Schneider Electric – Schneider Electric showcases the impact of its sustainability commitment through strong Q3 results

EMR Analysis

More information on Schneider Electric: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Olivier Blum (Chief Executive Officer, Schneider Electric): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

 

More information on the Schneider Electric Sustainability Strategy, Sustainability Impact (SSI) 2021-2025 Program and 2024 Sustainability Report: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services 

More information on Esther Finidori (Member of the Executive Committee and Chief Sustainability Officer, Schneider Electric): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on the Q3 2025 Sustainability Impact by Schneider Electric: https://www.se.com/ww/en/assets/564/document/527425/schneider-sustainability-impact-q3-2025-results.pdf

More information on the Zero Carbon Project by Schneider Electric: https://www.se.com/ww/en/about-us/sustainability/zero-carbon-project.jsp + The initiative provides capacity building, thought leadership, resources and handholding to program participants and help them set and achieve their carbon reduction targets. The suppliers are encouraged to quantify their carbon emissions, adopt ambitious decarbonization goals and deploy action plan to achieve it.

The Zero Carbon Project cultivates exchange of best practices by a variety of live engagements and training sessions organized on a regular basis. It leverages expert knowledge and experiential learning on decarbonization from Schneider to support suppliers.

• > 1,000 companies joined The Zero Carbon Project
• > 1,300 supplier participants trained in 8 technical trainings on decarbonization
• -50% reduction of supplier operations emissions (scopes 1 and 2) by 2025

More information on the Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute (SSRI): https://www.se.com/ww/en/insights/sustainability/sustainability-research-institute/  + Examines the issues at hand and considers how the business community, as well as societies and government, can and should act. Publishes primary research on energy and sustainability trends, issues and opportunities.

More information on Vincent Petit (Head of the Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute (SSRI), + Senior Vice President, Climate and Energy Transition Research, Schneider Electric): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on  “Energy Poverty” White Paper by the Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute (SSRI): https://www.se.com/ww/en/insights/sustainability/sustainability-research-institute/energy-poverty/ 

 

More information on Energy Management by Schneider Electric: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Frédéric Godémél (Member of the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President, Energy Management, Schneider Electric): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on AirSeT by Schneider Electric: https://www.se.com/ww/en/work/products/product-launch/sf6free-mv-technology/ + Medium voltage switchgear is a critical component of electrical distribution. Urbanization and economic growth further drive infrastructure expansion. A significant part of the MV equipment deployed in the electrical network contains SF₆ gas, which has a high global warming potential (GWP). Our SF₆-free AirSeT technology offers a way to reconcile growth implications and rapidly accelerating renewable generation and electrification with a sustainable approach to reducing your greenhouse gas inventory.

 

 

 

More information on The Climate Group: https://www.theclimategroup.org + We’re an international nonprofit founded in 2003, and officially launched in 2004, with offices in London, New York, New Delhi, Amsterdam and Beijing. Over the last 20 years, we’ve grown our network to include over 500 multinational businesses in 175 markets worldwide.

We also work closely with governments at all levels. The Under2 Coalition, for which we’re the Secretariat, is made up of 183 state and regional governments and has been named one of the international cooperative initiatives with the highest potential for emissions reductions.

More information on Helen Clarkson (Chief Executive Officer, The Climate Group): https://www.theclimategroup.org/helen-clarkson + https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenclarkson/ 

 

More information on Climate Week NYC 2025 (September 21-28, 2025 – New York, United States): https://www.climateweeknyc.org/ + Climate Week NYC is a world-leading global climate event, the biggest of its kind. 

It brings together a crucial mix of existing and new leaders from the world of business, tech, politics, academia, and civil society that have the means, the scale and the ideas to take bold action.  

It’s a key global moment that shapes corporate and political thinking and decisions well into the months and years that follow, with the aim of shifting entire systems. 

This year, Climate Week NYC has been held from September 21-28.  

 

 

 

More information on the World Economic Forum (WEF): https://www.weforum.org + The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. It provides a global, impartial and not-for-profit platform for meaningful connection between stakeholders to establish trust, and build initiatives for cooperation and progress.

In a world marked by complex challenges, the World Economic Forum engages political, business, academic, civil society and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. Established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation, it is independent, impartial and not tied to any special interests, upholding the highest standards of governance and moral and intellectual integrity.

At the heart of our mission of improving the state of the world lies the belief in the power of human ingenuity, entrepreneurship, innovation and cooperation. We recognise the need for a forum fostering rigorous and respectful dialogue between and among leaders with different beliefs and viewpoints, where diversity of thought is respected and all voices can be heard. Achieving this mission is made possible by all our stakeholders, who come together to find common ground and seize opportunities for positive change.

The Forum’s commitment on facilitating progress on systemic challenges is taken forward through its 11 Centres, each applying the institution’s unique combination of impact methods to drive holistic efforts. The Centres build communities of purpose essential to addressing large-scale global challenges. Guided by these communities, our centre teams convert ambition into focused action, through structured multi-year initiatives and insight generation.

More information on Børge Brende (President and Chief Executive Officer, World Economic Forum): https://www.weforum.org/about/borge-brende/ + https://www.linkedin.com/in/b%C3%B8rge-brende-30a6a37/ 

 

 

 

More information on Sustainability Magazine: https://sustainabilitymag.com/ + We connect the world’s largest sustainability brands and their most senior executives with the latest trends, industry insight, and influential projects as the world embraces technology and digital transformation.

Sustainability Magazine is an established, trusted, and leading voice on all things sustainability – engaging with a highly targeted audience of global executives.

We provide the perfect platform for you to showcase your products and services, share your achievements, and enhance your reputation in the industry.

More information on Steven Downes (Editor-in-Chief, Sustainability Magazine): https://sustainabilitymag.com/author/steven-downes + https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-downes-13628628/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EMR Additional Notes:

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2):
  • The primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities. Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), solid waste, trees and other biological materials, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere (or “sequestered”) when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle.
• Biogenic Carbon Dioxide (CO2):
  • Biogenic Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) are the same molecule. Scientists differentiate between biogenic carbon (that which is absorbed, stored and emitted by organic matter like soil, trees, plants and grasses) and non-biogenic carbon (that found in all other sources, most notably in fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas).
• CO2e (Carbon Dioxide Equivalent):
  • CO2e means “carbon dioxide equivalent”. In layman’s terms, CO2e is a measurement of the total greenhouse gases emitted, expressed in terms of the equivalent measurement of carbon dioxide. On the other hand, CO2 only measures carbon emissions and does not account for any other greenhouse gases.
  • A carbon dioxide equivalent or CO2 equivalent, abbreviated as CO2-eq is a metric measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases on the basis of their global-warming potential (GWP), by converting amounts of other gases to the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide with the same global warming potential.
    • Carbon dioxide equivalents are commonly expressed as million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents, abbreviated as MMTCDE.
    • The carbon dioxide equivalent for a gas is derived by multiplying the tonnes of the gas by the associated GWP: MMTCDE = (million metric tonnes of a gas) * (GWP of the gas).
    • For example, the GWP for methane is 25 and for nitrous oxide 298. This means that emissions of 1 million metric tonnes of methane and nitrous oxide respectively is equivalent to emissions of 25 and 298 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide.
• Carbon Footprint:
  • There is no universally agreed definition of what a carbon footprint is.
  • A carbon footprint is generally understood to be the total amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are directly or indirectly caused by an individual, organization, product, or service. These emissions are typically measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).
  • In 2009, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) published a standard for calculating and reporting corporate carbon footprints. This standard is widely accepted by businesses and other organizations around the world. The GHG Protocol defines a carbon footprint as “the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, directly and indirectly, through its own operations and the value chain.”
• Decarbonization:
  • Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the use of low carbon power sources, and achieving a lower output of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
• Carbon Credits or Carbon Offsets:
  • Permits that allow the owner to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. One credit permits the emission of one ton of carbon dioxide or the equivalent in other greenhouse gases.
  • The carbon credit is half of a so-called cap-and-trade program. Companies that pollute are awarded credits that allow them to continue to pollute up to a certain limit, which is reduced periodically. Meanwhile, the company may sell any unneeded credits to another company that needs them. Private companies are thus doubly incentivized to reduce greenhouse emissions. First, they must spend money on extra credits if their emissions exceed the cap. Second, they can make money by reducing their emissions and selling their excess allowances.
• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) – Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS):
  • CCS involves the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial processes. This carbon is then transported from where it was produced, via ship or in a pipeline, and stored deep underground in geological formations.
  • CCS projects typically target 90 percent efficiency, meaning that 90 percent of the carbon dioxide from the power plant will be captured and stored.
  • CCUS adds the utilization aspect, where the captured CO2 is used as a new product or raw material.
• Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) or Durable Carbon Removal: 
  • Carbon Dioxide Removal encompasses approaches and methods for removing CO2 from the atmosphere and then storing it permanently in underground geological formations, in biomass, oceanic reservoirs or long-lived products in order to achieve negative emissions.
  • Direct Air Capture (DAC): 
    • Technologies that extract CO2 directly from the atmosphere at any location, unlike carbon capture which is generally carried out at the point of emissions, such as a steel plant.
    • Constraints like costs and energy requirements as well as the potential for pollution make DAC a less desirable option for CO2 reduction. Its larger land footprint when compared to other mitigation strategies like carbon capture and storage systems (CCS) also put it at a disadvantage.
  • Direct Air Capture and Storage (DACCS):
    • Climate technology that removes carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the ambient atmosphere using large fans and chemical processes to bind with the CO2.
  • Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS):
    • Negative emissions technology that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from biomass used for energy production and stores it permanently. Plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow (photosynthesis), and BECCS interrupts the cycle by capturing this biogenic CO2 during the energy conversion process—burning, fermentation, etc.—instead of letting it re-enter the atmosphere.
  • Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW):
    • Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technique that accelerates the natural process of rock weathering by grinding silicate rocks into dust and spreading it on land, typically agricultural fields. This process uses rainwater to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into mineral carbonates, which are then stored long-term in soils, groundwater, and oceans.
• Limits of Carbon Dioxide Storage: 
  • Carbon storage is not endless; the Earth’s capacity for permanently storing vast amounts of captured carbon, particularly in geological formations, is limited, potentially reaching a critical limit of 1,460 gigatonnes at around 2200, though storage durations vary significantly depending on the method, from decades for some biological methods to potentially millions of years for others like mineralization. While some methods offer very long-term storage, the sheer volume needed to meet climate targets requires scaling up storage significantly beyond current capacity, raising concerns about the available volume over time.

 

• Global Warming: 
  • Global warming is the long-term heating of Earth’s climate system observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere.
• Global Warming Potential (GWP): 
  • The heat absorbed by any greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, as a multiple of the heat that would be absorbed by the same mass of carbon dioxide (CO2). GWP is 1 for CO2. For other gases it depends on the gas and the time frame.
  • Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e or CO2eq or CO2-e) is calculated from GWP. For any gas, it is the mass of CO2 which would warm the earth as much as the mass of that gas. Thus it provides a common scale for measuring the climate effects of different gases. It is calculated as GWP times mass of the other gas. For example, if a gas has GWP of 100, two tonnes of the gas have CO2e of 200 tonnes.
  • GWP was developed to allow comparisons of the global warming impacts of different gases.
• Greenhouse Gas (GHG):
  • A greenhouse gas is any gaseous compound in the atmosphere that is capable of absorbing infrared radiation, thereby trapping and holding heat in the atmosphere. By increasing the heat in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases are responsible for the greenhouse effect, which ultimately leads to global warming.
  • The main gases responsible for the greenhouse effect include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor (which all occur naturally), and fluorinated gases (which are synthetic).

• GHG Protocol Corporate Standard Scope 1, 2 and 3: https://ghgprotocol.org/ + The GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard provides requirements and guidance for companies and other organizations preparing a corporate-level GHG emissions inventory. Scope 1 and 2 are typically mandatory for companies that are required to report their emissions by national or regional regulations. The GHG Protocol itself is a voluntary standard.
  • Scope 1: Direct emissions:
    • Direct emissions from company-owned and controlled resources. In other words, emissions are released into the atmosphere as a direct result of a set of activities, at a firm level. It is divided into four categories:
      • Stationary combustion (e.g from fuels, heating sources). All fuels that produce GHG emissions must be included in scope 1.
      • Mobile combustion is all vehicles owned or controlled by a firm, burning fuel (e.g. cars, vans, trucks). The increasing use of “electric” vehicles (EVs), means that some of the organisation’s fleets could fall into Scope 2 emissions.
      • Fugitive emissions are leaks from greenhouse gases (e.g. refrigeration, air conditioning units). It is important to note that refrigerant gases are a thousand times more dangerous than CO2 emissions. Companies are encouraged to report these emissions.
      • Process emissions are released during industrial processes, and on-site manufacturing (e.g. production of CO2 during cement manufacturing, factory fumes, chemicals).
  • Scope 2: Indirect emissions – owned:
    • Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy, from a utility provider. In other words, all GHG emissions released in the atmosphere, from the consumption of purchased electricity, steam, heat and cooling. For most organisations, electricity will be the unique source of scope 2 emissions. Simply stated, the energy consumed falls into two scopes: Scope 2 covers the electricity consumed by the end-user. Scope 3 covers the energy used by the utilities during transmission and distribution (T&D losses).
  • Scope 3: Indirect emissions – not owned:
    • Indirect emissions – not included in scope 2 – that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions. In other words, emissions are linked to the company’s operations. According to the GHG protocol, scope 3 emissions are separated into 15 categories.

 

 

• Circular Economy: 
  • A circular economy is a systemic approach to economic development designed to benefit businesses, society, and the environment. In contrast to the ‘take-make-waste’ linear model, a circular economy is regenerative by design and aims to gradually decouple growth from the consumption of finite resources.
  • In such an economy, all forms of waste, such as clothes, scrap metal and obsolete electronics, are returned to the economy or used more efficiently.
  • The aim of a circular economy is hence to create a closed-loop system where waste and pollution are minimized and resources are conserved, reducing the environmental impact of production and consumption.
• Sustainability Vs. Circular Economy:
  • Circularity focuses on resource cycles, while sustainability is more broadly related to people, the planet and the economy. Circularity and sustainability stand in a long tradition of related visions, models and theories.
  • A sustainable circular economy involves designing and promoting products that last and that can be reused, repaired and remanufactured. This retains the functional value of products, rather than just recovering the energy or materials they contain and continuously making products anew.

 

 

• Switchgears:
  • Broad term that describes a wide variety of switching devices that all fulfill a common need: controlling, protecting, and isolating power systems. This definition can be extended to include devices to regulate and meter a power system, circuit breakers, and similar technology.
  • Switchgear contains fuses, switches, and other power conductors. However, circuit breakers are the most common component found in switchgear.
  • It performs the function of controlling and metering the flow of electrical power in addiction to acting as an interrupting and switching device that protects the equipment from damage arising out of electrical fluctuations.
  • There are three types of switchgear, namely LV (Low voltage), MV (Medium voltage) and HV (High voltage) Switchgear.
• Fuses:
  • A fuse is a single time mechanical circuit interruption in an over-current situation through the fusion of a graded electrical conductor. It is employed in the 30KV to 100KV range.
  • It is an electrical safety device that operates to provide overcurrent protection of an electrical circuit. Its essential component is a metal wire or strip that melts when too much current flows through it, thereby stopping or interrupting the current.
• Fuse Switch-Disconnector:
  • A fuse switch-disconnector combines the functions of a fuse and a switch disconnector; it provides overcurrent protection like a fuse, and it also allows for manual disconnection of the circuit for isolation purposes.
• Reducer Fuses:
  • A reducer fuse is not a fuse itself, but rather an adapter that allows a physically smaller fuse to be installed into a fuse holder designed for a larger fuse size. A fuse reducer typically consists of a non-conductive, insulating body that encases the smaller fuse. This body is then designed with metal contacts or blades that match the dimensions of the larger fuse holder, allowing it to snap or bolt into place.
• Electrified Vehicle (EV) Fuses:
  • EV fuses are specialized safety devices designed to protect the high-voltage DC systems in electric vehicles, featuring much higher voltage ratings (500-1000Vdc), specialized materials to withstand extreme temperatures and vibrations, and fast-acting clearing mechanisms for high-power DC fault currents, unlike normal electrical fuses found in household circuits. Normal electrical fuses are for lower-voltage AC systems and have lower voltage ratings, standard materials, and designs suited for less extreme, more controlled environments.
• Circuit Breakers:
  • A circuit breaker is a mechanical electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overcurrent/overload or short circuit. Its basic function is to interrupt current flow after protective relays detect a fault.
  • By definition, a circuit breaker is an electrical safety device, a switch that automatically interrupts the current of an overloaded electric circuit, ground faults, or short circuits.
• Disconnectors: 
  • It is an Automatic switching device that offers specific isolating distance on the basis of specific requirements.
  • Disconnectors (also known as Isolators) are devices which are generally operated off-load to provide isolation of main plant items for maintenance, or to isolate faulted equipment from other live equipment.
• Contactors: 
  • It works like a high-current switching system but at higher voltage rates. Contactors can however not be utilized as disconnecting switches. They are employed in the 30KV to 100KV range.
  • A Contactor is a special type of relay used for switching an electrical circuit on or off.
  • It is an electrical device that is widely used for switching circuits on and off. As such, electrical contactors form a subcategory of electromagnetic switches known as relays. A relay is an electrically operated switching device that uses an electromagnetic coil to open and close a set of contacts.
• MCB (Miniature Circuit Breakers): 
  • They are employed in domestic households to safeguard against overload. Rated current is max. 100 A.
  • It is an electrical switch that automatically switches off the electrical circuit during an abnormal condition of the network such as an overload condition as well as a faulty condition. Nowadays we use an MCB in a low-voltage electrical network instead of a fuse.
  • Circuit breakers have a tripping relay mechanism, while an MCB has a tripping release mechanism. Circuit breakers have a high rupturing capacity, but the MCB has a low rupturing capacity. Circuit breakers are used in High Voltage systems, while MCBs are used in Low Voltage systems.
• MCCB (Molded Case Circuit Breakers): 
  • Ii incorporates an insulating material in the form of molded casing within the circuit breaker. Rated current is up to 2,500 A.
  • An MCCB has a higher interrupting capacity, meaning it can handle larger loads than a conventional breaker. Generally, a standard breaker is used for residential and light commercial applications, while an MCCB is suitable for industrial and heavy commercial applications.
• PTCB eFuse Circuit Breaker:
  • An Electronic eFuse Circuit Breaker (PTCB) is an electronic micro fuse for DIN rail protecting electronically nominal currents below 1A to facilitate the clear detection of faults and supports precise fault localization and fast recovery. Response times are shorter compared to conventional fuse protection and the exact current value can be adjusted at any time
• RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breakers): 
  • To safeguard against electrical shock arising out of indirect contact and includes the detection of residual current such as earth leakage.
  • It is a current sensing device, which can automatically measure and disconnect the circuit whenever a fault occurs in the connected circuit or the current exceeds the rated sensitivity.
• RCD (Residual Current Devices): 
  • It is a sensitive safety device that switches off the electricity within 10 to 50 milliseconds if there is an electrical fault. An RCD is is designed to protect against the risks of electrocution and fire caused by earth faults.
  • The difference between a circuit breaker and an RCD switch is the purpose of a circuit breaker is to protect the electrical systems and wiring in a home while the purpose of an RCD switch is to protect people from electrocution.
• RCBO (Residual Current Breaker with Over-Current): 
  • An RCBO can protect against electric shocks, residual currents, and earth faults. On the other hand, an RCBO can do what an RCD can do and protect a circuit from short circuits and overload. RCBOs are essentially a combination of MCB and RCCB.
  • An RCBO protects electrical equipment from two types of faults; residual current and over current. Residual current, or Earth leakage as it can sometimes be referred to, is when there is a break in the circuit that could be caused by faulty electrical wiring or if the wire is accidentally cut.
• Solid-State Circuit Breakers:
  • Solid-state device, electronic device in which electricity flows through solid semiconductor crystals (silicon, gallium arsenide, germanium) rather than through vacuum tubes.
  • The solid-state breaker concept replaces the traditional moving parts of an electromechanical circuit breaker with semiconductors and advanced software algorithms that control the power and can interrupt extreme currents faster than ever before.
• ACB (Air Circuit Breakers): 
  • An Air Circuit Breaker (ACB) uses air as the insulating medium.
  • An Air Circuit Breaker (ACB) is a circuit breaker for the purpose of protecting low voltage circuit, mainly for energizing and cutting off high current
• VCB (Vacuum Circuit Breakers): 
  • Vacuum is used as the means to protect circuit breakers.
  • A Circuit breaker where the arc quenching takes place in a vacuum medium. The operation of switching on and closing of current carrying contacts and the interrelated arc interruption takes place in a vacuum chamber in the breaker which is called a vacuum interrupter.
• OCB (Oil Circuit Breakers): 
  • It uses a portion of oil to blast a jet of oil through the arc.
  • A Circuit breaker which uses insulating oil as an arc quenching medium
• Hybrid Circuit Breakers:
  • Combines Air-insulated and SF6 Gas-insulated technologies.
• AIS (Air Insulated Switchgears):
  • Air is used for insulation in a metal-clad system
  • It is a secondary power distribution device and medium voltage switchgear that helps redistribute the power of a primary power distributor powered by a high voltage distribution transformer. AIS controls, protects and isolates electrical equipment in power transmission and distribution systems.
• GIS (Gas Insulated Switchgears): 
  • All working components assembled under SF6 (Sulfur Hexafluoride High-Voltage Switchgears) gas-tight casing.
  • It is a compact metal encapsulated switchgear consisting of high-voltage components such as circuit-breakers and disconnectors, which can be safely operated in confined spaces.
• Pad-mount Switchgear:
  • The pad-mount switchgear is made from the same modular switch and interrupter components as the vault switchgear. This means all components are sealed, submersible and protected, so you don’t have to worry about tracking, animal infestation, corrosion or the effects of condensation inside the enclosure.
• Ring Main Unit (RMU):
  • A ring Main Unit (RMU) is a Medium-Voltage, gas-insulated, fully sealed cabinet used to measure, connect, and integrate transformer protection functions with a fixed type breaker. Ring Main Units are safe, reliable, low-maintenance, and easy to replace switchgear.
  • A Ring Main Unit (RMU) is a factory assembled, metal enclosed set of switchgear used at the load connection points of a ring-type distribution network.
• Load Center – Panel Board – Switch Board – Distribution Cabinet – Distribution Box – Distribution Enclosure:
  • A Load Center is used in residential and light commercial applications to distribute electricity supplied by the utility company throughout the home or building to feed all the branch circuits. Each branch circuit is protected by the circuit breaker housed in the load center.  In the event of a short circuit or an overload on a branch circuit, the circuit breaker will cut the power before any potential property damage or personal injury can occur.
  • A Load Center provides similar functionality in a power distribution system as a Switchboard and a Panelboard. As far as UL and the NEC standards are concerned, there is no difference between a Panelboard and a Load Center. The term Panel Board is more used in commercial and industrial applications.
  • However, Panelboards are typically deeper than Load Centers and can accommodate both bolt-on circuit breakers as well as plug-in breakers, whereas a load center is limited to plug-in breakers.
  • Switchboards are often the typical choice for large commercial and industrial establishments. These Panelboards generally house circuit breakers that can manage and supply electricity for machines with high-voltage demands.
  • Panelboards are only accessible from the front (as mentioned above), but Switchboards allow rear access as well.
  • Distribution Cabinet is used as a general term for an enclosure that houses electrical distribution components. It can refer to enclosures containing Panelboards, Switchboards, or other distribution equipment.
  • In terms of use, distribution boxes are generally used for households (smaller enclosures), and distribution cabinets are mostly used for centralized power supply. Distribution boxes and cabinets are complete sets of equipment. Distribution boxes are low-voltage complete sets of equipment. Cabinets have both high and low voltages.
  • An enclosure or distribution enclosure in a general term for any type of protective housing for electrical distribution components. It’s essentially a cabinet or box designed to safeguard components from environmental factors, prevent electrical shock, and potentially shield against electromagnetic interference.

 

 

• F-Gases: 
  • F stands for fluorinated, and F-Gas is the term used to describe a particular family of fluorinated gases which are widely used as refrigerants in air conditioning and commercial refrigeration systems (as well as in many essential appliances such as fire extinguishers and medical inhalers)
  • Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) are a family of gases containing fluorine. They are powerful greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. They are stronger than naturally occurring greenhouse gases and their use is regulated.
• SF6: 
  • Sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) is a synthetic fluorinated compound with an extremely stable molecular structure. Because of its unique dielectric properties, electric utilities rely heavily on SF₆ in electric power systems for voltage electrical insulation, current interruption, and arc quenching in the transmission and distribution of electricity. Yet, it is also the most potent greenhouse gas known to-date. Over a 100-year period, SF₆ is 23,500 times more effective at trapping infrared radiation than an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂). SF₆ is also a very stable chemical, with an atmospheric lifetime of 3,200 years. As the gas is emitted, it accumulates in the atmosphere in an essentially un-degraded state for many centuries. Thus, a relatively small amount of SF₆ can have a significant impact on global climate change.
  • Global annual emissions are 8,100 tonnes, equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 100m cars.
  • It is expected to grow by 75% by 2030. 80% of all SF6 is used in gas insulated switchgear, a vital component of the grid (isolating and protecting different sections), so it’s an energy sector issue.

 

 

• Grid, Microgrids, DERs and DERM’s:
  • Grid / Power Grid:
    • The power grid is a network for delivering electricity to consumers. The power grid includes generator stations, transmission lines and towers, and individual consumer distribution lines.
      • The grid constantly balances the supply and demand for the energy that powers everything from industry to household appliances.
      • Electric grids perform three major functions: power generation, transmission, and distribution.
  • Microgrid:
    • Small-scale power grid that can operate independently or collaboratively with other small power grids. The practice of using microgrids is known as distributed, dispersed, decentralized, district or embedded energy production.
  • Smart Grid:
    • Any electrical grid + IT at all levels.
  • Micro Grid:
    • Group of interconnected loads and DERs (Distributed Energy Resources) within a clearly defined electrical and geographical boundaries witch acts as a single controllable entity with respect to the main grid.
  • Distributed Energy Resources (DERs): 
    • Small-scale electricity supply (typically in the range of 3 kW to 50 MW) or demand resources that are interconnected to the electric grid. They are power generation resources and are usually located close to load centers, and can be used individually or in aggregate to provide value to the grid.
      • Common examples of DERs include rooftop solar PV units, natural gas turbines, microturbines, wind turbines, biomass generators, fuel cells, tri-generation units, battery storage, electric vehicles (EV) and EV chargers, and demand response applications.
  • Distributed Energy Resources Management Systems (DERMS):
    • Platforms which helps mostly distribution system operators (DSO) manage their grids that are mainly based on distributed energy resources (DER).
      • DERMS are used by utilities and other energy companies to aggregate a large energy load for participation in the demand response market. DERMS can be defined in many ways, depending on the use case and underlying energy asset.