Schneider Electric Unveils Two New EcoStruxure Microgrid Offerings at Innovation Summit

BOSTON, Nov. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Schneider Electric, the global specialist in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today unveiled two new EcoStruxure microgrid solutions from Innovation Summit North America in Atlanta, Georgia: EcoStruxure Microgrid Operation, and updates to Energy Control Center. The solutions, part of Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure IoT architecture, are innovative hardware and software designed to ease microgrid implementation for new and existing customers, facilitating more effective deployments of microgrid for a wider range of use cases.

Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure architecture connects best-in-class OT solutions with the latest in IT technology, helping customers solve their energy, operational, and IT technology challenges by interoperably connecting devices, edge control, and apps and analytics. The launch of these products will expand the capabilities of Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure Power offering, simplifying customers' optimization of their microgrid implementation by enabling integration of distributed energy resources (DER) and distribution of power to maximize their grid's energy resilience.

"Our EcoStruxure architecture leverages data and automation to help consumers make the most of their energy, and these two products offer key features for those seeking to easily integrate and optimize renewable distributed energy resources (DER)," said Mark Feasel, Vice President, Smart Grid & Microgrid, Schneider Electric. "As simplified, optimized, renewable DER integration has become increasingly important for energy end-users, EcoStruxure Microgrid Operations and Energy Control Center greatly reduces the complexity associated with embracing microgrid and empowers facilities, campuses or municipalities that seek to maximize energy resilience, sustainability and efficiency."

EcoStruxure Microgrid Operations – A Complete Microgrid Controller Solution

The traditional power grid is becoming decentralized, incorporating multiple DER to enable power resilience through islanding. Additionally, prosumers hope to transition from traditional on-site energy sources like diesel generators to more efficient DER including solar, battery energy storage, fuel cells, combined heat and power, wind and hydropower to enhance grid stability and resilience.

As a result, Schneider Electric is launching EcoStruxure Microgrid Operations, a complete microgrid controller solution providing network management, generation management, and protection management for stable and optimized microgrids. EcoStruxure Microgrid Operations enables integration of distributed and renewable energy resources to help promote microgrid stability and efficiency as part of Schneider Electric's suite of cybersecure EcoStruxure microgrid controller solutions.

As part of Schneider Electric's overarching cybersecure solution architecture, EcoStruxure Microgrid Operations is a dedicated, packaged microgrid controller solution. The hardware and software solution leverages key innovative concepts – such as streamlined operator experience, advanced DER management, advanced grid management, and scalability and performance – with pre-built and pre-tested core features to help customers unlock edge control. With this capability, customers achieve a more stable microgrid by increasing their use of renewable energy DER, improving execution time, and enhancing cybersecurity.

"Integration of DER, including renewable energy, is proving to be very important as our customers hope to increase the resilience and sustainability of their grid. As new and alternative forms of DER are brought into the fold, our customers need a way to manage and optimize the way they are flowing throughout the grid," said Juan Macias, Senior Vice President, Digital Energy Solutions, Schneider Electric. "Our EcoStruxure framework provides a comprehensive solution for end-users and utilities to manage power operations, and EcoStruxure Microgrid Operations and Energy Control Center play a key role in empowering customers to improve their energy resilience."

Energy Control Center – Optimizing Power Management

In today's new energy landscape, buildings can be both producers and consumers of energy. This unlocks new avenues for businesses to architect the DER their power relies on piece by piece, but it also complicates the process of distributing, managing, and optimizing the wide variety of DER. If managed properly, the incorporation of DER and onsite power generation can make facilities' power grids more resilient, sustainable and efficient.

Schneider Electric's Energy Control Center is a modular, scalable, onsite power control center that allows customers to simplify and optimize the integration of DER. Energy Control Center is a single-source solution that brings together hardware, software, advanced controls and electrical distribution to operate and optimize multiple DER with a single interconnection.

With a scalable design that allows facilities to expand and integrate their use of new DER that can be added after installation, Energy Control Center integrates onsite generation and storage resources with existing generators and transfer switches to optimize power management. Energy Control Center allows facility managers to distribute and control electric power flow between the electric utility grid, distributed energy resources (DER), and the electrical loads at a site, unlocking energy savings, sustainability and resilience.

The expansion of Energy Control Center's offering includes:

• Flexibility: Energy Control Center works with numerous types of DERs and providers, enabling easier adaptation into existing energy frameworks.
• Future-ready design: Energy Control Center's adaptability allows for facilities to integrate and expand its use of additional DERs, which can be added over time.

"In today's rapidly-changing energy landscape, business leaders require adaptable solutions that can simplify incorporation and optimization of alternative forms of DER and energy infrastructures," said Allen Breeze, Senior Vice President, Equipment and Busway Line, Schneider Electric. "Energy Control Center is a crucial part of the energy framework for buildings and facilities because it offers flexibility to integrate new DER over time that can make operations more sustainable, resilient and efficient."

For more information about Schneider Electric's microgrid solutions, please visit www.schneider-electric.us/microgrid.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries. With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation and software. In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency. We believe that great people and partners make Schneider a great company and that our commitment to Innovation, Diversity and Sustainability ensures that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.

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SOURCE Schneider Electric