Schneider Electric, a leader of the digital transformation of green energy management and automation, announces it has acquired a controlling stake in ETAP Automation Inc. (“ETAP”), a software platform for electrical power systems modelling and simulation. Trusted by 10,000+ design and engineering firms globally, ETAP models, simulates, controls, and optimizes customer electricity power systems based on their digital twin equivalents.
Subject to legal approvals, the ETAP investment completes Schneider’s existing software portfolio for electricity power systems. Its technology will be integrated in Schneider’s unique cloud-based technology platform for the design and operation of mission-critical power systems using vendor-agnostic software-driven modelling, design, real-time predictive simulation and operation solutions. This will help deliver end-to-end lifecycle digitalization and bring enhanced efficiency and sustainability to power and grid applications.
The joint offering will pave the way for green data centres, enabling better integration of renewables, fuel cells and battery storage. Global customers and partners across critical process and hybrid industries, power plants and grids, data centres, railways and airports will benefit from enhanced predictive maintenance capabilities.
By 2040, electricity will be different: the share of electricity will double, reaching at least 40% of final energy consumption; and six times more green electricity will be generated from solar and wind. However, today’s electrical distribution systems suffer from high levels of inefficiency due to low adoption of digital technologies.
A more efficient infrastructure cannot exist without smarter design. Studies show that rework caused by design errors accounts for up to 20% increase in total Capital Expenditure. The combined solution will help improve power system performance from modelling to drive improved grid performance.
By digitally streamlining complex systems, the joint Schneider Electric and ETAP offering will:
- Maximise the power system production process.
- Protect operational staff and equipment from arc flash, over voltages and overheating.
- Improve system uptime and anticipate failures.
- Improve awareness of new energy resources.
- Optimise operational performance with preventative maintenance
The integration of Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Power Design platform and ETAP’s electrical software design solutions will extend their reach across multi-vendor operating platforms to millions of assets across energy-intensive and power systems applications. This will help to digitize critical infrastructure, creating more sustainable data centres and further decarbonize energy production.
Whilst operating as an independent software vendor and delivering value as manufacturer agnostic, ETAP’s solutions will strengthen Schneider Electric’s position as a major player in electrical design, by offering customers unique software capabilities to operate utilities and energy intensive systems as designed, and enhance Schneider Electric’s digital twin capabilities in Power, Grid and mission-critical sectors.
