Expert Columns

Sourcing Renewables - June 5, 2019 - By Patrick Flynn, Salesforce

It’s time for Virginia to power a clean energy future

Salesforce is calling on Virginia’s utilities, regulators, and lawmakers to prioritize clean energy in their policymaking and grid-planning activities. This column from Patrick Flynn, VP of sustainability at Salesforce, argues that with 70% of the world's internet traffic flowing through data centers in Virginia, the state needs to do better than generating only less than 6% of its power from renewable resources.

Energy Efficiency - June 3, 2019 - By Sal Alhelo, JCPenney

The Blind Spot in Efficiency Management

To enjoy an energy efficient building, your overall strategy must address two different areas of energy efficiency: the regular routine (automation) and the irregular (anomalies). In this column, Sal Alhelo of JCPenney warns that addressing only one of these two areas - or worse, applying the same strategy to both - means you are likely wasting energy.

May 31, 2019 - By Tom Murray, EDF + Business

Activist CEOs: A new reality for corporate America

The days when business leaders could dodge social or political issues are coming to an end. In this column from EDF Climate Corp, Tom Murray says executives need to publicly and visibly put company values to work.

May 13, 2019 - By Better Buildings, U.S. Department of Energy

What is Efficiency-as-a-Service?

As-a-service business models are growing in popularity - and one of the most impactful may be Efficiency-as-a-Service. This column from Better Buildings discusses this pay-for-performance, off-balance sheet financing solution that allows customers to implement efficiency projects with no upfront capital expenditure, including how it works, alternative approaches, and advantages and disadvantages.

Sourcing Renewables - May 10, 2019 - By Caitlin Marquis

How to Get Utilities and Regulators to Provide Renewable Energy Options that Work for Your Company

Energy procurement and sustainability teams tasked with meeting corporate renewable energy targets are all too familiar with the fact that doing so is much easier in some states than in others. That means customers can wait for change – or work to make it happen. This column from the Advanced Energy Buyers Group offers a roadmap for action.

GHG Emissions - May 1, 2019 - By Ryan Martel

The business case for a price on carbon

Climate change poses an urgent threat to the American economy. As this column from Ceres notes, companies across all sectors understand what is at stake and are already taking concrete steps to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon economy and ensure they remain competitive in the global economy.

April 16, 2019 - By Peyton Boswell

Solar Tax Credits Are Stepping Down Next Year: What Does This Mean for Corporate Solar Projects?

The U.S. solar industry is continuing to flourish with the help of the federal investment tax credit, otherwise known as the ITC. As this column from EnterSolar notes, this incentive has been a major part of solar project economics for the past decade, but changes are coming in 2020. Here is what you need to know about the ITC Step-Down, and how your company can maximize the monetary benefits of a solar project today.

GHG Emissions - April 15, 2019 - By Daniel Hill, EDF Climate Corps

Top 3 corporate sustainability trends all business leaders should be watching in 2019

Last year, Daniel Hill of EDF Climate Corps identified top corporate sustainability trends and revisited these trends six months later. Now he's repeating the process for 2019.

April 1, 2019 - By Better Buildings

REI's net zero distribution center

This week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognized Better Buildings Alliance partner REI for the energy productivity advances made in its Arizona distribution center located in Goodyear, Arizona. The center has achieved an annual energy savings of 18% and annual cost savings of $170,000 from the baseline in the first two years of operation. The goal is to have the facility be net-zero energy. How was this accomplished?

Energy Efficiency - March 22, 2019 - By Sukhjinder Singh

Energy and facility managers deserve access to modern technology

Why is it that many C&I energy or facility managers who want to find simple answers from their data seemingly can’t? In this column, Sukhjinder Singh of Pear.ai discusses how even hard-to-manage energy data can be tamed and optimized to provide the insights companies need to make informed energy decisions.