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Schneider Electric held their Innovation Summit March 31st- April 2nd 2016 in Paris, in conjunction with the April 3rd Paris Marathon, which Schneider Electric is the primary sponsor. So what do buildings, factories, plants, data centers, homes, and marathon runners have in common? It is leveraging IIoT technologies to connect them, running the analytics software to access performance, display that information on wireless smart devices, and make decisions that help these buildings, factories, plants, homes, data centers and marathon runners manage their energy and resources more effectively and efficiently. So whether the sensor is embedded into a machine, sneaker or a Fitbit wristband, the HMI is a wireless tablet in a plant operator’s hand or a smart phone attached to a runners arm, and the analytics software is based in a private cloud of a manufacturer or a public cloud at Amazon, IIoT technology is the common denominator that enables this connectivity.
The highlight of the Innovation Summit was Schneider Electric’s CEO Jean-Pascal Tricoire’s 90 minute presentation, explaining the company’s “Life in On” vision, and focusing on how connectivity is what makes this possible. Mr. Tricoire sees a world that is more electric with electricity demand growing twice as fast as overall energy demand by 2040, more digitized with 20 times the connected devices versus people by 2020, more decarbonized with unrealized energy efficiency potential of 58 percent in industry, 79 percent in infrastructure, and 82 percent in buildings; and more decentralized with 70 percent of new energy capacity additions being renewables by 2040. Mr. Tricoire explained that this would not be possible without IIoT, connecting the estimated 50 billion devices to the internet by 2020, supported by mobility and analytics, to systems where the IT and OT spaces converge, with the result being a dramatic increase in energy and process optimization, making the statement that “unconnected = inefficient” ring very true.
To achieve this IIoT connected vision, especially in the industrial automation world where technology has been more of an evolution versus a revolution, it is critical for IIoT connectivity to exist at every level, ignoring no sensor, valve, motor starter, contactor, breaker or relay. Connectivity cannot begin at the controller, PLC, PAC, or DCS level, as components whose status does not impact a control decision must be able to connect directly to the cloud to provide input for analytics. Mr. Tricoire sees tomorrows smart manufacturing enterprises excelling in three areas: Asset Performance, Augmented Operators, and Smart Enterprise Control. He sees four layers that are common whether the facility is a building, factory or plant. Those layers, defined as part of the company’s EcoStruxure architecture, are connected products; local control; cloud on or off premises; and applications, analytics, and services. Most importantly, these layers require cybersecurity technology embedded for all IIoT connectivity. Schneider Electric sees the result of this IIoT connectivity as not only impacting efficiency, but also reliability, sustainability, and most importantly, safety.
From ARC’s perspective, we were glad to get this opportunity to see the progress that Schneider Electric has made with their IIoT journey, which ARC feels is substantial. We also appreciated the connection of having this Innovation Summit as part of the company’s sponsorship of the Paris Marathon, and how leveraging sensors, mobility, cloud, analytics and visualization can not only benefit facilities and machines, but enable the runners to monitor their times and inform family and friends of their locations, along with their own health and well-being. Schneider Electric has been the title sponsor of the Paris Marathon since 2012, and makes claim to being most connected marathon of the world, connecting all 57,000 runners through a community app to track their training progress, exchange performance statistics and to motivate the participants through a series of challenges. Today, the app is the live tracking tool for the race, giving friends and family access to monitor the progress of the runners along the course. With the extension of the sponsorship to 2019, ARC looks forward to seeing continued progress with each Marathon regarding Schneider Electric’s IIoT and “Life is On” journey.
The highlight of the Innovation Summit was Schneider Electric’s CEO Jean-Pascal Tricoire’s 90 minute presentation, explaining the company’s “Life in On” vision, and focusing on how connectivity is what makes this possible. Mr. Tricoire sees a world that is more electric with electricity demand growing twice as fast as overall energy demand by 2040, more digitized with 20 times the connected devices versus people by 2020, more decarbonized with unrealized energy efficiency potential of 58 percent in industry, 79 percent in infrastructure, and 82 percent in buildings; and more decentralized with 70 percent of new energy capacity additions being renewables by 2040. Mr. Tricoire explained that this would not be possible without IIoT, connecting the estimated 50 billion devices to the internet by 2020, supported by mobility and analytics, to systems where the IT and OT spaces converge, with the result being a dramatic increase in energy and process optimization, making the statement that “unconnected = inefficient” ring very true.
To achieve this IIoT connected vision, especially in the industrial automation world where technology has been more of an evolution versus a revolution, it is critical for IIoT connectivity to exist at every level, ignoring no sensor, valve, motor starter, contactor, breaker or relay. Connectivity cannot begin at the controller, PLC, PAC, or DCS level, as components whose status does not impact a control decision must be able to connect directly to the cloud to provide input for analytics. Mr. Tricoire sees tomorrows smart manufacturing enterprises excelling in three areas: Asset Performance, Augmented Operators, and Smart Enterprise Control. He sees four layers that are common whether the facility is a building, factory or plant. Those layers, defined as part of the company’s EcoStruxure architecture, are connected products; local control; cloud on or off premises; and applications, analytics, and services. Most importantly, these layers require cybersecurity technology embedded for all IIoT connectivity. Schneider Electric sees the result of this IIoT connectivity as not only impacting efficiency, but also reliability, sustainability, and most importantly, safety.
From ARC’s perspective, we were glad to get this opportunity to see the progress that Schneider Electric has made with their IIoT journey, which ARC feels is substantial. We also appreciated the connection of having this Innovation Summit as part of the company’s sponsorship of the Paris Marathon, and how leveraging sensors, mobility, cloud, analytics and visualization can not only benefit facilities and machines, but enable the runners to monitor their times and inform family and friends of their locations, along with their own health and well-being. Schneider Electric has been the title sponsor of the Paris Marathon since 2012, and makes claim to being most connected marathon of the world, connecting all 57,000 runners through a community app to track their training progress, exchange performance statistics and to motivate the participants through a series of challenges. Today, the app is the live tracking tool for the race, giving friends and family access to monitor the progress of the runners along the course. With the extension of the sponsorship to 2019, ARC looks forward to seeing continued progress with each Marathon regarding Schneider Electric’s IIoT and “Life is On” journey.