Schneider Electric South Africa has set itself a target to create access to energy for 20 000 Africans by the end of this year. An ambitious goal, but the company believes that this is achievable through its sustainable development strategy, products and solutions.
Zanelle Dalglish, head of sustainable development for southern Africa at Schneider Electric, emphasises that to deliver on the organisation’s claim to be ‘The world leader in energy efficiency’, it needs to provide solutions to all sectors of society and, for this reason, it has established a programme to address global energy poverty.
“Through our global BipBop programme (Business, Innovation and People at the Base of the Pyramid), we develop collective solutions for comprehensive rural electrification, domestic solutions for energy-related needs and the business models that make these solutions sustainable,” she explains. “This means that we offer reliable, affordable, and clean solutions to help close energy gaps worldwide.”
The company has developed solutions adapted to the means and needs of populations in remote, primarily off-grid communities. Many of these are solar based, such as the Indiya and Mobiya lighting solutions, both developed to take advantage of the African sun in order to lessen the burden of daily life in poor and off-grid communities.
“The effects of our solutions can have a far-reaching impact on social and economic development. In projects already undertaken, we have observed an enhancement in lifestyle, safety from dwelling fires, the ability to study at night, establishing small businesses and so much more,” says Zanelle.
She highlights that to have a significant impact and initiate lasting change, a performance measurement tool is a requirement. Schneider Electric’s Planet & Society barometer covers the triple bottom line – planet, profit and people. The results are shared with the public and the measurement tool aims to mobilise the corporate community around sustainable development objectives.
“Importantly, we do not want to walk this path alone and encourage partnerships with other businesses, NGOs and funders to establish an electrification model and fund our sustainable solutions. We then sell at cost to off-grid communities to launch solutions that alleviate poverty, develop new business opportunities and respect the planet,” concludes Dalglish.
Bringing brownfield plants back to life Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Today’s brownfield plants are typically characterised by outdated equipment and processes, and face challenges ranging from inefficient operations to safety hazards. However, all is not lost, as these plants stand to gain a lot from digitalisation and automation.
Read more...Power supply with scalability optimised Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Schneider Electric has introduced the Easy UPS 3-Phase Modular to the South African marketplace. This robust uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is designed to protect critical loads while offering third-party verified Live Swap functionality.
Read more...Mesh networks: a multidirectional electrical superhighway Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Today, many power industry stakeholders are faced with mounting requirements for improved grid reliability, resilience and distribution efficiency. It’s a challenge which requires power service providers to rethink their infrastructure. Enter mesh networks, which can overcome the limitations of traditional star networks.
Read more...Schneider Electric announces 2023 Global Alliance Partner Programme award winners Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric has announced the winners of the 2023 Global Alliance Excellence Awards. Throughout 2023, Schneider Electric’s Alliance Partners supported customers in the digitalisation of industrial automation, delivering value with innovative initiatives, solutions and services.
Read more...Custom containerised lubrication dispensing system
News
Bosch Rexroth Africa recently supplied and installed a customised environmentally friendly and dust-proof lubrication dispensing system for a leading earth-moving equipment supplier.
Read more...Siemens to acquire industrial drive technology business of ebm-papst Siemens South Africa
News
Siemens has signed an agreement to acquire the industrial drive technology business of ebm-papst. The business includes intelligent, integrated mechatronic systems in the protective extra-low voltage range and innovative motion control systems.
Read more...Bearings International fosters a segment strategy Bearings International
News
Bearings International has a segment approach to the market, which places an intentional focus on key industries in South and sub-Saharan Africa in a bid to optimise operations, enhance uptime, and drive business sustainability and increased profitability outcomes for customers.
Read more...AI is driving data centres to the edge Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
The data centre has become the cornerstone that links our digitally interconnected world. At the same time, the rapid growth and application of AI and machine learning (ML) is shaping the design and operation of data centres.
Read more...Local robotics team’s journey to the world stage
News
In the heart of Cape Town, a group of young visionaries aged 12 to 17 is making waves in the world of robotics. Known as Texpand, this team from Pinelands has not only dominated the First Tech Challenge (FTC) in South Africa, but has also earned international acclaim for its innovative approach to engineering and problem solving.
printer friendly version