Renewable energy continues to grow in importance. Almost 10 per cent of the world’s energy now comes from renewables and Governments across the globe are hoping to agree new ways forward to increase this even further.
But, negotiations at the top table of world politics can seem remote. Businesses need to recognise the importance of this issue and consider what it means for them at a ground level. What can seem like a broad global topic is, in fact, something that is highly relevant to almost every business and sector.
The big question to ask is: What can I get from renewable energy?
Save money
There’s no point denying that money is a huge consideration for any business. Plenty of things are admirable in an ideal world but if they don’t make financial sense for your business they’re not a viable option. The good news is that renewables can help to trim your bills as a business. Although there is an installation cost involved when it comes to renewables, the energy is cheaper in the long run and there are grants and incentives available for making the initial investment.
The cost factor opens this market up far beyond those who believe in a green ideal. Take the example of Georgetown in Texas – the first city to be 100 per cent powered by renewables.This project wasn’t driven by eco-warriors, but hard-headed Texan pragmatists who spotted a savvy way to save a few dollars.
Interim city manager Jim Briggs summed it up: “We didn’t do this to save the world – we did this to get a competitive rate and reduce the risk for our consumers.”
For many businesses, the cost-saving logic of Georgetown can be applied.
Sustainable
Not only can renewables help a business to cut bills – and therefore a significant cost burden – but they can also provide a net gain. Many people are able to sell energy back into the grid – whether that is through turbines, solar panels, biomass or other methods. This transforms energy from being something that acts as a drain on your finances to something that puts you on a strong sustainable footing. Clearly, research needs to be done on a whole variety of different methods but businesses should look at renewable energy that can make as well as save money.
Flexible
Businesses should not think that renewable energy is simply about sticking up wind turbines and solar panels. There are ways to develop greener practices in a whole host of sectors, including industrial spheres that have traditionally involved dangerous toxic chemicals. Abrasive recovery systems, for example, are part of a safer and greener alternative to sandblasting – using recyclable plastic particles to perform the task instead of silica. This renewable method is a keypart of progress in this field, showing that innovation and environmentalism can actually go hand in hand.
Positive PR
Any business should value and protect its reputation – and that doesn’t just mean delivering products and services in a professional manner. The image of a company can be as much about the way in which it does business as what it does.
Using renewables can show that a company cares for the environment and the future of the planet – and bring about some positive PR that assists with fostering a healthy reputation.
