MANILA, Philippines - By 2050, 70 percent of the people in the world will be living in cities. And by that same year in the Philippines, it is estimated that 84 percent of the population or 117 million Filipinos will be living in mega Manila and smaller urban centers around the country.
This means city planners have only the next 40 years to provide new urban capacity equivalent to that of the past 4,000 years.
To help cities in the Philippines meet current and future challenges, Schneider Electric (SE), the global specialist in energy management, is offering its combined state-of-the-art hardware, software, and services in an integrated solution called SmartCity.
SE achieves electricity savings by making energy safer, more reliable, more efficient, and more productive.
It ensures minimal power supply interruption, increased asset productivity, and improved energy efficiency through more accurate performance management.
Schneider Electric SmartCity includes components such as Smart Mobility, Smart Water, Smart Public Services, and Smart Buildings and Homes.
Each of these comprises solutions that help cities manage growing electricity demand and energy consumption through improved network efficiency.
To address the increasing energy demands that accompany the country’s high urbanization rate, efficient energy management technologies should be implemented. “Philippines has one of the highest electricity costs in Asia which is why Schneider Electric is sharing its expertise and solutions to help people and cities become smarter about the way they use energy,” says Philippe Reveilhac, SE country president.
Sites that use SmartCity already show doubled efficiency and savings. These are the same results that SE hopes to bring to local cities.
Some of these installations include the Réseau de Transport intelligence d’Electricité (RTE) in France, a country that utilizes the Smart Grid.
Through these technologies, about 600 megawatts of energy capacity was added to the French electricity grid to help the country cope with the February 2012 cold wave.
In Ankara, Turkey, the Water & Sewage Administration employs an intelligent water management system that has improved performance and reduced costs.
In Mexico City, the city government utilizes an integrated surveillance security system which has helped reduce crime in historic areas of Mexico City.
Reveilhac adds, “With SmartCity, Schneider Electric is able to provide solutions that optimize the use of energy while reducing energy costs for cities, making them smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable. We are bringing Philippine cities to higher levels of efficiency and sustainability.”