Forecast: 50% Surge In U.S. Industry Electrification By 2030

Electrification of U.S. industry will grow from 30 percent to 45 percent by 2030, a 50 percent increase, according to a new report from Schneider Electric. The report, compiled by the company’s Sustainability Research Institute, also recognizes the potential for a corresponding 25 percent reduction in fossil fuel demand over the same period.

The report provides detailed analysis by sector, projecting that 16 of 21 sectors will reach 60% electrification by 2030. Further, it projects that U.S. industry as a whole will reach 64% electrification by 2040 with a corresponding 50 percent reduction in fossil fuel use.

In tandem with these trends, Schneider Electric plans to upgrade, modernize, and maintain its South Carolina manufacturing plants in Seneca and Columbia. The company will also electrify Seneca’s HVAC system to enhance its efficiency and reduce costs advancing its own sustainability and decarbonization targets.

Altogether, the company will invest $23.8 million into its South Carolina manufacturing operations. Schneider also expects to create 280 new production jobs, including 130 jobs in its Seneca facility and 150 jobs in its Columbia facility adding to the more than 1,200 workers Schneider Electric currently employs in South Carolina.

This expanded workforce will manufacture custom power distribution products that are integral to electrification and energy efficiency, bolstering support for critical infrastructure, industries — particularly healthcare and wastewater treatment — and the escalating demand for data center solutions across the U.S.

“This new research demonstrates why electrification is the most promising and practical means of decarbonizing industry quickly,” said Schneider Electric President of North America Operations Aamir Paul, speaking at the SelectUSA Investment Summit. “We anticipate significant acceleration across all sectors, even hard-to-abate industry, to reach decarbonization targets and maintain economic competitiveness. As we move more towards this electrified and digitized world, we’re spearheading this transformation through our own investments in a robust domestic supply chain, including in the state of South Carolina to bolster our manufacturing efforts for customers.”

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“Schneider Electric’s further investment in South Carolina is a testament to our strong business climate and skilled manufacturing workforce, and we look forward to the economic opportunities this expansion will create for residents in Oconee and Richland Counties,” commented South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.

In March, Schneider Electric announced plans to invest $140 million into its U.S. manufacturing operations and create about 750 new manufacturing jobs across the country in 2024. The company’s South Carolina investments, which are accounted for in the 2024 financial and jobs totals, follow its recent manufacturing expansion announcements in Tennessee and Texas. Since 2020, Schneider Electric has invested more than $440 million across its American manufacturing network, which includes more than 22 facilities across 14 states.

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