Schneider Electric’s Altivar Drives Recognized as “Efficient Solution” by Solar Impulse

Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, has been awarded the Solar Impulse Foundation’s “Efficient Solution” label for two of its Altivar variable speed drives: The Altivar 600 range of ready-to-order and custom-engineered drives and the Altivar 312 Solar drives for pumps with photovoltaic arrays.

This recognition is part of the Solar Impulse Foundation’s challenge to select 1,000 solutions that can protect the environment in a profitable way, showing decision makers in business and governments that clean technologies can also be financially viable. It is further proof of Schneider Electric's commitment to sustainable solutions.

The two drives were chosen as “Efficient Solutions” following a rigorous assessment by a team of external independent experts:

• Altivar 600 was designed bearing in mind energy and asset management support and improved overall performance of industrial and utility processes. In particular, the solution contributes to up to 25% energy savings (in terms of power consumption) and allows for up to 50% optimized energy consumption” [compared to an application without drives].
• Altivar 312 Solar needs CapEx investment (solar panels, drives, water pump etc.) but requires very low operating expenditures (no fuel costs, low maintenance) in comparison to the mainstream alternative (using diesel for power generation driving the pumps). Such sustainable investments are often supported by NGOs in developing countries.”

Driving sustainability & profitability with Altivar

Energy consumption has both an environmental and financial impact. The Altivar 600 range of drives, which is focused on fluids management processing and energy savings, is ideal to use wherever pumps, fans or compressors are present, such as water/wastewater plants, oil and gas facilities, or buildings. The Altivar 312 Solar is an ‘easy to connect’ drive dedicated to the environment, and performs with a wide range of pumps and solar arrays at a very low lifecycle maintenance cost.

“Altivar 600’s services-oriented concept meets most needs of process industries and utilities in terms of equipment efficiency and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). By reducing maintenance costs, supporting energy management, asset management, and the overall performance of a process, end users can improve their energy efficiency by more than 40% through embedded service control. It is the ideal solution for customers looking for increased OpEx savings in the new normal. The ATV312 Solar is an environmentally friendly, economical, and flexible solution which can facilitate the delivery of drinking water to people with limited or no access to an electricity grid, at a much lower cost than existing solutions.”  - Henry KIM (Head of Marketing, Drives, Schneider Electric).

Recently, the Solar Impulse Foundation also put the spotlight on EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor and NEO Network solutions, recognizing Schneider Electric's commitment to integrate the 17 sustainable development goals defined by the UN in its solutions.

About the Solar Impulse Foundation

The Solar Impulse Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, based in Lausanne, Switzerland, with an office in Arlington, VA, USA. The foundation was started by Bertrand Piccard, who serves as chairman, after completion of his round-the-world flight in the solar-powered plane called Solar Impulse. The flight proved that innovation and technology exist now as the logical choice for an economy that creates jobs, modernizes infrastructure and encourages business to support a future that protects our environment. Learn more at www.solarimpulse.com