Schneider Electric released a report June 25 that projects electrification of U.S. industry will increase by half from 30% at present to 45% by 2030. Compiled by the company's Sustainability Research Institute, the report also projects a potential, corresponding 25% reduction in fossil fuel demand over the same period. The report provides detailed analysis by sector, and projects that 16 of 21 sectors will reach 60% electrification by 2030. It also projects that U.S. industries will collectively reach 64% electrification by 2040 with a corresponding 50% reduction in fossil fuel consumption.
Paralleling these trends, Schneider Electric reports it will upgrade, modernize and maintain its Seneca and Columbia manufacturing plants. It will also electrify the Seneca facility’s HVAC system to enhance its efficiency, reduce costs, and advance its own sustainability and decarbonization targets. Altogether, the company will invest $23.8 million in its South Carolina operations. Schneider Electric adds it expects to create 280 new jobs in the state, including 130 jobs at its Seneca plant and 150 jobs at its Columbia facility. This will add to the more than 1,200 workers Schneider Electric presently employs in South Carolina. Both facilities will hire staff during 2024. This expanded workforce will manufacture custom power distribution products integral to electrification and energy efficiency, bolstering support for critical infrastructure and industries, especially healthcare, wastewater treatment and data centers.
“This new research demonstrates why electrification is the most promising and practical means of decarbonizing industry quickly. We anticipate significant acceleration across all sectors, even in hard-to-abate industries, to reach decarbonization targets and maintain economic competitiveness,” said Aamir Paul, president of Schneider Electric’s North America operations, at the recent at the SelectUSA Investment Summit. “As we move more towards this electrified and digitized world, we're spearheading this transformation through our own investments in a robust domestic supply chain, including in the state of South Carolina, to bolster our manufacturing efforts for customers."
