Lucian Enaru, Schneider Electric: We continue to see a great potential for growth in the industrial area, where our interventions can generate significant savings

In the “Industries to watch in 2024” feature of Business Review Magazine, Lucian Enaru, Country General Manager of Schneider Electric, offers an in-depth analysis of the energy sector’s trajectory in Romania amidst a landscape marked by geopolitical tensions and economic fluctuations. Enaru shares insights into how Schneider Electric is navigating these challenges, emphasizing the company’s commitment to pioneering sustainable energy solutions. By delving into the vital role of digitalization and energy efficiency, Enaru illustrates Schneider Electric’s strategy for driving the energy sector towards a more sustainable and technologically advanced future.

How do you think the energy sector in Romania will evolve in 2024, given that geopolitical uncertainties continue and inflation is on the rise (at least in the first part of the year)? Will investments continue, will prices remain stable?

I believe that recent years have strongly highlighted the vital importance of energy efficiency. On one hand, we are integrating more and more electricity and digitalization into our businesses, and on the other hand, we must ensure that we make this transition in conditions of sustainability and economic efficiency. Therefore, investments will continue to increase this year, driven by operational and economic needs, but also by ESG reporting requirements that companies are starting to comply with.

How much does the transition to green energy influence the industry as a whole?

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Decisively. We have reached a point of convergence of various economic, climatic, and technological factors that now direct us on this path, leaving little room for delays or hesitations. For the energy sector, it’s a significant opportunity but also a great responsibility, obviously, because electric networks need to develop, data centers need to be larger and more numerous, and our solutions for efficient energy use need to be smarter to support a trend that is now emphasized and global.

What are the main opportunities and challenges for the energy sector in 2024?

There are many challenges that are not necessarily specific to the energy sector but to the economic environment in general. This year too, we talk about the need for predictability and a more flexible and stable operating framework, as the transformations in the technology area force all companies to make unprecedented investment and structural efforts. The energy sector is a key element in supporting this transformation, and I’m talking here, including about data centers, their construction, expansion, and operation, which we can ensure energy-efficient conditions for.

For us, there are opportunities for growth, starting from the auditing and consulting part, which we offer to our partner companies, aiming at optimizing their operational costs. Then, we move on to effectively support them in this process with our solutions and services. We continue to see a great potential for growth in the industrial area, where our interventions can generate significant savings, but also in the commercial or residential buildings area, where the solutions we devise generate win-win results for owners, managers, and occupants. There, we can come with complex projects that optimize not just energy expenditures but also the comfort of the occupants and the operational flexibility of the buildings. Another important area is the medical services, which require both rapid and extensive modernization, but also greenfield investments, like the one completed last year by our partners from Dăruiește Viață.