When we consider that energy-related greenhouse gas emissions account for 80 percent of human-caused emissions and that more than 60 percent of all energy produced globally is lost or wasted before consumption, it becomes clear that decarbonization is truly an energy source. challenge.
My fellow experts at Schneider Electric and I recently shared in a documentary series with CNBC how energy demand can be reduced in three critical areas: buildings, industry, and transportation, and how addressing energy demand will contribute to more than half of the changes needed for full decarbonization. .
The future of buildings must be fully digital and fully electric
According to the World Green Building Council, buildings are responsible for almost 40 percent of energy-related carbon emissions worldwide. Almost three-quarters of these come from the energy that heats, cools and runs them, and digitalization and electrification are powerful ways to change this.
Strengthening buildings plays a big role in this. Using low-energy design elements like better insulation, LED lights, and high-efficiency air conditioning systems is a start, but the real impact comes from digital energy management tools like sensors that monitor temperature, humidity, noise, and light levels. and software that can analyze and visualize energy use, allowing residents and building managers to make informed, real-time decisions to optimize comfort and efficiency.
It is also necessary to increase the energy efficiency of new buildings. This includes effective cooling and heating, impacting the future of the earth’s climate through the inclusion of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and the use of zero- or low-carbon materials.
A good example of this is CityCon in Finland. The developer creates buildings and cities with multiple sustainability strategies in mind. CityCon recently partnered with Schneider Electric to install a virtual power plant solution at the Lippulaiva shopping mall in Helsinki, Finland. The virtual power plant leverages solar power, energy storage and demand flexibility, while the software platform uses artificial intelligence to monitor and manage all building technology systems, as well as control and optimize energy flows. This has since led to a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
Industries can take matters into their own hands by using a microgrid, a self-sufficient energy system that serves a nearby building or business. These combine on-site generation of renewable energy, battery storage and EV charging points, enabling organizations to achieve energy flexibility, lower costs and a smaller carbon footprint.
Elsewhere, Italian flour mill Mulino Marino began taking steps to digitize its production more than a decade ago. Today, it uses a range of modern data and process management solutions to revolutionize production processes from loading to bagging. This provided comprehensive visibility into the mill’s energy consumption for greater efficiency.
Decarbonizing the transport sector will require infrastructure change
The third field of activity is the transportation sector. As the world population continues to grow and urbanization continues, an EV revolution that includes mass adoption of electric personal and public transportation is critical.
We need to greatly expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure worldwide and equip it with digital capabilities. Microgrids will need to play a role in this, offsetting some of the pressure that additional electricity demand from EVs will place on grids and bringing energy autonomy to remote areas or places where grids are vulnerable to disruption due to natural disasters.