Schneider Electric chose to hold the ninth Xperience Efficiency conference in Cairo from 10 to 12 March. The event aimed to address energy and sustainability challenges through the most cutting-edge and integrated energy trends. "Industry experts and live display allowed attendees to experiment directly with energy solutions to provide real-time assessment of what will improve performance, deliver energy access and business performance answers across the energy chain," the company said in an official statement. The conference brought together national experts from business sectors, the government and academics. "At Schneider Electric we believe that managing and resolving energy and sustainability challenges is a responsibility we all share," said Schneider's Country President for Egypt and North East Africa. "Xperience Efficiency 2012 will assemble key players to discuss the roles and responsibilities each individual plays in the energy cycle". The company's main focus in the Egyptian market is the development of infrastructure, industries, networks and data centres, along with other aspects that affect the country's energy management, Fuchet noted during his speech. Mohamed Saad, Schneider Electric's president in Africa and Caribbean Zone, stated that it is important not only to increase energy production, but also use available energy more efficiently. "We shouldn't just request from citizens to decrease their energy consumption," Saad said. "We must however, provide higher levels of technology to help them in living a more luxurious life with lower and more efficient energy usage." Saad pointed out that the company is attempting to offer some of the technology solutions in Egypt. "Egypt is in desperate need of a partner who has technology that can assist in facing the energy challenges it faces," Saad said. "In order to attain economic growth in Egypt, we need to, at least, double the energy we have now." Saad stated that the company has collaborated with the Egyptian government in developing the El-Owaynat solar station in the Western Desert. He meanwhile cited renewable energy pricing as one of the main constraints in the Egyptian market. "We can't price the new and renewable energy with the same rates we do for the traditional energy," he said, asserting that incentives should be offered to businessmen for investing in clean energy. Earlier this month, Schneider Electric Egypt became the first company to receive certification for its compliance programme to prevent corruption by international certifying agency ETHIC Intelligence. Schneider Electric was established in Egypt in 1987. The company opened the largest equipments factory in Africa and the Middle East in Badr City and currently employs around 1,400 workers.
