From steel in the 19th century, to electrical distribution and automation in the 20th and energy management in the 21st, Schneider Electric has always been driven by an international, innovative and responsible aim to shape the transformation of its industry.
Schneider Electric founded its Azerbaijan operation in 1994, encompassing oil and gas, energy, infrastructure, and IT with a particular focus on energy efficiency in commercial and residential buildings. Projects in Azerbaijan include the supply of electrical equipment, automation, and UPS systems with business such as the Heydar Aliyev Center, the Flame Towers, the Gobustan SPP, Shah Deniz I, and several hotels including the JW Marriott and the Four Seasons. Schneider Electric has also contributed to the development of the electro-mechanic industry of Azerbaijan by technology transfer for local production of low and medium voltage panels with Azeri companies. As 2014 more than thousand of Baku city network substations have been equipped with these panels.
Schneider Electric, which gained a portfolio of simulation products with its recent acquisition of Invensys, understands that energy efficiency is a driving force in business today: “Energy efficiency is important throughout all industries. Profit margins are very tight and energy is a large portion of any plant’s operating cost. Therefore, efficient usage of energy is key to remaining competitive in the global market,” says Emrah Tekdemir, Schneider Electric’s Central Asia Country President.
There are three Schneider Electric simulation products which particularly focus on energy efficiency: SimSci ROMeo Process Optimization software, which enhances plant performance by minimizing utility use; SimSci APC, which allows operators to have tighter control of product specification and thus the opportunity to increase throughput and reduce energy use; and SimSci ROMeo Online Performance Suite which provides a critical tool for optimal operation through numerous performance-enhancing solutions based on ROMeo’s real-time optimization capabilities.
The company is also developing its new SimCentral platform, which combines steady-state and dynamic modeling and optimization into a single user interface, delivering simulators with ergonomics and usability akin to those of today’s smartphones and tablets.
The importance of process modeling in energy efficiency should not be underestimated. Joseph McMullen, the company’s Cohasset, Massachusetts-based product marketing manager cites a project at the Star Petroleum Refining (SPR) refinery in Rayong, Thailand, as a good illustration of what process modeling can achieve. Using SimSci ROMeo Online Performance Suite modeling software, which is designed to show current activity at the specified plant so that users can make appropriate and timely business decisions, SPR was able to increase throughput, reduce energy usage and improve regulatory compliance at the refinery.
Schneider Electric is proud of what it has achieved and is excited about its future in Azerbaijan. It will continue to focus on energy efficiency solutions.
