Expert Columns

Energy Efficiency - October 1, 2018 - By James McPhail, Zen Ecosystems

Building consistent savings at franchises through energy management

Fluctuating electricity prices and high energy costs make managing a franchise especially challenging. This column, presented by Zen Ecosystems, shows how the use of energy management systems (EMS) can lead to decreased utility expenses and improved sustainability efforts.

September 17, 2018 - By Caroline Mead, EDF Renewables

Buyer aggregation – additional path for renewable energy purchasers

Corporate energy buyers have firmly solidified themselves as major drivers for the renewable energy industry. This column, presented by EDF Renewables, explores the ripe opportunity for corporates to aggregate their purchasing power for renewable energy, opening the market up for a more diverse set of buyers.

Energy Efficiency - September 12, 2018 - By Mary Barra, General Motors

We believe in an all-electric future, here’s what we’re doing today to get there

Nearly a year ago, General Motors' Chairman and CEO Mary Barra announced the company's vision of a future of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion. Their journey to the future is underway.

September 10, 2018 - By Veena Ramani, Ceres

Ceres encourages better corporate sustainability reporting

A new report from Ceres shows that most global companies provide comparable disclosure of sustainability practices but far fewer companies disclose their sustainability performance in a way that is financially relevant. Corporate Secretary offers a plan for how corporate secretaries can help their companies disclose what matters.

Sourcing Renewables - August 9, 2018 - By Kyle Harrison

Corporates shatter clean energy sourcing record with more to come

With the release of BloombergNEF's New Energy Outlook 2018, Kyle Harrison presents a look at the growth in the purchase of clean energy by corporations, including reasons behind the trend, who is leading the charge, and what to expect in the future.

August 7, 2018 - By Michael Kobori

Levi Strauss & Co. ramps up climate commitments

Along with Levi Strauss & Co's recent announcement of their new climate action strategy, which sets aggressive targets for reducing carbon emissions across its owned-and-operated company-owned facilities, Michael Kobori, vp of sustainability, penned this column for the company's "Unzipped" blog, to explain the company's position as a corporate citizen and a sustainability leader.

Energy Efficiency - August 6, 2018 - By Dominic Barbato

Six steps to efficient sustainability

Integrated efficiency and sustainability efforts can improve ROI but operating these initiatives in tandem comes with its own set of complexities. This column, presented by Schneider Electric, outlines a six-step approach designed to break down outdated, compartmentalized structures and encourage more collaboration across organizations in order to reach efficient sustainability.

Finance - July 18, 2018 - By Katherine Ryzhaya

The Great REC Arbitrage

No longer reserved for the Fortune 500, financial instruments like Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs) are gaining popularity among smaller companies and public-sector entities looking to cost-effectively meet clean energy goals. Google, Apple, Amazon, and Walmart have paved the way for other, more risk averse but environmentally-minded entities to power their operations with renewable energy.

Sourcing Renewables - July 13, 2018 - By Peter Bronksi, Henry Richardson

Corporations can generate one-third more impact with their renewables investment. Here’s how.

Recent weeks and months have seen a near-constant stream of headlines about the ongoing growth of corporate renewable energy procurement, including here in Smart Energy Decisions. It all boils down to a single, encouraging takeaway: corporate leaders and investment is a major influence driving renewable energy capacity additions.

Energy Efficiency - July 9, 2018 - By Allan Schurr

Resilience is becoming an absolute necessity

Resilience is often referred to as succeeding despite hardship. In human terms, it is the ability to shake off injury, persevere in the face of adversity, and generally recover from setbacks. In an energy context, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission