2017 Go Green in the City challenge launched

Energy management company Schneider Electric has launched the seventh edition of Go Green in the City, its annual challenge for business and engineering students all over the world.

From 13 February to 12 May, the competition will be open to business and engineering bachelor, master or MBA students. Working in teams of two, with at least one woman to encourage diversity and inclusion, participants will be required to submit a case study illustrating their ideas for innovative energy management solutions in cities for one of the four basic Schneider business challenge topics — strategy and technology; cooling solution energy efficiency; energy storage and efficiency; and integrated urban energy systems — or focus on any innovative idea for going green.

The winning team in 2016 was from the FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany, for their idea of an off-grid wind and pump solution to provide the rural agricultural communities with access to clean energy at low cost. Their winning entry triumphed over 16,464 other registrants from 180 countries, who submitted 1184 ideas.

“The increased interest in Go Green in the City is a strong sign that future engineers and leaders are sensitive to the planet’s environmental challenges and keen to find solutions,” said Olivier Blum, chief human resources officer at Schneider Electric.

The 100 semifinalist teams for 2017 will be announced on 9 June and will have two months to work with a mentor from Schneider Electric in order to help them to create a synopsis and a video presentation of their idea. The 12 finalist teams will be revealed on 7 August and flown to Paris to compete in the grand finale from 9–13 October. The winning team will travel the world, visiting Schneider Electric facilities, networking with employees and high-level management, and receiving job offers from Schneider Electric in their home countries.

For more information about the challenge, visit www.gogreeninthecity.com.