Government key catalyst to 'sustainable energy for all'

In order to achieve dramatic advancements in energy efficiency on a global level, government needs to be the catalyst to jumpstart innovation among businesses that otherwise wouldn’t be able to take advantage of such technology.

This was a key takeaway from a discussion at the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum focused on doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency by 2030. Panelists from Siemens, the Sinopec Institute, Intel, Dow, China Minmetals Corporation and Embraco (a Brazilian producer of refrigeration compressors) spoke about how businesses could contribute to the goal set by the UN Secretary General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative.

These companies have embraced sustainability as a core aspect of their business strategy and are on the cutting edge of deploying energy-efficient technology in their operations and products. Their investments differentiates them from their competitors.

Energy efficient investments are also long-term drivers for ROI, which is why not every business can afford to make the leap right away.

That’s where government can help, according to Embraco’s Gabriela Werner.

“Payback on energy efficiency always pays back, but it is sometimes out of the timeframe for businesses,” Werner said. “Common sense government incentives will help bridge that divide.”

Photo of cube provided by Carlos Castilla via Shutterstock

Next page: Radical solution for increasing energy efficiency worldwide

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