Accelerating Autonomous Operations in the Energy and Chemicals Sector: Insights from Schneider Electric's Latest Research
Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, has released new research that emphasizes the growing importance of autonomous operations in the energy and chemicals sector in Canada and North America. The study surveyed 400 senior executives in the industry across 12 countries, revealing a significant increase in the urgency surrounding autonomy. A third of executives consider advancing autonomy a critical priority in the next five years, with this number rising to 44% over a ten-year period. The study also highlights the potential risks of delaying adoption, such as higher operating costs, talent shortages, and declining competitiveness. Despite the benefits, there are barriers to adoption, including high upfront costs, legacy systems, organizational resistance, cybersecurity concerns, and regulatory uncertainty.
The energy and chemicals sector is undergoing a transformation as electrification, automation, and digitalization converge. The demand for AI is surging, driven by the growth of hyperscale cloud and data centers in North America, putting pressure on energy systems. The need for flexible, efficient, and resilient operations is becoming increasingly critical as electricity demand is projected to double by 2030. Executives in the industry see AI as the primary enabler of autonomous acceleration, followed by advancements in cybersecurity, cloud and edge computing, digital twins, advanced process control, and open, software-defined automation.
In Canada and North America, organizations are already operating at a high level of autonomy and have plans to accelerate further in the next decade. The shift towards autonomous operations is not about replacing people but empowering skilled teams to focus on higher-value work and operate complex systems more safely and efficiently. While progress is uneven across regions, North America is expected to experience the fastest acceleration in adoption over the next five years due to its scale in energy production and consumption, the expansion of data center infrastructure, and increasing expectations around performance and resilience.
Autonomous operations are reshaping how energy and chemicals companies manage their facilities, combining automation, power management, and digital intelligence to gain real-time visibility and deploy AI-enabled systems that predict, adapt, and self-optimize. Recent deployments, such as at Shell's Scotford Refinery in Canada and European Energy's Kassø Power to X facility, demonstrate the benefits of open, software-defined automation and AI-supported operations in enhancing flexibility and resilience.
Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, is driving efficiency and sustainability by electrifying, automating, and digitalizing industries, businesses, and homes. Its technologies enable interconnected ecosystems to operate efficiently and sustainably, with a focus on performance, resilience, and sustainability. With a global presence and a commitment to sustainability, Schneider Electric is at the forefront of the shift towards autonomous operations in the energy and chemicals sector.