Energy cost managers turn to Asia

By Katlene O. Cacho

Friday, August 5, 2011

A GLOBAL energy management firm, Schneider Electric, is looking at Asian countries, particularly the Philippines, as one of its growth areas for its energy management solutions.

A top official of the company acknowledged the country’s strong efforts in energy efficiency and conservation, as well as tapping energy-intensive companies to adopt best practices and energy-efficient technologies.

Schneider Electric Philippines president Philippe Reveilhac, during his presentation in a recent energy forum held in Cebu, reported that his company reached Euro 19.6 billion sales last year, where 37 percent of the sales came from fast growing new economies in the Asia Pacific region.

“New economies particularly in the Asia Pacific regions have the strongest potential,” he said.

Reveilhac noted that a lot of new investments would be directed in Asia, as its economies were less affected when recession hit major economies like the United States in 2008.

Reveilhac, who also introduced the company’s latest solution architecture, EcoStruxure, said there is a growing demand for energy management solutions across all industries in the Philippines, since energy prices increased.

He noted that the company has been receiving a lot of requests for the installation of energy management solutions from energy-intensive companies like manufacturing and data centers.

“There is a huge pressure on conserving energy,” Reveilhac said. He cited projections that energy demand would double by 2030, of which 70 percent would come from new economies.

He reported that about 25 percent energy savings would be generated if companies would adopt energy-efficient technologies.

EcoStruxure is an integrated energy management solution that helps companies use less energy. It also helps in reducing power used in data centers, buildings and machines, among others.

“We are covering all segments for Cebu but we feel that there is a strong demand for energy management solutions for growing industries like BPOs (business process outsourcing) here,” Reveilhac said.

He added: “A lot of companies have been looking at Cebu as an ideal area for expansion,” he said.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 06, 2011.