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energy efficiency

An Enterprise Must Have Sustainable Operations

by Daniel Stouffer on October 24, 2009


We know that our individual impact on the environment is something that we must all now consider. We cannot ignore this problem anymore and must think of future generations to come. Insofar as we need to act individually, organizations and businesses need to study their own positions as well as produce products that we all need to survive. Irregardless of the size of the enterprise, a program of sustainable operations must be introduced and maintained on an ongoing basis.

What is the definition of “sustainable operations?” Generally this refers to the ability to “endure” and is particularly applicable to environmental issues. Over the past couple of hundred years we have paid very little regard to this notion and we can now see the damage that we have, consequently, got to live with. In future, we will be required to be as self-sufficient as possible and not to place demands on natural resources regardless of the repercussions.

Senior management at any organization must fully adopt the principle of sustainable operations and must drive this understanding downwards and throughout the operation. It cannot be delegated within a particular division nor can it become the subject of a glorified public relations campaign. Morally, the enterprise is fully under the spotlight.

Around the world, it is estimated that 80% of the largest organizations already fully understand and control sustainable operations within. However, by far the majority of businesses are only waking up to various possibilities and there is considerable progress to be made.

At all costs, an organization must be very wary that is not accused of “greenwashing.” This charge can be leveled if they start to panic when they realize that they are not maintaining sustainable operations and try to bluff their way through it. To start off with they must fully understand their footprint, their emissions, energy usage, water usage and waste disposal before they can be in a position to understand exactly where they are and proceed to move forward.

A lifecycle analysis refers to the process of fully understanding the entire A-Z operation of the business. Every element must be revealed and understood before its impact can be incorporated into the plan and any action can be taken for the future.

There are different levels of carbon emissions to understand and all must be reported and be the subject of restrictive action in future. Senior management must understand that carbon emissions represent the biggest problem. When it comes to energy production and use they must now know all about scope one and scope two emissions, while scope three emissions, referring to supply chain, postproduction and end-of-life disposal, are more difficult to analyze but nevertheless significant.

One of the byproducts that can be enjoyed following the implementation of sustainable operations is a finer return on investment for each of the organization’s assets. This will be revealed as each asset must now be made to work with ultimate efficiency and this may certainly not have been the case prior to implementation.

Daniel Stouffer has a lot of data about sustainable operations and how a visit to www.verisae.com can benefit you.

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UK Cap and Trade – Let the Market Decide

by Daniel Stouffer on September 19, 2009


Many politicians and scientists advocate the use of market forces to help us win the war against global warming and climate change. This is an approach taken by the newly elected President of the United States and also by the government in the Britain. A UK cap and trade scheme is under the spotlight right now as it seeks to manipulate the domestic market to reduce carbon emissions.

The UK cap and trade scheme sets an overall limit on the amount of carbon dioxide emissions that can be released to the atmosphere. The goal of the British government is to gradually reduce this each year up until the year 2050, by which time an 80% reduction will hopefully have been achieved.

Every organization that needs to emit carbon as part of its ordinary operation must buy a certain amount of “allowances” from the government. These allowances will be managed within an overall cap. By forcing this element of scarcity, the UK cap and trade scheme effectively creates a real-time value for carbon and turns it into a newly minted commodity.

Companies will need to treat carbon as yet another item of expenditure. As such, inefficiencies must be sought at all times. A tonne of CO2 will have a real value under the UK cap and trade program. When efficiencies are realized as part of the rationalization process, companies may sell unused allowances to other less efficient organizations. This process of supply and demand will ultimately force carbon emissions down.

It has been suggested with good logic that without direct programs it will be tougher to reduce carbon emissions within an industrialized society. The United States Congress is therefore currently considering a similar version to the UK cap and trade legislation and it seems that it is only a matter of time before a similar kind of operation is put in place.

The Carbon Reduction Commitment, or the UK cap and trade program, will carry large penalties for those who do not conform. The biggest contributors to the problem, or those who emit the most carbon dioxide according to their known electricity demands, will be expected and must participate within the newly minted markets.

The Carbon Reduction Commitment wields a considerable stick in several areas. In addition to imposing market pressure to conform, organizations that are unable to do so will also face additional financial penalties. In addition, the noncompliance will be publicized in no uncertain manner to the consumer, leading to potentially additional problems for that organization.

The UK cap and trade project will not get underway in earnest until 2011, but organizations affected are already engaged. The process of identification refers to 2008 consumption records and registration with preparation will take place during 2010.

Daniel Stouffer has a lot of information about the UK cap and trade scheme and how a visit to www.verisae.com can aid you.

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DEFRA Carbon Plans are Groundbreaking

September 14, 2009

The British have, like all of us, their own fair share of acronyms, but consolidated some of them when DECC absorbed DEFRA and BERR in an attempt to more effectively address the big problem of climate change. They have certainly made massive strides forward as the government promptly introduced the first far-reaching, legally binding legislation to the marketplace.

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British Carbon Reduction Roars Ahead

September 11, 2009

Once the Climate Change Act of 2008 was signed, the British carbon initiative was off to the races. This program is likely to get a lot of attention worldwide as it is very forward thinking and sure to make a significant impact in the near future. In this case, the British have set the precedent.

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