Calling for an energy revolution
June 21st 2009

Sarah Beacock FEI, professional affairs director, Energy Institute

We are currently experiencing a very significant period in the energy industry. Unfortunately there is no silver bullet to the energy challenges we face. We will need all possible solutions and many strongly believe we have the technology to drive to a different future. However the experts tell us a generation gap is imminent, real and offers strong challenges ahead, and so energy efficiency is increasingly being seen as the most important action in terms of what can be realistically achieved in the timescale required.

Energy efficiency measures have potential to save more energy, more cost-effectively and more immediately than new innovation in technologies.

Analysis suggests that programmes to reduce emissions from households and businesses are, as a whole, more cost-effective because they directly result in financial savings on fuel bills and carbon saved. These are all short-term instant win measures but genuine sustainability will require a re-think of our existing systems at the design stage and the implementation of solutions which address and resolve multiple issues simultaneously such as exploiting the opportunities offered by nature to ventilate, heat, cool and illuminate our buildings.

Parts of the energy industry are reacting well to the challenge but it does rely on all of us in society to understand and want these changes, not only for the benefit of our wallets but also for our long-term sustainable future. We can all be part of this energy revolution to meet the low carbon economy challenge head on.

To deliver significant demand reduction, consumer attitudes and behaviours will have to change.Apart from the wider environmental impacts, climate change will have an impact in your own working life. Consider the financial savings and opportunities in making your operations more efficient. It is therefore an issue of some significance if we are to reduce energy consumption to help business to become more competitive and successful.

Our individual responsibility is to minimise energy consumption and waste occurring in our own areas of responsibility. Any organisation or department that uses its resources efficiently is likely to be better run, leaner in costs and a more pleasant place to work. The people in your organisation are crucial in actually delivering the solutions.

In working together, it is inevitable some individuals will put up barriers but none of these are generally linked to any particular ‘technical’ problem as they tend to be personal issues so you need to find some means by which to develop the partnership. To solve these barriers you need to make sure that all those involved are fully engaged and understand why you are trying to get them to work smarter (not harder).

Once the way forward has been agreed, all participants must also be able to share in the achieved benefits, with regular monitoring and reporting on the success of the activity. This is vitally important as a demonstration of what can be achieved and will encourage them to become more actively involved in future energy efficiency activity.

A low carbon economy must meet environmental and economic aims – there is little point in achieving one without the other – and businesses that plan for both will be the ones to meet the sustainability challenge most successfully.We need a revolution that as citizens we can all participate in. Everything and anything we can do to reduce consumption and maximise energy efficiency is one step closer.

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