Wuzhen, Zhejiang, China, June 8, 2023 – The 2023 Schneider Electric Innovation Summit with the theme of “Innovation and ecology, Accelerating dual Transformation” opened in Wuzhen. Thousands of industry experts, industry leaders and professionals gathered together to explore the dual transformation of Chinese industry towards “digital” and “green and low-carbon”.

Driven by high-quality development and dual-carbon goals, digitization and green low-carbon are accelerating. As a practitioner and enabler of the dual transformation, Schneider Electric, together with its partners, brought many green innovative products, leading digital technologies, and consultation-led, whole-process coverage service systems to the summit to provide assistance for the dual transformation.

Taking into account economic benefits and social benefits, dual transformation is promising

The digital economy has become a core engine for economic growth and industrial structure upgrading. Guan Qingyou, an economist, president of the Institute of Finance and vice president of the China Private Economy Research Association, pointed out: “It is not the opponent that eliminated the enterprise, but the era.” In the process from high-speed development to high-quality development, how to apply technology, especially digital technology, to improve total factor productivity and achieve corner overtaking is the challenge and opportunity faced by every enterprise.”

At the same time, actively responding to climate change has become a global consensus, and low-carbon transition is urgent. “At present, sustainable development has entered a new stage, from terminal management to source management,” said Zhou Dadi, member of the National Expert Committee on Climate Change, former director of the Energy Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission, former executive vice president of the China Energy Research Society and academic adviser. “Technological development has made the transformation possible. At this stage, enterprises can start with energy conservation and consumption reduction, promote green transformation, and achieve economic benefits.”

In the face of the dual transformation, Yin Zheng, executive vice president of Schneider Electric and president of China and East Asia, said that digital transformation and green transformation promote each other and complement each other: “Digitalization has become one of the foundations and core drivers of low-carbon transformation. “With digital technology, Schneider Electric is helping industry, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and other sectors achieve energy savings of 15 to 30 percent and reduce carbon emissions by 20 to 90 percent.”

Zhang Yan, deputy general manager of Sinoma Intelligent Technology (Chengdu) Co., LTD., who participated in the discussion, pointed out that with the support of green low-carbon technologies, especially green energy technologies such as alternative fuels, low energy consumption process equipment technology, and digital intelligent technology to improve energy efficiency, the cement industry is accelerating carbon reduction, but there is still a long way to go.

In addition to innovation and technology, the dual transformation also requires the collaboration of all parties. Zhang Zhe, general manager of Hong Kong Land Digital Technology, said that low-carbon transformation requires policy support, talent training, social awareness enhancement, business model innovation, and the help of industrial partners.

Xiong Yi, senior vice president of Schneider Electric, head of strategy and business development in China, and dean of the Institute of Business Value, pointed out that in the face of dual transformation, enterprises should do two things, the first is comprehensive innovation, and the second is win-win cooperation. “With the help of technology and partners, the dual transformation is not only feasible, but also can bring rapid economic returns and achieve win-win economic and social benefits.” At present, Schneider Electric’s sustainable impact revenue, that is, revenue from products and technologies that have a positive impact on the climate, already accounts for more than 70% of total revenue.

Xiong Yi, Senior Vice President, Head of Strategy and Business Development in China, Dean of the Institute of Business Value, Schneider Electric

In this regard, Gu Yue, vice president of Schneider Electric, head of the Marketing Department of China and East Asia, and co-director of the Institute of Business Value, said: “Dual transformation is not only a challenge, but also an opportunity; It’s not just the cost, it’s the investment.”

Gu Yue, Vice President of Schneider Electric, head of the Marketing Department of China and East Asia, co-director of the Institute of Business Value

Innovation engine to help enterprises transform

Dual transformation is a systemic change that requires enterprises to promote innovation at all levels, such as technology, operation, system management, and business model.

In the field of technology, the summit released a number of digital innovations, Including ETAP electric system digital twin platform, newly upgraded AVEVA software, AI model production and operation platform EcoStruxure AI engine, EcoStruxure open automation platform V23.0, Lexium 18 series servo, a new generation of medium voltage intelligent vacuum circuit breaker, a new generation of digital cabinet, digital bus, TeSys Giga remote communication intelligent module, TeSys island motor control and protection, new DC series products and solutions for the new energy industry, etc.

Schneider Electric presents a variety of blockbuster products at the 2023 Innovation Summit

Among them, ETAP’s new electrical system digital twin platform creates a one-stop energy management platform, builds a virtual model covering the entire life cycle of electrical systems, provides comprehensive analysis to improve system productivity, collaboration and efficiency, and collaborates with industrial digital twins to promote the integration of energy and automation, helping the overall industry to increase efficiency and reduce carbon. EcoStruxure AI engine integrates the expertise in the field of energy management and automation into the AI model, by providing enterprise-level one-stop, scenario-oriented and open AI model production and operation and maintenance, helping all walks of life to improve efficiency and innovation.

ETAP’s new electrical system digital twin platform

EcoStruxure AI engine

In terms of operations, Schneider Electric integrates sustainability into all aspects of its business, creating an “end-to-end green value chain” covering green design, green procurement, green production, green delivery, and green operation and maintenance. The overall production efficiency of China’s supply chain has increased by 8-10% year by year, and the overall energy consumption has decreased by 13% compared with 2019, setting a benchmark for the double transformation of the industry.

In terms of management mechanism, Schneider Electric has built an organization and culture that enables innovation. Zhang Yanyan, senior Vice President and head of Human Resources China and East Asia at Schneider Electric, said: “The core of innovation capability is talent. Enterprises should take the initiative to promote organizational change, fully empower talent growth, cultivate a diverse, inclusive and subversive culture, and constantly stimulate internal innovation vitality.”

In terms of business model, Schneider Electric continues to innovate, launching carbon neutral consulting and services from top-level planning to implementation, helping Chinese users to cope with the challenges of unclear planning and poor execution during the transformation process. At this summit, Schneider Electric released a new service system, including EcoConsult consulting service, EcoCare operation and maintenance service and EcoFit adaptation and transformation service, to create end-to-end full life cycle service capabilities, and launched mySchneider’s new one-stop digital service platform, collaborative service partners. Help accelerate the dual transformation.