Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, celebrates the success of the first phase of its pioneering initiative, “Energy Efficiency Audits 2025,” during a ceremony held at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo. The event was attended by H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Esmat, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, H.E. Ambassador Éric Chevallier, France’s Ambassador to Egypt, along with several leaders from industrial sectors and key partners. The celebration reflects the company’s ongoing strategy to support sustainability efforts and link global ambitions with local impact. The event highlighted Schneider Electric’s efforts to help organizations reduce energy consumption, lower carbon emissions, and improve operational efficiency in line with the highest international standards.
During the first phase of the initiative, Schneider Electric fully funded 25 comprehensive energy-efficiency assessments for 25 major industrial facilities across various sectors. These assessments included an in-depth study of all operational processes within each facility, with a particular focus on critical systems such as cooling systems, compressed air, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), in addition to building management systems and processes operations. The objective was to identify opportunities to optimize energy consumption, reduce carbon footprint, and enhance operational performance.
The audits showed that implementing the recommendations identified during the first phase of the initiative could achieve energy savings ranging from 10% to 15%, resulting in a total reduction of approximately 47,000 tons of CO₂ emissions. The results also identified an average return-on-investment (ROI) payback period of 2 to 3 years, reflecting the direct economic viability of energy efficiency, in addition to its positive environmental impact. These findings reaffirm Schneider Electric’s ability to provide integrated and comprehensive sustainability solutions, from technical assessments and strategic planning to the deployment of advanced digital transformation tools for monitoring and managing energy consumption, culminating in tangible reductions in emissions and improvements in operational efficiency across facilities.
Dr. Mahmoud Esmat, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, affirmed that improving energy efficiency has become a national necessity and a highly effective tool for achieving energy savings at lower costs. He explained that the cost of generating one megawatt of electricity is five to seven times higher than the cost of achieving the same capacity through energy-saving measures, in addition to ongoing operation and maintenance expenses.
He noted that the electricity sector has taken several steps to enhance energy efficiency, including updating the national energy strategy through 2040, increasing the share of clean energy to 42% by 2030 and more than 65% by 2040, and targeting an 18% reduction in consumption across all sectors. He added that major projects have been implemented, including high-efficiency combined-cycle power plants with a total capacity of 14.4 GW, as well as upgrading simple-cycle plants to combined-cycle systems, adding 1,850 MW of generation capacity without any additional fuel consumption.
He continued: “The Energy Efficiency 2025 Campaign was the result of strong collaboration between the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy and Schneider Electric, one of our key partners in advancing energy efficiency and raising public awareness. This campaign marks the beginning of a broader series of joint national initiatives that will support Egypt’s strategic objectives and accelerate the transition toward a more sustainable, low-emission, and energy-efficient economy.”
For his part, H.E. Éric Chevallier, Ambassador of France to Egypt, expressed his appreciation for Schneider Electric’s efforts in supporting Egypt’s transition toward clean energy. He noted that the “Energy Efficiency Audits” initiative represents an advanced model in both technology and sustainability. He stated: “The recommendations resulting from this initiative highlight the importance of innovation and international cooperation in supporting sustainable development plans. They reaffirm the pivotal role of technological solutions in helping Egyptian organizations reduce emissions and enhance energy efficiency.”
In this context, Sebastien Riez, CEO of Schneider Electric Northeast Africa & Levant, said: “The results of the first phase of the initiative provide practical evidence of the ability of energy efficiency to deliver both environmental and economic benefits. At Schneider Electric, we work to transform sustainability from a theoretical concept into measurable operational performance across facilities, through integrated digital solutions that enable companies to precisely understand their energy consumption patterns and make data-driven investment decisions.” He added: “We are committed to continuing our investment in innovation and technology to support our partners in achieving their climate goals and accelerating their transition toward more efficient and sustainable operating models aligned with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and its sustainable energy strategy.”
Schneider Electric plans to move to the second phase of the “Energy Efficiency Audits 2025” initiative, which focuses on transforming audit results and technical recommendations into actual implementation projects within participating companies. This phase will be delivered through an integrated suite of technical, digital, and advisory solutions, foremost among them cooperation with several banks operating in the Egyptian market to provide green financing solutions. These financing mechanisms will enable organizations to invest in energy-efficiency and renewable-energy projects and accelerate their transition toward more sustainable operating models.
In this context, the company is working to establish partnerships with leading banks, including Crédit Agricole Egypt and Suez Canal Bank, to develop tailored financing solutions aligned with the specific needs of each sector. These offerings aim to bridge the financing gap between the technical assessment stage and the practical implementation of recommendations, ensuring measurable and sustainable environmental and economic impact.
Saif El Demerdash, Vice President of the Services Business Unit at Schneider Electric Northeast Africa and Levant, commented: “The importance of this initiative goes beyond numerical results. It extends to building genuine awareness among operations teams within participating factories and facilities about best practices in energy management. During our field visits, we focused on transferring knowledge and sharing expertise with local teams to ensure that impact continues beyond the audit phase, building a long-term operational culture that embeds energy efficiency into daily decision-making.”
Asmaa El Sheimy, Sustainability Manager at Schneider Electric for Northeast Africa and the Levant, stated: “The first phase of the initiative established a precise database on opportunities to improve energy-consumption efficiency across facilities, while the upcoming phase focuses on converting technical recommendations into actionable projects. Green financing is one of the essential tools that Schneider Electric provides in collaboration with our banking partners to support companies in implementing energy-efficiency solutions on the ground and driving a truly sustainable transformation.”
It is worth noting that Schneider Electric has been named the “World’s Most Sustainable Company for 2025” by the prestigious Corporate Knights organization. Building on this global recognition, the company aims to transfer its expertise and leading experience to its partners across various sectors. Schneider Electric first earned this title in 2021, coinciding with the launch of its five-year Schneider Sustainability Impact program, which measures the company’s progress toward achieving a set of transformative environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets through the end of 2025. The company also topped the list of the “World’s Most Sustainable Companies for 2024,” according to TIME magazine and Statista, further reinforcing Schneider Electric’s position as a trusted and inspiring partner in building a more sustainable future for all.
