Team Groon from Universidad Nacional de Colombia has been named as the winning team of Schneider Go Green 2020. Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, held the digital finals of its global student competition on September 10th,2020.
The winners, Angie Redondo and Jorge Polo presented their Sustainable Fishing project benefitting the Bojayá community, living on the Atrato River near Colombia’s Pacific coast. Bojayá’s economy relies on fishing and agriculture and today, 22 percent of local fish production is wasted due to insufficient electrical refrigeration. Team Groon’s project offers an innovative Access to Energy solution and sustainable business model for the fisherman in Bojayá, based on a reliable, solar and biomass-powered cold chain solution to stock and help distribute local produce.
Team Groon presented a six-step circular approach, that includes using traditional fishing techniques, applying sustainable quotas, recycling the fish waste as bio-fuel, installing solar-powered refrigeration, and developing local supply chains. Beyond just reliable access to renewable energy, Groon creates a positive sustainable impact on the local fishing industry by reducing its CO2 emissions by 4.3 tons and preserving the area’s cultural traditions. The Schneider Go Green 2020 jury were impressed with Team Groon’s realistic solution that can be replicated in other similar communities, and their problem-solving and presentation skills.
“Groon is an economically viable and sustainable solution, that can improve the living conditions of dozens of fishermen and contribute to building a peaceful future for the Choco region of Colombia. We want to improve the situation of thousands of fishermen with eco-refrigeration technologies since they don't have access to electricity”, said Team Groon. “Taking part in Schneider Go Green 2020 was full of emotion and we learned so much. We are thankful for such a beautiful and unparalleled experience!”
Finding bold ideas to re-shape the future
In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the 16 Go Green 2020 finalists from China, Colombia, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Russia, and the USA presented their bold ideas to a jury of Schneider Electric executives.
“At Schneider Electric, being empowered is part of our DNA as we strongly believe freedom breeds innovation. Through Schneider Go Green, we are looking for empowered and passionate students with bold and sustainable ideas. We believe access to energy is a basic human right and through this global competition, we are seeking new ways to ensure that.”, commented Charise Le, Chief Human Resources Officer.
Nathalie Marcotte, Schneider’s Process Automation Senior Vice President and one of the judges, said: “It was a real privilege to listen to the passion, the ideas and the refreshing views – the future is bright for all of these young students.”
Launching Schneider Go Green 2021
Now in its 11th year, Schneider Electric launched its latest competition in collaboration with its partner software company, AVEVA. Students will have the chance to present their ideas to top industry leaders, receive mentorship from experts and professionals, and the winners are awarded a trip to either Boston, London, New Delhi, Paris, or Shanghai. Interested students can register at https://gogreen.se.com
Since its first outing in 2011, Schneider Go Green successfully attracts students from all over the world. Over 117,400 students have submitted 21,700 project ideas. This year alone, more than 24,400 students entered the competition from 172 countries, breaking all the past records.
