The most advanced energy leaders have energy strategies that contribute to achieving their wider business objectives.
Organizations are adopting energy strategies to provide them with a competitive edge. They’re also being encouraged to do so by the availability of new technologies that have enabled advanced distributed energy solutions.
For every business that sees no competitive advantage in adopting an energy strategy, there are almost eight that are investing for that very reason. Similarly, there are 12 times as many businesses that see new technology as an enabler of their energy strategies as those that see it as a barrier.
There is a clear link between how advanced a company is as an energy leader and having a formalized energy strategy. Three quarters of businesses in the most advanced band of the Energy Leadership Model have one. The same is true for just one in ten of the least advanced.
Figure 7: Why has your organization chosen to adopt some form of energy strategy?
Nearly three quarters of companies say they have an energy strategy. But these are rarely comprehensive or include specific targets, actions or budgets for items they themselves have identified as important to their use of energy. Resilience-related topics, in particular, appear to be under-addressed—possibly as organizations believe these will be the hardest to implement. For example, almost two thirds consider back-up sources in the event of a power outage to be very important but less than one in five have targets, actions or budgets linked to this in their plans.
Almost three quarters (73%) of companies have an energy strategy, but over half (56%) of those say it’s not formalized and implemented consistently. The corresponding figures for the most advanced companies are 97% and just 23%.
In 2007, we set ourselves a target to cut global carbon emissions from property, fleet and travel in half by 2025. By 2015, we’d already cut global property emissions by 44%. In the UK, this involved the introduction of biomass, solar thermal and CHP energy units, and LED lighting at numerous sites. An enhanced BMS allows us to control the energy we consume to increase operational efficiency. In Oxford, we developed a low carbon office capable of obtaining over 30% of its energy from low carbon and renewable technology. In Windsor, we’re installing two standalone lithium ion battery units. These will be used as a showcase to demonstrate how to improve resilience by providing an alternative source of power, increase efficiency by optimizing when power is imported, help balance the grid, and provide capacity to ensure the lights don’t go out.
In the United States, we have installed energy monitoring sensors across our major offices as well as solar panels on two New Jersey properties, in one case coupled with Battery Storage to optimize and monetize the energy flexibility of that location.
The world of energy is changing and, with our chosen businesses, distinctive positions and current capabilities, Centrica is well placed to deliver for its customers and for society.
We are developing innovative products, offers and solutions, underpinned by investment in technology. In February 2017, we announced the creation of “Centrica Innovations” that identifies, incubates and accelerates new technologies and innovations. We will look to invest up to £100 million over the next five years in start-ups, giving us access to technology and entrepreneurial capability and resources.
Centrica Business Solutions is at the forefront of supporting organizations around the world to benefit from new distributed energy sources and technologies to achieve their business vision. Through a combination of deep expertise and a broad range of distributed energy solutions, we enable you to take control of your energy and gain a sustainable competitive advantage—improving operational efficiency, increasing resilience, and driving your business vision forward.
We’ll partner with you to provide the right combination of innovative energy solutions and expert advice to deliver the energy strategy your business needs. We remove the complexity traditionally associated with the energy market and provide the right energy solutions, in the right place and at the right price. And we offer a comprehensive range of flexible financing options that can be tailored to your requirements for each project.
We provide global end-to-end distributed energy services to 25% of the FTSE 100 and power the ambitions of 2,000 companies across Europe, the Middle East and North America, from retail and manufacturing to health and education. We’re investing £700 million by 2020 in distributed energy to make these energy solutions a reality for you.
Read the full Energy Advantage Report to discover practical steps you can take now to join the energy leaders. Get our tips on formalizing your energy plan, building your team and creating a compelling business case.
In late 2017, Centrica commissioned B2B International, an independent research company, to investigate organizations’ attitudes to energy and adoption of distributed energy solutions. Over 1,000 respondents from six countries and across a range of sectors took part in the research, all from companies with 100 or more employees. All qualifying respondents came from organizations using, trying or considering advanced energy solutions, and had management and/or financial responsibility for energy decisions within their company.
We can work with you to improve your operational efficiency, reduce your business risk and drive your business vision forward.
Speak to an expert at Centrica Business Solutions.
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