Have you skimmed the business news headlines this week? Beyond the seasonal sales, mergers/acquisitions, and leadership shuffles, corporations are touting their commitments to the environment. Renewable energy is particularly visible, as more and more leading companies have announced larger and larger renewables initiatives.
Companies looking at renewable energy – as a financial, risk management, and sustainability strategy – are often struck by the complexities of identifying and executing renewables that meet their specific requirements. That’s where a team like Edison Energy comes in to assist.
Greg Pool, managing director for Edison Energy, sat in on a recent episode of the 8th & Walton Conference Call podcast. We had the chance to discuss why more companies are committing to renewable energy and where most struggle to meet their goals. We also took a look at how a team like Edison Energy brings expertise to an organization to save time and money.
More Companies Setting Renewable Energy Goals
Greg Pool has a wealth of experience working with companies in the areas of sustainability and renewables, having worked as an energy trader and as Walmart’s Senior Director of Renewable Energy and Emissions. We started off by exploring why this is such a priority in today’s business culture.
“Companies are looking to serve a couple of needs in the industry,” he explains. “They’re being driven by external stakeholders, like environmental groups. They want to hear about what companies are doing about their emissions. Also, what they’re doing about being a better global citizen around greenhouse gas, and what they’re doing to diversify their energy supply.
“With budgetary or capital constraints, they look into these large, off-site opportunities. A lot of it is sparked by the sustainability team or sustainable initiatives or goals, but it really drives to the bottom line.”
The Impact on the Industry
Making these goals and executing properly has a positive impact on the environment, but what about the industry? Companies are watching what competitors are doing, and commitments to renewable energy have changed over the years. Pool reveals how industry leaders still lead in this area.
“When a company, as a thought leader and a leader in their industry, sets a goal, it drives the industry and their peers watch them as leaders to see what they’re doing,” he says. “When you see Walmart set a renewable energy goal, that changes the industry. Before that, we had seen companies announce goals and the response was usually, ‘Well, you’re a tech company. You can afford to lose money,’ or ‘You’re not looking at this from a real cost-savings standpoint.’
“When Walmart announces a renewable energy goal, or any sustainability goal, people perk up and listen. They know that Walmart is going to find a way to do this that actually saves money.”
Getting Help with Your Renewable Energy Project
Pool concludes that, while companies want to make that commitment, business is business, and Edison Energy can assist.
“The desire is there for companies to pursue renewable energy projects,” he explains. “The drivers are there around the financial benefits., but companies don’t’ have the additional resources, headcount, expertise. Edison Energy comes in with the expertise and experience. We do the heavy lifting for the companies as an extension their energy team.”
You can hear our entire interview with Greg Pool on the 8th & Walton Conference Call podcast by clicking here.