Urgent steps to reduce energy use

Conflict in Europe has caused a generational energy crisis. The natural gas supply has contracted, causing electricity prices to spike. Explore three emergency measures you can take to reduce energy usage and comply with European Commission mandates.

Download our e-guide opens in new window

A generational energy crisis

The European conflict has caused an energy crisis at a scale not seen in almost 50 years, severely impacting governments, businesses, and households. With energy costs potentially doubling and experts predicting a multiyear crisis, immediate action is required. To close the efficiency gap, you must quickly reduce your consumption, peak demand, and costs.

What steps should you take? Using proven strategies and technologies, we recommend three emergency measures to prepare for this winter while positioning your facilities for greater efficiency in the future.

Download our e-guide

The energy crisis in numbers

60%

Reduction in natural gas deliveries from Russia.¹

10x

The rise in natural gas prices above the last decade’s average.²

50%

Increase in electricity prices year-over-year due to natural gas shortage.³

80%

Gas in reserve, which points to a needed reduction in consumption.⁴

How will the energy crisis impact you?

This year — and beyond

While this winter will be challenging, experts predict the energy crisis will continue long into 2023 and beyond. The high and increasing demand for energy coupled with a restricted supply has led some experts to conclude that this crisis could impact residential and commercial users for several years.⁵

Reduce costs and usage now

With gas and electricity prices at more than ten times their norms, residential and commercial energy customers are facing the worst inflation in half a century. Many businesses throughout Europe have been shocked by their recent energy bills. But there are proven solutions to help protect profits by reducing energy consumption.⁶

Operations at risk

Energy supply disruptions and shortages can devastate a business. Gas is a basic raw material for manufacturing, and costs could rise to a breaking point for some operators. Temporary shutdowns, layoffs, and reduced hours are possible options for European businesses. A business's immediate reduction in energy use can help their regions avoid a shortage for critical needs and help to weather the crisis.

What can you do to combat the energy crisis?

Measure and monitor

If you do not have an energy management system (EMS), you are missing the critical, detailed data needed to manage energy savings.

Here is what to do next:

Assess facilities to determine needs
Install an energy metering system
Connect energy monitoring and control

Automate and control

If you do not have a building management system (BMS):

A pre-configured kit with a controller and occupancy sensors can provide precise control over, for instance, your HVAC systems and lighting. The average building can reduce its energy consumption by as much as 40%.^7,8

If you have a BMS:

Now is the time to optimise settings to eco-mode and be hyper-efficient. You can also augment your system to support additional elements without compromising occupant comfort. Microgrid software can help shed additional load automatically.

Optimise with analytics

Seamless, vendor-agnostic, integrated digital solutions and building analytics optimise operations and energy by identifying HVAC system energy drain, quickly assessing comfort complaints, ensuring continuous airflow for occupant confidence, and optimising occupant zone performance.

What have we done?

University of Nottingham

One of the UK’s largest universities uses EcoStruxure™ Building Operation for energy conservation solutions to improve campus operations and provide a more comfortable learning environment.

Using our approach, the university, by measuring and monitoring has realised ~15% energy and OpEx savings, ~30% in HVAC optimisation through automation and control, and another ~15% by better decision-making and operational efficiencies.

The Hive

At our own Paris headquarters, we implemented this strategy. Measuring and monitoring save us up to 20% on our energy and OpEx costs. Automation and control have reduced our costs by as much as 40%, and using analytics to optimise an additional 20%.

EU Green Deal webinar series

Our webinar series takes a deep dive into microgrids, leveraging Green Deal recovery funds, and how to become compliant with sustainability standards for building renovations.

Watch the webinars opens in new window

Build it for efficiency: a roadmap to decarbonization

This paper lays out our holistic, replicable strategy for attaining enterprise-level decarbonisation targets.

Read the white paper opens in new window

Energy crisis blog series

Our ongoing series of blogs explores the growing energy crisis with recommendations for emergency measures to help you withstand it.

Read the series opens in new window

Retrofitting buildings for sustainability

With more than 50% of all existing buildings expected to still be in use by 2050, sustainably retrofitting current buildings is a must for a net-zero future.

Learn how

Explore our products, software, and services

EcoStruxure Building Operation

EcoStruxure™ Energy Hub

Wireless Energy Sensors - PowerTag

EcoStruxure™ Building Advisor

EcoStruxure Power Monitoring Expert 9.0

EcoStruxure Asset Advisor

¹IMF, July 2022, “How a Russian natural gas cutoff could weigh on Europe’s economies”

²Foreign Policy, August 2022, “You have no idea how bad Europe's energy crisis is”

³European Commission, September 2022, “Questions and answers on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices”

⁴Eurostat, “Electricity prices for non-household consumers - bi-annual data (from 2007 onwards)”

⁵Foreign Policy, August 2022, “You have no idea how bad Europe’s energy crisis is”

⁶Bloomberg, August 2022, “European gas edges higher as energy crisis pounds region

⁷Baromètre OID, 2020

⁸EEC calculation method (BAT-TH-116) over the life of the product, 2021

Need help?

Product Selector

Quickly and easily find the right products and accessories for your applications.

Get a Quote

Start your sales inquiry online and an expert will connect with you.

Where to buy?

Easily find the nearest Schneider Electric distributor in your location.

Help Centre

Find support resources for all your needs, in one place.

What is causing the energy crisis in Europe?

Conflict in Europe is causing an energy crisis. It is impacting governments, businesses, and households. The natural gas supply contraction and, therefore, gas and energy price spikes is causing inflation that residential and commercial users haven’t experienced in decades. Energy disruptions and shortages can devastate European businesses causing temporary shutdowns, layoffs, and reduced hours.

How long will the energy crisis last?

The energy crisis in Europe started in the winter of 2022. Experts are predicting that it will last long into 2023 and beyond. With the increasing demand for energy and restricted supplies, we are facing a multiyear challenge. To solve the energy crisis, we need to close the efficiency gap and reduce consumption, peak demand, and energy costs.

How can I combat the energy crisis?

To overcome the energy crisis, we recommend introducing our three-step proven approach: installing an energy management system (EMS), adding or upgrading an existing building management system (BMS), and optimising operations with integrated digital solutions that provide building analytics and reporting. These steps will help reduce energy consumption and costs while making your operations more efficient and sustainable.