Jump to: Spotlight on Electric Vehicles | Sustainable Energy Innovations
Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important consideration for companies across the nation, and it’s driving many to improve their environmental impact, decarbonize their operations and supply chains, and operate more efficiently and sustainably by leveraging low-carbon technologies. But it’s clearly a complex challenge, one that cannot be solved overnight.
Nonetheless, it’s important that organizations quickly underpin their environmental credentials with practical actions. After all, over 33% of consumers say they consider environmental credentials when selecting where to make a purchase. Businesses who take responsibility for their carbon emissions and accelerate their CO2 reduction journey could find themselves with a significant business advantage.
There are many ways in which organizations can improve their environmental impact and reduce their carbon emissions. Just one of these options is the implementation of sustainable energy innovations that not only benefit the environment – they also contribute to environmental and economic sustainability.
Sustainable energy innovations encompass technical capabilities, such as solar and battery storage, electric vehicles and buying renewable energy. But equally important, and often forgotten, are the less tangible innovations – such as evolving your brand and business strategy to promote environmental and sustainability concerns.
By implementing sustainable energy innovations, organizations can benefit from:
Electric vehicles (EVs) have been a real headline grabber in recent years. They’re a great example of a sustainable energy innovation that has the potential to reduce carbon emissions on a big scale. What’s more, since their cost has dropped and the range of available models has continued to grow, the transition has never been more compelling or accessible.
Nonetheless, when it comes to businesses moving from gasoline or diesel vehicles to EVs, it is not a straightforward swap. Like many sustainable energy innovations, there are additional complexities that must be considered. To keep costs under control and ensure the uninterrupted operation of EV infrastructure, organizations require visibility and control over their electricity usage. This means taking control of energy use, supply and storage. Ways to do this include:
Local generation reduces dependency on the grid, provides resilience and flexibility, and reduces energy costs.
By selling energy back to the grid, organizations can create a new form of income. 30% of companies who generate energy sell some back to the grid.
On-site batteries can ensure you can withstand volatility in the grid, rising energy demand and intermittent renewable generation.
Our Distributed Energy Future Trends report found that 77% of organizations plan to make the switch and adopt EVs into their fleets in the next five years. They recognize the wide range of benefits that EVs provide – they can become a more sustainable business; reduce costs and enhance productivity; boost their organizational reputation; and may even have the opportunity of generating a new revenue stream.
The benefits of EVs are clear – and the potential consequences that can occur if organizations delay adoption is obvious too. Fleet managers and businesses that fail to capitalize on sustainable energy innovations, such as EVs, may find they are left behind by sharper competitors. The time to act is now.
Adopting sustainable energy innovations, such as EVs, require a new approach to managing energy. Greater visibility and control over power usage is critical if organizations are going to keep costs under control. What’s more, it’s also paramount that the uninterrupted operation of sustainable energy innovations is protected. Any power outage could have a significant financial and reputational impact on your business. It’s vital that appropriate measures are put in place to ensure resilience.
That’s where Centrica Business Solutions can help. We provide the expert advice, insights and carbon-reducing technologies that enable organizations to harness more innovative energy practices, address sustainability challenges, and secure competitive advantage.
Sustainable energy innovations can help you accelerate your journey to becoming a more sustainable, resilient, and environmentally-friendly organization. We can help you navigate the journey and ensure 2020 becomes the decade of delivery, rather than discussion.
Read our latest report to learn more about the ways in which Centrica Business Solutions can help you to power the transition to Electric Vehicles.
Sources: Distributed Energy Future Trends Report – Centrica Business Solutions research, statistics based on a ten country survey of more than 1,500 energy decision-makers in large organizations.
