SAP Leads the Charge for Smart Grid Adoption in Europe

BRUSSELS, Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- There are few transformations driven by information and communication technologies (ICT) that are as promising as "smart grids" in meeting Europe's urgent energy challenges, according to a white paper published today by SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) and presented in Brussels to Gunter Oettinger, European Energy Commissioner. The paper, "Smart Grids for Europe: Benefits, Challenges, and Best Practices," demonstrates that the pervasive application of digital information and communication technologies can help the European Union achieve its 2020 goals of increased energy efficiency, lower carbon emissions, integration of renewables and greater energy security, all of which underpin Europe's 21st century sustainable economy and its global competitiveness.

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Presentation of the white paper will kick off a panel discussion on smart grid rollout that will be followed by a keynote speech by Oettinger on smart grids. Panellists representing smart grid stakeholders – notably the European Commission, consumers, renewables and IT and utility companies – will discuss the opportunities and obstacles for the successful rollout of smart grids, ranging from the need for a European framework to the creation of a truly single market for energy, the development of innovative business models and the need for sufficient incentives to promote private investment in smart grids.

Panellists include Heinz Hilbrecht, director at the European Commission; Johannes Kleis, European Consumers' Organisation, BEUC; Hubert Lemmens, chief officer, Grid Services, Elia Group; Petter Allison, director of Smart Metering, British Gas; Josche Muth, deputy secretary general, European Renewable Energy Council (EREC); and Klaus Heimann, senior vice president, Service Industries, SAP AG.

The paper summarizes what is at stake for Europe in the smart grid transformation, SAP's view of Europe's progress to date, and the company's recommendations for moving farther and faster than the present trajectory will allow. According to the report, countries around the world are upgrading and digitizing their energy infrastructures, moving from centralized energy systems to a decentralized model permitting the large-scale integration of renewables and small decentralised power generation.

Experts forecast that worldwide investments in smart grid infrastructure will amount to some $200 billion between 2008 and 2015.(1) Investment in low-carbon energy has already created 1.4 million jobs in Europe, but the European Commission forecasts a doubling of these jobs provided Europe takes the necessary investment steps.

"At SAP, we are deeply committed to a leadership role in the development and application of ICT tools and technologies able to turn the smart grid vision into reality, building on our long-standing partnership with SAP customers on both the supply and demand sides of energy markets," said Heimann. "This deep involvement with important actors and stakeholders put us in a unique position both to assess Europe's smart grid progress and to offer recommendations for ways to accelerate progress. The prospective benefits of smart grid transformation will extend not just to energy consumers and energy industry participants but also more widely throughout our economies and societies."

Since 1989, SAP has offered industry-specific software solutions for the energy sector. More than 1600 utilities in 70 countries around the globe use SAP® for Utilities solutions. Recently, SAP has been named the 2010 Smart Grid Integrator of the Year by the readers of The New Economy - World News Media. SAP is undertaking significant research and development in smart grids and related innovative energy services; in Europe alone, the company is participating in six European and five national collaborative energy research projects.

Read the complete white paper: "Smart Grids for Europe: Benefits, Challenges, and Best Practices."

(1) Pike Research, "Smart Grid Technologies: Networking and Communications, Energy Management, Grid Automation, and Advanced Metering Infrastructure" [PDF].

About SAP

SAP is the world's leading provider of business software(*), offering applications and services that enable companies of all sizes and in more than 25 industries to become best-run businesses. With more than 105,000 customers in over 120 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE, under the symbol "SAP." For more information, visit www.sap.com.

(*) SAP defines business software as comprising enterprise resource planning, business intelligence, and related applications.

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

Copyright © 2011 SAP AG. All rights reserved.

SAP, R/3, mySAP, mySAP.com, xApps, xApp, SAP NetWeaver and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries all over the world. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. Data contained in this document serve informational purposes only. National product specifications may vary.

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SOURCE SAP AG

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