139 Life Is On | Schneider Electric www.se.com Chapter 2 – Sustainable development Strategic Report 2. 2.3.4.4 Zero-CO 2 Sites The path towards net-zero CO 2 emissions in operations by 2030 will require more than just renewable electricity. While many applications can be electrified, some applications do not, and may not in the near future, have electricity-based alternatives. As such, Schneider Electric has begun identifying applications on sites that currently have electrification alternatives as well as those which will require the use of fossil-free fuel solutions. This effort has resulted in the Group newly embarking on its journey towards Zero-CO 2 Sites. The ambition is to source 150 sites with fossil-free energy (e.g., renewable electricity, biofuels) by 2025. But it’s not enough to just use renewable energy; it remains critical to maintain energy efficiency. That’s why the program also requires digital energy monitoring. For large sites in particular, this means installing connected meters on the site’s significant energy uses and connecting them to systems like EcoStruxure ™ Power Monitoring Expert, EcoStruxure ™ Resource Advisor, or EcoStruxure ™ Building Operation to ensure real-time monitoring of energy which allows for active energy management and efficiency. 150 Zero-CO 2 sites The Group aims to eliminate fossil-based energy consumption from 150 of its sites by 2025 through electrification and sourcing renewable electricity and the use of biofuels. For sites that have achieved the Zero-CO 2 site status, they were able to reduce 43,000 tonnes of CO 2 in 2021. Climate SSE #1 150 30 Baseline 2025 target 2021 Progress 0 100 51 2.3.4.5 Reduction of SF 6 emissions SF 6 gas has excellent insulating properties which have historically helped ensure the safety and quality of certain Schneider Electric products. However, SF 6 gas has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) 25,200 times higher than CO 2 , making it one of the highest GWP gasses. As such, Schneider is innovating its offers to move away from SF 6 gas (SSE #2: 100% substitution with SF 6 -Free medium voltage technologies by 2025). In 2021 the promises from Schneider to deliver new SF 6 -free medium voltage switchgear became a reality with the installation of innovative products on several customer sites. 2021 was the year of the industrialization of several new product lines, free of SF 6 , to prepare the full commercial launch of this new generation of products. In the interim, all Schneider manufacturing plants and R&D laboratories handling SF 6 gas in their processes are actively reducing, as much as possible, SF 6 leaks and emissions during the different phases of their activities. A worldwide community of SF 6 experts are sharing best practices for processes, including procedures, equipment, and training. In 2021 our advanced Emission Monitoring System was improved to become more digital, with centralized monitoring, but also more robust to any potential failure mode. This new kind of system will be deployed in 2022 on the biggest manufacturing site of the Group. This technology allows for continuous measurement of SF 6 concentration in enclosures around devices and piping networks. In the event of any deviations, an alarm notification is automatically sent to maintenance teams. Additionally, the seal testing processes of the products are mainly done with helium instead of SF 6 . This method ensures that no emissions are coming from non-compliant enclosures during the production time. Thanks to this global activity and to the commissioning of efficient equipment, Schneider has exceeded the 0.19% target set for 2021. The Group achieved 0.1% leakage rate globally in 2021, systematically decreasing from 4% in 2008. This SF 6 leakage reduction enabled savings of 11,400 tonnes of CO 2 equivalent in 2021 versus 2017. Annual SF 6 leakage rate 2010 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 0.10 0.14 0.24 0.26 0.29 1.76 100% substitution with SF 6 -free medium voltage technologies Milan is in the process of powering a fleet of 1,200 eBuses not only with clean energy, but also with green power infrastructure. The innovative SM AirSeT ™ MV switchgear, free of greenhouse gases, are deployed in Milan depots’ charging infrastructure for its bus fleet, to be 100% electric by 2030. Digital and connected solutions allow smart and efficient energy management and ensure greater continuity of service. Climate SSE #2 100% 0% Baseline 2025 target 2021 Progress 0 100 38%