Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Why should I decarbonize or set a net zero target?

A: Beginning with the “why” is so important. An organization should understand the purpose and drivers of meeting its decarbonization goal. Research has shown that customers, investors, and employees favor organizations with clean energy goals. According to Forbes, 87% of consumers will have a more positive image of a company that supports social or environmental issues.

Q: Isn’t getting to Net Zero mostly about electrification?

A: That’s a piece of it, but electrification alone is very expensive as electricity is more than 3X gas. The trick is to look at energy efficiency in concert with clean energy and electrification. If done right, you can decarbonize with a suitable payback.

Q: Could you describe what Net Zero means?

A: Funnily, net zero can mean different things in different contexts, but essentially, to be net zero, you need to be carbon-free. Typically this means no carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels and 100% renewables for electricity. Further, there are 3 scopes of emissions. Some companies commit to scope 1 and 2 (emissions directly associated with their business) while others include scope 3 which includes upstream (suppliers) and downstream (customers) emissions.

Q: What challenges do you see along the process of decarbonization?

A: The net-zero initiative has created a lot of excitement, but the industry is under-prepared. Very few companies and vendors understand what it takes to get an organization to net zero. We have the information, but only a small minority have the knowledge, so we need to rapidly educate. The available technology is good enough to reach most of our goals, but the people and mechanisms to properly apply and deploy it are not.