Schneider Electric today introduced EcoStruxure Power, a digital architecture and platform for power distribution and management in buildings. EcoStruxure Power leverages advancements in IoT to deliver improved reliability, safety, efficiency, sustainability and connectivity for customers across multiple industries.
For professionals in the power industry, including contractors, specifiers, consulting engineers and their end customers, EcoStruxure Power enables solutions that are innovative, compliant and ready for the future of power distribution.
EcoStruxure Power responds to a paradigm shift in energy production and demand. It is more decarbonized, decentralized, digitized and demanding. This transformation paves the way for building operators and facility managers to implement alternative energy sources and an innovative power infrastructure.
EcoStruxure Power is designed to help power professionals and building customers take advantage of new technologies, and deliver better uptime, safety and energy efficiency without compromising daily operations.
"The way we produce and consume energy has profoundly changed. This shift is driving a new era of power distribution for buildings of all sizes and in all industries," said Mohamed Shishani, EcoStruxure Power deployment leader, Schneider Electric. "With EcoStruxure Power, buildings can unlock new levels of efficiency, performance and sustainability to better compete in the digital world."
Three levels of innovation
EcoStruxure Power's IoT-enabled, future-proof solutions are tailored to meet every building's power distribution and management needs, organized around its three core layers of technology innovation:
- Connected Products: At the base level are connected products that collect and distribute information, from innovative connected circuit breakers to meters.
- Edge Control: The second level is comprised of solutions that enable real-time control of operations to maximize system reliability. For example, EcoStruxure Power Monitoring Expert allows tracking of real-time power conditions to help improve efficiency and reliability; and EcoStruxure Power SCADA Operation provides fast data-acquisition monitoring while improving the power availability of electrical distribution networks.
- Apps, Analytics and Services: At the third level are apps, analytics and services that allow customers to make informed and timely decisions to ensure reliability, reduce costs and boost efficiency. For example, EcoStruxure Asset Advisor services deliver predictive analytics to help ensure a company's critical operations are operating safely and securely.
"With EcoStruxure Power, contractors, specifiers and engineers gain the advantage of trusted Schneider Electric products that enable enhanced connectivity, real-time operations and smart analytics, while end customers, including critical facility managers and business owners gain peace of mind and financial assurance," said Shishani.
Reliability, power quality and safety for large and critical facilities
Reliable power is paramount for many large and critical buildings, such as hospitals, data centers and utilities. Power outages can be extremely costly and potentially dangerous for some critical facilities. EcoStruxure Power improves power availability and safety by continually monitoring the entire network and improving protection against shock, fire and explosion.
One Schneider Electric customer, a large industrial operation, experienced issues within its office buildings. EcoStruxure Power monitoring software indicated below-threshold voltage fluctuations and was able to determine the likely source of the disturbance. The company resolved the issue, avoiding downtime and possible extensive equipment damage.
Automation and control for small and medium buildings
Small and medium buildings have unique power distribution needs since they often operate with limited staff and resources on site. EcoStruxure Power provides electrical equipment that monitors power quality and asset status, as well as simple cloud-based tools that automate maintenance operations and quickly apply corrective action in case of an outage.
