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The alarming trend of global climate change has become impossible to ignore. Steadily, every country is awakening to the importance of a clean and sustainable future. In this article, we explore why it is imperative for industries to switch to sustainable energy.
First, let us begin by understanding the meaning of sustainable energy, also known as renewable energy, and how it can contribute to creating a more sustainable future.
What is sustainable or renewable energy?
In simple words, any type of energy that carries the potential to meet demands without exhausting integral natural resources is referred to as sustainable energy. This type of energy causes negligible environmental damage and offers sustainability in the form of safe, long-lasting, self-replenishing, and healthy energy sources.
It is important to remember that the industrial sector is a major utilizer of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gas, which leads to heavy emissions of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide, making the industrial sector a key contributor to hazardous environmental threats like global warming.
However, in recent years, industry owners have been stepping up and shouldering their responsibility towards society and the environment. Several industry owners are taking a keen interest in making themselves more knowledgeable about greener energy alternatives by deploying different sustainable energy sources based on their respective industries.
What are some examples of sustainable energy?
Examples of sustainable energy for industry include adopting solar power for manufacturing processes, utilising wind energy to generate electricity, and incorporating energy-efficient technologies. Implementing biomass and geothermal energy can contribute to sustainable industrial practices. This is achieved by reducing reliance on non-renewable resources and minimising environmental impact in various sectors.
Why is sustainable energy important for our future?
Sustainable energy is vital for our future as it reduces environmental impact while ensuring long-term energy availability. For industries, sustainable energy for industry boosts efficiency, lowers costs, and decreases carbon footprints. Embracing energy sustainability promotes cleaner technologies, reduces dependence on fossil fuels, and supports economic growth, making it essential for a thriving future.
Benefits of deploying sustainable energy in the industrial sector
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Sustainable Energy Lowers the Carbon Footprint of Your Industry
One of the biggest advantages of employing sustainable energy in the industrial sector is that it significantly lowers the overall carbon footprint of industries. Now, let’s first understand what carbon footprint means.
In layman’s terms, a carbon footprint is a metric used by researchers to calculate and analyze the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an event, individual, service, product, or organization.
Therefore, if conventional sources used in industries are replaced by renewable energy sources, the carbon footprint of the industry is automatically decreased by replacing the requirements for fossil fuel emissions with renewable energy sources like solar and wind. However, what is the consequence of decreasing the carbon footprint of your industry?
As mentioned above, renewable energy generates zero greenhouse gas emissions, which drastically contributes to improving the overall quality levels of the environment, unlike non-renewable energy sources that degrade the air quality levels and cause serious health risks as they pollute natural resources like soil, water, and air.
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Utilizing Sustainable Energy for Industries Enhances Brand Reputation
The industrial sector is one of the most competitive domains of our society. Almost every product we use in our daily lives is produced and manufactured in some or the other industry. On the other hand, topics like global warming, renewable energy, and sustainable development are not limited to academic debates and research today. Fortunately, people across countries are trying to bring in a positive change by making responsible choices in their daily lives.
In a consumeristic society, where the buyer’s demands are the utmost priority of business owners, switching to sustainable energy for your industry will help the environment and highlight your futuristic and thoughtful business goals, increasing the ranking of your goods and products.
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Using Sustainable Energy for Your Industry Boosts the Economy
Industries and businesses play a huge role in boosting the economy of any country by bringing in a huge amount of revenues, maintaining the per capita income, and providing large-scale employments to people from several spheres of society. But how can the deployment of sustainable energy in industries lead to the stimulation of the economy?
Non-renewable energy industry usually utilizes mechanized processes to work on its own, with bare minimum human assistance. In contrast, a green energy industry requires many workers to function and operate in an optimum manner, creating more job opportunities and stimulating the entire economic system of a country.
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Deploying Sustainable Energy for Your Industry Results in Cost-efficiency
Even though several industry owners are switching to sustainable energy for their respective industries, many industrial sites still function on non-renewable sources of energy like coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy. Since every industry requires a huge amount of energy in order to operate optimally and without any hindrance, industries usually opt for energy procurement solutions that help industry owners buy energy at a more reasonable and consistent price.
Still, renewable energy sources cost a lot more than renewable energy sources like hydropower, geothermal, solar, wind, and more in the longer duration. Initially, investing in instruments like solar panels and windmills might seem a little expensive, but the cost of running and maintaining these sources is consistent and very low in comparison with fossil fuels.
Therefore, by deploying sustainable energy for their industry, owners can make higher profits and save a considerable amount of money which they can invest in other industrial activities to receive optimal results.
Energy sustainability practices for a low-carbon industrial revolution
Implementing sustainable energy practices is crucial for driving a low-carbon industrial revolution. Industries can adopt renewable sources like solar, wind, and biomass to reduce carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency. By prioritizing sustainable energy for industry, companies can achieve long-term energy sustainability while fostering economic growth and minimizing their environmental impact, contributing to a cleaner future.
Find your way with Schneider Electric
At Schneider Electric, we aim to bridge the gap between progress and sustainability. We have a team of futuristic minds who make continual efforts to develop an array of sustainable products, solutions, and services for a healthy and inclusive world. Ranked as the world’s most sustainable corporation, we offer comprehensible sustainable strategies that measure your sustainability ROI, invest in renewable energy, and maintain your competitive edge in the market.
In addition, we also contribute to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by developing innovative solutions that deliver immediate decarbonization for a brighter future. Here is a list of all the goals that we aim to achieve under our carbon pledges that fall under our sustainability journey:
- Carbon neutral operations in 2025
- ‘Net-zero ready’ in our operations by 2030
- End-to-end carbon neutral value chain by 2040
- Net-zero carbon dioxide emissions across our entire value chain by 2050
In conclusion, to pave the way for a healthier future, it is crucial for industry owners to make responsible choices, as it sets a benchmark that can have a positive impact on society as a whole while also ensuring business excellence. Browse through our website to learn more about how we contribute to enhancing the sustainability levels of the industrial sector on a global level.
