Schneider Electric has opened new data center and microgrid research laboratories at its Global R&D Center in Andover, Massachusetts. The expansion is part of the company’s €2.26 billion ($2.4 billion) investment in R&D in 2024.

With these additions, Schneider Electric now operates 40 labs in Andover. The 6,000-square-foot Power Distribution Unit (PDU) laboratory allows researchers to test high-powered voltage systems for AI-driven data centers. The 1,500-square-foot microgrid lab features grid and solar simulators, testing solutions for energy resilience and sustainability.

Pankaj Sharma, EVP of Data Centers & Networks at Schneider Electric, emphasized the role of these labs in supporting AI-driven digital services and microgrid solutions for businesses, municipalities, and healthcare facilities.

Schneider Electric has played a key role in advancing clean energy in Massachusetts, supporting the state’s Mass Leads Act and expanding its presence in the Boston region. The company employs 1,600 people in the state, including 700 in Andover.

Officials from Massachusetts, including Yvonne Hao, Secretary of Economic Development, and Rebecca Tepper, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The company’s microgrid research has already contributed to projects such as JFK Airport’s New Terminal One and Bimbo Bakeries’ facilities in California.

With over 350 microgrid projects in North America and 100 gigawatts of energy managed in 2024, Schneider Electric continues to push clean energy innovation forward.