SUSTAINABILITY
“ Electricity 4.0 is the point at which renewable electricity meets digital ”
STEVE SMITH HEAD OF ENERGY MANAGEMENT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATIONS , SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
One business that is helping on this front is Schneider Electric , the French multinational company that specialises in digital automation and energy management , aided by Steve Smith , who is Schneider ’ s Head of Energy Management , Thought Leadership and Communications .
Addressing BizClik Media Group ’ s Sustainability Live London event in February , Smith reminded his audience that the world was “ only just beginning to learn to create energy by means other than burning stuff ”.
Smith insists the biggest single factor in helping us hit global net-zero targets will be “ electricity 4.0 ”, which he describes as being “ the point at which renewable electricity meets digital ”.
‘ Smart ’ energy is visible , connected and controllable He told Sustainability Live : “ This gives us new ways of thinking about energy , new ways of distributing it , and new ways of saving it . Energy becomes visible , connected , smarter , and more controllable . It helps companies and individuals operate more efficiently and more successfully .”
Although conceding that green hydrogen will also be important in the drive to net zero , he reminded the audience that it requires “ entirely renewable electricity to produce it , as well as quite a lot of water ”, and that , because of this , green hydrogen alone “ will never be as efficient as direct electrification ”.
He added : “ Climate change is all about energy . The way we use energy today is incredibly inefficient – around 60 % of
energydigital . com 45