An Advantage Instead of a Power Shock? Eastern Europe’s Big Shift is Expected in the Coming Years
The increasing influx of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power presents both opportunities and challenges for electricity networks. While production from these sources isn’t always consistent – solar panels generate during the day, and wind power fluctuates – their combined effect, especially on a larger scale, can offer a degree of compensation and improve forecasting of energy feed.
Schneider Electric’s sustainability business in Hungary is focused on helping customers predict both their energy consumption and production, maximizing their benefits in this evolving landscape. this aligns with the growing “prosumer” model, where individuals and businesses generate electricity primarily for their own use, feeding surplus energy back into the grid and drawing from it when needed. Schneider Electric is actively embracing this model, with roof-mounted solar cells currently covering approximately 40% of the energy requirements at their Dunavecse DSPS plant.
This operation is powered by Schneider electric’s Ecostruxure solutions, which provide obvious and predictable energy management thru measurement, monitoring, prediction, and optimization.
A key technological hurdle is network congestion. Existing electricity networks aren’t always equipped to handle the influx of renewable resources. Therefore, digitizing the network is crucial for effectively managing, scheduling, and balancing energy feeds. This digitization is also linked to the decentralization of energy production, providing a complete view of energy sources and flow within the network.
Schneider Electric’s commitment to sustainability has been widely recognized. Time and Statista 2024 named Schneider Electric the world’s most sustainable company, citing 679 million tonnes of CO2 savings since 2018. The Zero Carbon Project achieved a 40% reduction in emissions by the end of 2024,and the proportion of suppliers adhering to strict standards for decent working conditions increased from 21% to 63% in a single year.
Building on these achievements, Schneider Electric aims to achieve 800 million tonnes of CO2 savings and a 50% reduction in supplier emissions by 2025. the company notes that current goals are already largely met or nearing completion, suggesting a need for even more enterprising targets. The ultimate goal remains net-zero emissions by 2050.
Looking ahead, Schneider Electric will focus on three key areas: digitization of networks, industrial energy efficiency projects, and further decarbonization of the supply chain.
(This article was supported by Schneider Electric.)
Source of cover image: Portfolio
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