Did you know that, according to the Brazilian Association of Energy Conservation Companies (ABESCO), Brazil wasted more than R$60 billion in energy between 2015 and 2017? To give you an idea, that amount would be enough to build around 240 hospitals in the country.
The Carbon Trust, a company that works with governments and companies to increase the commercialization of low-carbon technologies, also carried out a survey on “Transformative Investment for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies”. Published in 2017, the survey showed that at the time, the Brazilian energy efficiency market was already estimated at R$18 billion.
These two surveys show us that energy efficiency is a hot topic in Brazil and around the world. What’s more, it can offer various benefits to industries that invest in it. But what is energy efficiency and what are its advantages? You’ll find out below.
To understand how beneficial energy efficiency is, you first need to know its concept. The word efficiency generally means doing more or the same thing with less. To do this, comfort and quality must of course be maintained. So, when it comes to energy, we arrive at the following definition:
Energy efficiency means generating more or the same amount of energy using fewer natural resources, or doing the same amount of work using less electricity.
Countless companies, factories, distribution centers, markets and industrial warehouses have sought to become more energy efficient. This quest involves not only the rational and intelligent use of energy, but also the use of more efficient equipment that requires fewer resources. So that the company can carry out the same processes using fewer resources.
The world’s population continues to rise. As a result, energy demand is increasing exponentially. In order to meet these needs without depleting natural resources, it is essential to invest in energy-efficient solutions.
After all, as electricity consumption decreases, fewer natural resources are needed to generate energy. In this way, negative impacts on the environment are reduced, protecting future generations.
These are the main reasons why energy efficiency is so important for society. But why should it also be a central theme in your industry? The acronym ESG is one of the answers. First used in the Who Cares Wins report, it stands for “Environment, Social & Governance“.
ESG is nothing more than a set of good business practices designed to ensure that a company remains productive while being aligned with social, human and environmental issues. This guarantees the sustainability of the industry, especially in environmental, social and economic terms. Not to mention that companies that follow these prerogatives are well regarded by investors, who are looking for businesses with greater long-term potential.
As energy efficiency has become more important to society, various programs have been created to encourage actions with the same goal. We’ll talk about the main ones below:
Coordinated by Inmetro, the PBE offers information on the energy efficiency of equipment. This way, when a consumer goes to buy an appliance, they can opt for the most efficient one. This practice is essential to encourage manufacturers to produce more efficient appliances.
In the case of electricity, the highlight is the National Program for the Conservation of Electricity.
also known as Procel. Coordinated by Eletrobras, it has the Procel Seal. This seal informs consumers about the products that have the best levels of energy efficiency within each category.
This applies, for example, to air conditioners, ceiling fans, automatic washing machines and refrigerators, among others. Therefore, when a customer goes to a store to buy a household appliance, they will know that by choosing a product that has the Procel seal, they will be buying an appliance that consumes less energy than an equivalent one that does not have the seal. This saves on electricity bills and reduces the impact on the environment.
This is a program aimed at the efficient use of fuels. Conpet is similar to Procel in that it has the Conpet Energy Efficiency Seal. Aimed at stoves, cars and water and gas heaters, for example, this seal highlights products for their energy efficiency.
The Energy Efficiency Program aims to promote the efficient use of electricity in all sectors of the economy. The idea is that energy efficiency projects show the importance and economic viability of improving the energy efficiency of equipment and processes.
With the regulation, monitoring and evaluation of results being carried out by the Energy Efficiency Research and Development Superintendence, this program seeks to transform the market by encouraging the use of new technologies.
Now that you know what energy efficiency is and how important it is, it’s time to show you the main benefits this initiative offers your industry.
One of the great advantages of actions aimed at energy efficiency is the reduction in electricity consumption, which consequently leads to lower electricity bills. An example of this is natural lighting, which illuminates your environment with zero electricity costs.
Want a practical example? With a daylighting system, if your industry uses 50 150W luminaires for 10 hours every day, it could see a return on investment in less than 2.5 years.
Did you know that 63.2% of the electricity produced in Brazil comes from hydroelectric plants? This means that by investing in solutions that promote energy efficiency, such as natural lighting and ventilation, your industry becomes independent of this traditional energy source.
In practice, this means that your business is no longer hostage to conventional energy generation models. Consequently, the company will never have its activities suspended due to blackouts that can be caused by water crises, such as the one that has occurred in recent years, for example.
By consuming consciously and encouraging renewable energy alternatives, the company is helping the country to meet its carbon emission reduction targets so that global warming can be controlled. It also meets the requirements of ESG actions, making it even more sustainable and attractive to investors.
Did you know that some solutions that promote energy efficiency, such as lighting and natural ventilation, can be used in a retrofit? This concept aims to revitalize and modernize a building, ensuring functional improvements to the building. As a result, the life expectancy of structures also increases.
All the benefits mentioned above mean that the industry’s performance improves. After all, economic results are improved, as is the business’s reputation with internal and external audiences. As a result, investment capital increases and the company becomes even more competitive.
We’ve just told you what energy efficiency is and what its advantages are. We hope that after this content, you have realized the importance of having alternative solutions to increase energy efficiency in industries. Find out how to use energy consciously with our Energy Efficiency Ebook!
