In an interview with VnExpress, Dang Nguyen Ngu, General Director of Schneider Electric Vietnam and Cambodia, stated that behind every modern factory, data center, or urban area lies power infrastructure facing increasing expectations: stable, smarter operation with low emissions.

Ngu noted that previously, stable supply was the primary focus for power infrastructure. Today, the scope has expanded to include measuring, managing, and optimizing energy efficiency and sustainability, utilizing operational data and adapting to distributed energy sources.

This trend is increasingly evident in Vietnam as electricity demand surges from manufacturing, urban infrastructure, electric vehicles, data centers, and AI. Schneider Electric leadership anticipates that global electricity demand could rise by approximately 60% in the next 15 years, driven by digitalization, automation, and electrification, a trend Vietnam will also experience.

Green and digital transformation are key factors helping power sector businesses optimize operations and achieve sustainable development goals. *Schneider Electric*

Concurrently, Net Zero commitments and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements are prompting businesses to re-evaluate how they design and operate power infrastructure, aiming for greener, smarter, and more efficient systems. "The future of power infrastructure will be shaped by two simultaneous and complementary trends: greenification and digitalization," Ngu emphasized. Greenification helps power systems reduce environmental impact, while digitalization enhances observation, measurement, forecasting, and operational optimization.

Regarding greenification, a significant concern for many entities is sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas. This insulating gas is widely used in medium and high voltage electrical equipment but has a global warming potential 23,500 times greater than CO2. Consequently, the power industry must seek alternative technologies to reduce infrastructure emissions.

Schneider Electric leadership cited RM AirSeT, a medium voltage switchgear utilizing pure air technology combined with vacuum arc interruption to eliminate SF6 gas from switchgear. With a 40-year design life and approximately 93% recyclable raw materials, this solution addresses emission reduction from the design and technology selection phase, rather than solely focusing on emissions treatment during operation.

For data centers, factories, or critical infrastructure, even a brief electrical fault can cause significant damage, requiring systems to react quickly while also predicting and preventing risks. This principle guides the MCSeT medium voltage switchgear combined with EvoPacT circuit breakers, a digital solution for power infrastructure.

Through internet of things (IoT) sensors and a digital platform, the MCSeT switchgear combined with EvoPacT circuit breakers enables real-time equipment status monitoring, supporting anomaly detection, risk assessment, and predictive maintenance. This approach shifts businesses from reactive troubleshooting to proactive prevention.

Businesses use MCSeT medium voltage switchgear combined with EvoPacT circuit breakers. *Schneider Electric*

Ngu also noted that several factors could influence Vietnam's future power infrastructure, including: rising electricity demand, the boom in AI and data centers, electrification, and renewable energy. In this context, power systems must simultaneously meet demands for energy efficiency, emission reduction, data connectivity, and flexible operation.

From this perspective, Schneider Electric believes power infrastructure is transitioning from a "background utility" to a strategic business asset. Investment decisions in power systems are increasingly linked to ESG goals, Net Zero commitments, and long-term competitiveness, beyond just capacity or reliability.

"To realize this vision, every company needs to build future-ready power infrastructure architecture," Ngu added. "Green, smart power systems are crucial foundations for businesses to maintain long-term competitiveness."

Hieu Chau