As global power capacity is set to double by 2040, and with 80% more renewable sources by that date than there are currently, Schnieder Electric is providing energy management training to meet the needs of heterogeneous and automated buildings and infrastructure, says Schneider Electric head of sustainability and academy Zanelle Dalglish.
There are ten connected devices per person worldwide and an associated growth in Internet Protocol communications. These changes are part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), which is the digitalisation and orchestration of physical systems.
“To enable our clients to improve the productivity of energy use by the predicted 40% by 2035 requires that skilled people be available to implement and manage complex, smart energy management systems.”
Such an improvement in productivity requires automation, and these are the skills that the academy teaches, she highlights.
Dalglish adds that 40% of Schneider Electric’s work for commercial and industrial clients is data centre and network related, while about 29% of basic infrastructure energy management systems are automated, including in water and wastewater treatment.
There are similar levels of automation in the mining and minerals processing, food and beverage, and energy industrial sectors, as well as most medium-voltage supply equipment in the market, she says.
To make the most of the energy and resources available, systems must be connected and digital, says Dalglish.
“This means that engineers and energy managers must have not only 4IR skills but technicians and electricians must also have a foundational understanding and the skills to maintain and repair these systems,” she says.
Part of the solution also lies in the connectivity of the devices, allowing them to signal faults and for systems to detect faults. Additionally, a technician can use information from the devices and Internet of Things networks to know exactly which components and tools to use to repair a system.
To allow for the seamless integration and orchestration of a host of electricity and energy management systems, Schneider Electric conforms with open standards, and it teaches students at the academy, in Midrand, Gauteng, how to maintain and operate a broad range of equipment and systems from different original-equipment manufacturers.
“For Schneider Electric, sustainability is linked to access to energy and energy management education. Worldwide, 1.3-billion people do not have access to electricity. The academy and the Schneider global network of academies train trainers, graduate students, electricians, technicians and even engineers to ensure that there are modern energy management skills available.”
The training covers key elements of industrial automation and software, including programmable logic controllers and supervisory control and data acquisition equipment, to enable students to operate, maintain and integrate legacy systems into new energy management processes and systems.
The online learning content and the company’s online energy university benefit significantly from its global academy network by ensuring that its academies teach according to international best practices and modern training requirements.
Schneider Electric also trains according to its hierarchy of systems in its 'Ecostruxures' energy management models, from cloud-based to edge devices, which it believes prepares students for working in the increasingly digital and evolving energy management sector.
“Our main aim beyond training foundational skills is to train client staff to meet specific business needs, including helping the client to serve new systems and energy needs,” concludes Dalglish.
Story highlights:
* Engineers, energy managers, technicians and electricians must have a 4IR skills to support and enable smart energy management.
* To improve energy productivity by 40% by 2035 requires skilled people and connected, smart energy management systems.