SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
“ One of the challenges is the multi-layered approach . Electricity is everywhere so we must have good software that connects the dots . Customers are not just looking at prices but partners that can reduce carbon .”
Last year was challenging , but the benefits of digitization allowed people to connect and businesses to stay operational , she adds .
More companies , especially in the industrial sector , are now entering the market at much faster speeds , as companies seek ‘ quick win ’ solutions . Industry 4.0 is being characterised by connectivity , data and computational power ; analytics and intelligence ; human-machine interaction and advanced engineering .
“ We ’ ve also seen a big increase in e-commerce – this will require more energy , and companies will need to be more sustainable , resilient and efficient . It will be much quicker than the last 20-to-30 years ,” she said . US ecommerce forecasts have been revised upwards with 18 % growth expected in 2021 , and growth in other regions , such as Sub-Saharan Africa , are being driven by rising mobile penetration .
“ It ’ s extremely important that customers can really integrate digital products and services , where they will require a lot of saved data , moving at high speeds ”
NATALYA MAKAROCHKINA SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT , SECURE POWER DIVISION , INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS FOR SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
The trend to ‘ building back better ’ is seeing major changes in the Data Centre industry . Leading Edge Data Centres , for example , are bridging the divide between regional and metropolitan Australia – and were acknowledged at the Datacloud Global Awards as a winner of The Edge Award 2021 .
Another byproduct from the crisis has been the peak in online education , so learning has become more widely distributed . “ That will stimulate digitization in other areas ,” she said
She signs off our interview on an optimistic note – confident in Schneider ’ s ability in delivering solutions to meet sustainability challenges . “ It is not by chance that we are called the most sustainable company in the world . I ’ m confident we will meet the targets .” sustainabilitymag . com 125