• Microgrid solution, for off-grid communities, Villaya Flex, launched at a Press Briefing held at the EAIF conference 2024 , Lagos Nigeria.
• Committed to providing access to clean energy to 50 million people globally by 2025, and 100 million by 2030 to unlock access to the future for all.

Schneider Electric, global leader in sustainable energy solutions, pioneers’ initiatives to improve Access to Energy in Africa’s energy landscape.

With a firm commitment to fostering a greener and more resilient future, Schneider Electric spearheaded discussions at a press briefing at the Energy Access Investment Forum (EAIF) Conference, held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, Nigeria, with a focus on universal access to sustainable energy solutions.

Present at the press conference were key representatives from Schneider Electric, Ajibola Akindele, Country President, Schneider Electric West Africa; Thomas Bonicel, Director MEAS, Access to Energy, Schneider Electric; Teina Teibowei, Commercial Leader, Microgrid, Schneider Electric; Omobolanle Omotayo, Marketing Communication Manager, Schneider Electric West Africa, media representatives, amongst others.

Addressing critical topics concerning sustainable energy access in Africa, Ajibola Akindele, country president, Schneider Electric West Africa, began by sharing insights into Schneider Electric’s Impact and the transformative initiatives undertaken across Africa and in Nigeria.

“Schneider Electric is a company that is almost 200 years old. We are a global company-a global company with a local presence in over 110 countries, and 150 thousand employees across the world. Our mission is to be a global digital partner for sustainability and efficiency, empowering all to make the most of our energy resources, bridge progress and sustainability for all. At Schneider Electric, we call this Life is On. 

We have a proven track record and experience of 25 years in carrying out sustainability practices globally and have been recognized by the Corporate Knights Global 100 Index as the top 100 world’s most sustainable corporation for the 12th time in a row. 

In Nigeria, we have over a hundred partners serving all our customers in regions we serve across various industries: power sector, real estates, transportation, oil and gas, telecommunication, and travel and tourism. With a million electricians, 6000+ official distributors of Schneider Electric, and 120 thousand point of sale distributors, Schneider Electric is a diversified company, closely knit to our customers, and delivering solutions that address the Nigerian market,” he said.

Thomas Bonicel, speaking on Schneider Electric’s Access to Energy (A2E) program, emphasized the program’s mission to empower communities through clean and reliable energy access.

“Schneider Electric’s Access to Energy program provides comprehensive approaches to support the universal access to sustainable, safe, and clean energy for developing countries including Africa, which includes training & entrepreneurship programs, social & inclusive business, and investment funds. In achieving sustainability, by 2030, we want to be net zero ready on all our operations, end-to-end carbon neutral value chain by 2040, and net zero C02 value chain by 2050.

Schneider Electric has a wide range of Access to Energy solutions suitable for electrifying small homes and micro-enterprises, fundamental public services, up to villages and communities.

There are over 700 million people across the world without access to energy, 600 million in Africa and 95 million in Nigeria; at Schneider Electric, we have decided to deploy our Access to Energy solutions in Nigeria. Our major KPI is the impact measured by the quantity of connected people and with Villaya Flex, a latest Schneider Electric innovation, we are ready to support independent electricity access and renewable energy adoption in remote villages and off-grid communities,” Bonicel said.

Teina Teibowei highlighted that the  “Villaya Flex is a packaged, comprehensive microgrid solution, that maximizes solar energy to minimize reliance on polluting gensets. It incorporates smart monitoring and an integrated management system to efficiently manage multiple energy sources, ultimately optimizing the mini grid’s performance. Specifically designed for rural, off-the-grid communities, it aims to ensure a dependable and sustainable energy supply to meet daily needs and power productive economic activities in these communities.”

Teina also noted the Nigerian Government and the World Bank’s joint efforts to extend electricity access to rural Nigerian villages.

Schneider Electric’s Villaya Flex microgrid solution is well-positioned to tackle the electrification challenges of these remote communities, potentially serving as a valuable asset for the World Bank’s Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) project.

Schneider Electric is committed to providing access to clean electricity to 50 million by 2025, and 100 million by 2030.

To date, 46.5 million people have already benefited from Schneider’s energy access solutions. Through innovative solutions like Villaya Flex, Schneider Electric continues to drive positive change, enabling sustainable development and resilience in off-grid communities across Africa.

Speaking at the launch event, Thomas Bonicel, Commercial Director of Schneider Electric’s Energy Access business in Africa said, “Access to reliable and affordable energy is essential for powering healthcare, education and livelihoods in rural Nigeria. With over 95 million people lacking access to electricity, innovative solutions are needed to bridge the energy gap. 

“With Villaya Flex, we are providing a scalable and sustainable microgrid technology tailored for Nigeria’s intervention programs to help accelerate energy access for communities currently relying on expensive and polluting diesel generators or kerosene lamps.”

Villaya Flex is a pre-engineered, pre-wired and containerized microgrid system that integrates solar PV panels, lithium-ion battery energy storage and an intelligent microgrid controller. 

The scalable solution is available in modular sizes from 50kW to 100kW to suit the energy needs of villages and hamlets. It has been designed for easy deployment, operation and maintenance in the harsh climatic conditions prevalent in rural Nigeria. 

This solution will help in the achievement of Schneider Electric’s goal to create 139 million jobs in the energy sector by 2030, resolving the 2.8 million global electrician shortage across regions.

“Schneider Electric prioritizes sustainability, efficiency, and digital partnerships in everything we do,” said Ajibola Akindele, Country President, West Africa, Schneider Electric. “With over a million partners, we are able to extend our reach and deliver our solutions globally. This strategy brings us closer to our customers and allows us to reach even the most remote communities, just as in the case of our new product, Villaya Flex.”

Teina Teibowei, Microgrid Commercial Lead for Schneider Electric West Africa said, “As the technology partner for many World Bank and donor-funded projects such as the Nigeria Electrification Project, Villaya Flex allows us to work closely with local developers, NGOs and implementing agencies. 

We are focused on providing end-to-end support from design and specification to commissioning, training and after-sales service to ensure reliable and efficient operation of these microgrids over their lifetime. Our goal is to empower local communities through access to clean and sustainable energy.”

Schneider Electric aims to support the electrification of remote communities through strategic partnerships that will help subsidize Villaya Flex which can scale access to energy for productive uses and livelihoods. 

Accessible only for communal use through tariffs, this product will contribute towards achieving Nigeria’s goal of providing electricity access for 95 million citizens by 2030.

The clean energy solution which meets today’s energy challenges, reduces pollution from genset usage, will be unveiled at the Alliance for Rural Electrification Energy Access Investment Forum taking place in Lagos, Nigeria on May 21-23, 2024 .

The forum brings together private and public sector actors to expand access to energy, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. The International Energy Agency estimates that 756 million people globally live without electricity.

The senior vice president, Bala Vinayagam, Microgrid Line of Business, Schneider Electric, said, “Villaya Flex is a renewable energy solution that provides energy access as a more sustainable and affordable option for off-grid communities.

This solution is designed for off-grid communities and remote villages facing energy shortages, limited access to electricity, and high fuel costs,” Vinayagam said. The solution can be sized, ordered, commissioned, operated, and maintained easily with high levels of battery storage scalability.

Ajibola Akindele, the country president, West Africa, Schneider Electric, said Schneider Electric will engage in advancing investments for renewable electrification, sustainable electricity access, climate action, and addressing energy skills challenges.

“Additionally, through the event, the company aims to explore opportunities to collaborate with both the private and public sectors to drive a sustainable and inclusive energy transition, unlocking sustainable access to the future for all.”

At the event, Schneider Electric will also showcase a range of innovative solutions to expand energy access. Its experts will speak on key topics such as catalysing investments for renewable electrification, decentralising the renewable energy sector, and accelerating the clean energy transition across sub-Saharan Africa.

Schneider hopes to expand its portfolio of products and solutions that aim to help reach the UN’s 2030 target of universal access to energy. Through its Access to Energy program established in 2009, it aims to connect 50 million people globally to clean and reliable energy by 2025.