An opinion piece by Andrew Cooper P.Eng, B.Comm, CEM, CMVP, Strategic Energy Management Specialist
At home, a tap started dripping. To stop the drip, I knew I needed to change the washer, but I still hoped it would somehow magically stop by itself.
Surprise! The drip got worse. It only stopped after I made a decision and actually replaced the washer.
It is the same with energy conservation. Compressed air leaks do not suddenly seal themselves up. Inefficient engines or burners do not suddenly emit less Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). Old lighting does not magically use less energy. All the hope in the world will not change this.
Changing this requires a decision. A decision to conserve energy and reduce GHGs in everything we do on a day-to-day basis and then acting on that decision. Have you made this decision yet? If not, what are you waiting for?
Make the decision to implement an energy and GHG management system, where employee engagement and awareness, as well as the energy aspects of operations, maintenance, HR, finance and procurement are integrated into that system. By doing this, you could realise annual energy cost savings of 8-10%.
This means a company with an annual energy expense of $20 million could be losing $2 million each year it does not have an energy management system in place. What is 8-10% of your annual energy expense? Are you willing to lose that money every year?
In addition, all that wasted energy results in unnecessary GHG emissions. How much money will you waste buying carbon offsets for those unnecessary emissions? More importantly, are you willing to let those avoidable emissions compound the global climate crisis we are facing?
Implementing an energy and GHG management system is the right thing to do. It will help you mitigate your impact on climate change and will improve your bottom line.
I’ve heard plenty of excuses to avoid the decision. “But we don’t have the people for that”, “But we could not get any funding”, “But nobody was interested in energy management”. But! But! But!
It’s not about excuses. It’s about making a decision and committing to that decision. It’s about making it happen. I have a personal acronym… GOYA, which is short for Get Off Your Arse, because that is what you have to do to get it done.
Now is the time to GOYA and take action. Not when global temperatures reach critically high levels. Not when legislation or carbon taxation force you to make a decision. Now is the time.
There’s an old Chinese proverb which says, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now”. I’d like to suggest that “The best time to conserve energy, optimise efficiency and reduce GHGs was 20 years ago, the second best time is now”.
The waste will only stop when we all decide to take action. What are you waiting for? Make that decision.
Andrew Cooper P.Eng, B.Comm, CEM, CMVP
Strategic Energy Management Specialist