industry. This approach will buy time to address hard-to-abate sectors. The modelling clearly shows alternative pathways will place too high a burden on consumers.

“Despite the increased momentum around sustainability and more companies adopting ambitious targets to tackle climate change, our research reveals how we need to speed up. At Schneider Electric, we are part of the solution. To support organisations in their quest to decarbonise at pace and deliver on their climate commitments, we are accelerating the expansion of our global sustainability consulting services business to meet the increasing demand for substantial progress on energy transition and climate action goals,” Tricoire said. “What organisations need today is a trusted partner who combines strategic planning and target setting with a proven track record of implementing solutions to deliver faster, tangible, sustainable outcomes. Having successfully overcome many sustainability challenges ourselves, and in so doing, achieved world- leading digital and electric solutions in our own facilities, we are well-positioned to help others go faster and further.”

The report by the Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute highlights avenues of opportunity to reduce CO 2 emissions and emphasises the need to act fast.

10 Electricity + Control DECEMBER 2021-JANUARY 2022