With the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference approaching, it will be interesting to see how the topic of energy will be addressed. There is considerable evidence demonstrating that the overconsumption of fossil fuels has contributed to climate change. In fact, the last two decades alone have seen more energy consumed than all human history combined. Another issue correlated with the overconsumption of fossil fuels is oil depletion (better known as ‘peak oil’). The decline of oil has produced a decline in the ‘net energy’ of conventional oil. This means that not only is less oil being produced, but the remaining oil is more difficult and costly to extract. Combined, these issues compromise human health, global economies and the environment on a massive scale.
One would hope that such threats to human existence would arouse action from government leaders but so far, the response of most governments has been inadequate. Solutions have included desperate attempts to find the few, untapped oil reserves and mining the Canadian tar sands. These proposed solutions perpetuate the problem rather than solve it.
Renewable energy use is one alternative that has been postulated to mitigate issues of climate change and fossil fuel depletion. As such, its implementation needs to be high on the policy agenda of nations. However, the reality is that renewable energy technologies will not be able to completely replace oil and satisfy growing energy demands. A real answer to the current energy issue must involve renewable energy plus efforts toward conservation, efficiency, and reduced consumption.
On a positive note, the impending energy crisis provides businesses an opportunity to adopt sustainable practices that are not only eco-friendly, but also cost efficient. Businesses should first identify the specific outcomes they want to achieve. Outcomes could include saving money for the year, having a longer-term goal to replace outdated equipment, or demonstrating green credentials to customers and suppliers. Next, businesses should perform an energy audit. A professional energy audit will demonstrate how efficiently energy is being used and highlight opportunities for energy cost savings. It can also show ways to improve productivity. Energy audits include everything from basic audit of the efficiency of the products and appliances used on the premises to a detailed analysis of machinery, cooling towers, waste systems etc. Lastly, businesses can adopt green building technologies and materials by using more energy-efficient lighting, the latest in innovative window glazing, higher R-value insulation, as well as room occupancy sensors.
It’s a simple fact that when businesses manage their energy well, their profits improve. Energy use is not a fixed cost. There is plenty businesses can due to reduce their consumption patterns while still maintaining their profit margins.
