As global leaders gather at World Economic Forum in Davos to debate artificial intelligence, geopolitics and climate change, the energy transition has emerged as a unifying theme cutting across all conversations. Amid this, executives from Schneider Electric said the transition to cleaner, more efficient energy systems are critical for competitiveness and resilience.
Speaking at Davos, Schneider Electric's EVP of India Automation Gwenaelle Avice-Huet said many industrial and infrastructure customers are grappling with energy price volatility and supply risks. "At the end of the day, it's about managing energy and competitiveness together," she said, adding that electrification, automation and digitalisation are increasingly intertwined. Meanwhile, India, one of the world's fastest-growing energy markets, is central to Schneider Electric's strategy. Deepak Sharma, who heads the company's India operations.
According to the company, electrification enables efficiency, automation improves reliability, and digitalisation allows systems to adapt in real time - together forming the backbone of a resilient energy ecosystem.
India's Growing Energy Challenge
Sharma says that India is now Schneider Electric's third-largest market globally, with 31 factories and nearly 39,000 employees.
"The challenge is not just to produce more energy, but to use it efficiently," Sharma said. He stressed that improving energy efficiency can reduce pressure on generation capacity. "A unit saved is actually a unit produced," he noted, highlighting Schneider's focus on demand-side efficiency alongside supply expansion.
In India, Schneider Electric's Hyderabad factory has received global recognition for sustainability, while projects in water management and power distribution demonstrate how automation can deliver efficiency at scale.
AI, Data Centres and Grid Stability
With AI driving exponential growth in data centres, Sharma flagged grid stability as a critical issue. AI-driven data centres can consume seven to eight times more energy than conventional facilities, he said, making efficient design and grid readiness essential. Schneider Electric's solutions focus on grid digitalisation, automation and data-driven management to ensure stability as renewable and conventional power sources coexist.
Huet pointed to Schneider Electric's use of digital twins, IoT and predictive analytics to drive operational efficiency, not just for clients but within its own manufacturing network of over 200 plants worldwide. Several of these facilities have been recognised as 'Lighthouse' factories by the World Economic Forum.
A key differentiator, Sharma said, is Schneider's push for open automation. "We don't want customers locked into one ecosystem," he said, arguing that complex energy challenges require collaboration across industries and technologies.
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