Schneider Electric has announced the launch of the second edition of ‘Go Green in the City’, an innovative competition open to students in nine countries all over the world.

Candidates should present a case study focusing on energy solutions for cities. Working in teams of two, with at least one woman in each team, students will devise viable solutions for energy management sectors critical to the city, such as home, university, retail, water and hospital. The best proposals should reconcile increased demand for energy, social progress and environmental protection.

“Strengthened with the success of the first edition of ‘Go Green in the City’, Schneider Electric is once again offering to students, especially to women engineers, the opportunity to participate in an innovative case,” said Karen Ferguson, Executive Vice President, Global Human Resources, Schneider Electric. “By getting involved with a new generation committed to meeting today’s energy challenges, Schneider Electric is continuing its mission, in a unique way, to help everyone make the most of their energy, everyday,” he adds.

The challenge will allow Schneider Electric to identify and cull out the future talent of engineers. Since its first edition, ‘Go Green in the City’ has received significant recognition from the international student community. About 500 teams and 1,000 candidates from eight different countries participated in the competition in 2011.

Two women, Suma Elengikal and María Consuelo Palacios Lafuente (Bonn University, Germany), were laureates of Go Green in the City.

The 2012 challenge will take place in nine countries (Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, USA, Russia, Turkey and Poland). Open to more than 90 selected universities; it will be open to  close to 2, 70,000 students and will lead to around 200 internship interviews within Schneider Electric for the most creative participants. The 25 best teams will be flown to Paris in June 2012 to compete in the final. The winning team will be visiting Schneider Electric facilities and networking with employees and high-level management. Furthermore, the two winners will be offered jobs.

Organised for three consecutive years and gaining more success each year, the competition aims to involve the young generation in creating new ideas for energy management in the cities. For details on the competition, log onto www.gogreeninthecity.com