Welcome to Energy Research Guide
Renewable Energy In Australia Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Renewable Energy In Australia. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
Corporate Spending on Green Energy
from: Anne-Marie FlemingCorporate Spending on Green Energy
Reducing Dependency on Foreign Oil, Current Energy costs, and
Tax Incentives Drive Adoption of Renewables and Energy
Efficiency Products
By Ann-Marie Fleming, www.RenewableEnergyStocks.com February
2006
The incorporation of energy savings systems, environmentally
friendly processes and renewable energy technology has found its
way into many business models for corporations and government
agencies.
Whole Foods Market® (NASDAQ: WFMI), the world's leading natural
and organic foods supermarket, made history this month with its
purchase of renewable energy credits that completely offset the
Company's total electricity use. This move represents the
largest purchase of wind energy credits in Canada and the United
States. Michael Besancon, Whole Foods Market Southern Pacific
Regional President and Green Mission task force leader recently
stated, "Whole Foods Market is a leader in the natural and
organic foods movement, and that involves caring about our
communities and respecting our environment. This purchase of
wind energy credits is a natural extension of that leadership
and is integral to our core values. Offsetting 100% of our
electricity use with renewable, clean energy strengthens our
commitment to be a leader in environmental stewardship by
helping to clean the air and reducing our dependence on fossil
fuels."
This move by Whole Foods Market places renewable energy and in
particular wind technology into mainstream business. Further
evidence of mainstream acceptance of 'green' technology for
energy efficiency and cost savings is seen in Wal-Mart's actions
in this arena. With a philosophy that entails corporate and
environmental responsibility as one of the largest companies in
the world, Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) has made a commitment towards
'green' solutions. Wal-Mart identified three key goals in a
corporate presentation; to be supplied 100 percent by renewable
energy, to create zero waste, and to sell products that sustain
our resources and environment.
Helping Wal-Mart reach these goals is a focus on specific areas
within the company such as improving fleet efficiency. As the
largest trucking fleet in the U.S., Wal-Mart feels that moves
towards increasing efficiency means corporate savings,
environmental protection and the beginning of a new 'green'
conscious trend in business. "By being the leader, we will not
only change OUR fleet, but eventually change trucks everywhere
in the world. We will do ourselves a big favor, clean the air
for our children, create new jobs, improve U.S. productivity,
positively impact our country's energy security, and more,"
stated Wal-Mart's CEO Lee Scott, in his Twenty First Century
Leadership speech.
Wal-Mart is also focusing on improving efficiencies within its
stores through innovative technology in energy, heating,
cooling, compressors, lighting, refrigeration etc. with a goal
in mind of eliminating 30 percent of the energy used by their
stores.
"Increasing our efficiency in energy not only reduces dependence
on oil and saves money; it also avoids greenhouse gas
emissions," described Scott.
To help meet their corporate goals, Wal-Mart has turned to Rocky
Mountain Institute (RMI), a non-profit organization dedicated to
helping businesses, civil society, and government to design
integrative solutions that create true wealth. As described by
Cory Lowe, RMI Outreach Coordinator, "The Walmart project is
twofold. One half entails helping Walmart to increase the
efficiency of their trucking fleet, which is one of the biggest
in the country, through various technologies and techniques;
while the other half of the project is focused on the 'green'
design of their stores. RMI is going to help design more
efficient stores including increasing the amount of daylight
that gets into stores so that customers feel more comfortable.
We are also aimed at reducing the amount energy needed for
heating and cooling through more passive heating and cooling
systems. Walmart is looking to 'green' their image and improve
the efficiency of their operations, which they realize will help
them cut costs and increase profits over time."
Federal Agencies:
Corporations are not the only entities turning to renewables and
energy efficiency products to cut costs, protect the environment
and improve the bottom line; federal agencies are also pursuing
this path. Helping to facilitate the process are companies like
Honeywell International (NYSE: HON), who continues to contribute
to this movement.
According to Steve Craig, Honeywell's Director, Federal Business
Unit, National Energy Solutions, "Organizationally, we are
staffed with trusted energy experts with a wide range of
technology experience as well as having the engineering, design,
and project management experience to create and implement
comprehensive integrated energy solutions. Financially,
Honeywell is investing every day in people and assets to
continue our goal of being a leader in turn-key energy
conservation programs."
Honeywell utilizes a vehicle called ESPC (energy savings
performance contracting). "This is a financial vehicle where end
users can upgrade their energy infrastructures using the
guaranteed energy savings generated from the project as a
funding source, not stretched capital dollars. What we are able
to do is spread the costs of doing the project out over a period
of time and have the guaranteed energy savings pay for the
project versus capital dollars," explains Craig.
Key Drivers:
Green strategies are being supported by a variety of incentives,
from tax credits to corporate image, to overall improvement of
the bottom line. George Burnes, CEO of SmartCool Systems (TSX.V:
SSC; OTC.PK: SSCFF), a marketer of advanced energy saving
technologies describes, " As this trend continues and more
pressure is placed by governments, the financial industry,
consumers and shareholders of large corporations, new technology
will become a driving focus by energy managers to implement in
their reduction strategies."
In addition, companies, agencies and ultimately consumers are
looking for alternatives as a means of offsetting the high costs
of traditional energy and rising demand. An extension of this is
the country's quest for reducing the dependence on foreign
sources of oil as a matter of national security. "Virtually
everything we touch, use, or eat has employed the use of
electricity in its manufacture, packaging, marketing, and sale,
states Mr. Tom Djokovich, CEO of XsunX Inc. (OTCBB: XSNX), "Due
to a combination of rising power costs, and in many regions
insufficient access to even enough power, the international
business community is adopting the use of renewable energy
technologies to reduce operating costs, gain competitive
advantages, and improve customer perception and retention."
Steve Craig attributes several factors to the growth of
corporate and federal adoption of strategic initiatives in clean
energy such as "reducing our dependency on foreign oil, current
commodity costs, emission reduction mandates and Federal
Government Legislation (Epact 2005). In addition, financial
incentives, tax credits, improved technology bringing the cost
to implement down, and flat out common sense are helping to spur
this trend," states Craig.
Enabling Technology:
Helping corporations and federal agencies pursue the 'green'
path are innovative technologies that provide opportunities for
energy savings, independence and an overall protection of the
environment. "An innovative new way to accomplish this is
through the use of Building Integrated Photovoltaics or ("BIPV")
which allow photovoltaic material, in the form of photoelectric
panels, to be incorporated into the design of building
materials; thus, providing a new and smart way to integrate
additional sources of power production into the operation of
buildings," describes Djokovich. "To address the growing BIPV
opportunity XsunX is developing Power Glass®, a PV thin film
that may soon convert ordinary exterior glass curtain walls into
BIPV power producing systems. "We see the use of BIPV renewable
technologies to reduce dependency on utility or grid supplied
electricity as part of an inevitable and growing trend in all
building designs. At XsunX we believe that the BIPV market is in
the early stage of an adoption cycle that may see years of
growth and opportunity ahead," concluded Mr. Djokovich.
Honeywell's work with Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona
entailed a photovoltaic solar-integrated roof that is believed
to initially produce more than 120 kilowatts of power and
provide free, zero-emissions energy for the base for decades. In
addition to using BIPV, Honeywell also utilizes energy-saving
water conservation strategies and treatment services, high
efficiency lighting, energy management control systems as well
as HVAC occupancy controls.
Working with companies to help them to realize their goals for
energy efficiency, Smartcool believes they are specifically
positioned through their unique product offerings to help
companies reduce energy costs. "Reducing costs address not only
the operating costs that continue to rise as the pressure on
supply and demand face the industry, but as companies focus on
the green energy initiatives and seek to purchase energy
credits, Smartcool provides them a solution that allows them to
position themselves as a Company engaged in a strategy to reduce
emissions and become more energy efficient. The Smartcool energy
management system allows managers to retro fit existing plant or
design new construction with a proven solution used by Fortune
500 companies around the world. Introducing this technology to
the North American market will allow us to impact the political
pressures facing the industry," explains Burnes.
Ann-Marie Fleming Ann-Marie Fleming completed her MBA in the
United States, where she attended Webster University. She also
holds an Honors B.A from the University of Toronto. She has over
fifteen years of experience within the financial industry to
include retail banking and brokerage, investment banking, and
mortgage brokerage within the United States and Canada, with a
firm background in corporate research.
Disclaimer: www.InvestorIdeas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp,
http://www.renewableenergystocks.com/About/Disclaimer.asp
©Copyright InvestorIdeas 2005
About the author:
Ann-Marie Fleming completed her MBA in the United States, where
she attended Webster University. She also holds an Honors B.A
from the University of Toronto. She has over fifteen years of
experience within the financial industry to include retail
banking and brokerage, investment banking, and mortgage
brokerage within the United States and Canada, with a firm
background in corporate research.
Renewable Energy In Australia News
No relevant info was found on this topic.