Why energy efficiency is the best way to reduce carbon emissions and make money

Despite several political and cultural controversies, global warming is a reality. Scientific conventions have trained the impacts of human activity on the climate, and the conclusion is that all continents are being affected. The need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere is urgent (IPCC, 2014).

Since there are several gases with different greenhouse effect potentials, use the term CO2 “equivalent” to quantify them all on the same basis.

The use of energy and fuels and all consumption, whether direct or competitive, generate greenhouse gas emissions. For example, when you use your car to go to work, you consume fuel that needs to be extracted, treated, transported and marketed. Once in the car, the combustion engine transforms the fuel into energy. A 40 km trip, 5 days a week, would generate a volume of 4.3 tons of CO2/year.

In the world, CO2 emissions through the combustion of fuels in 2014 were 32.3 GtCO2e (IEA, 2016). In a scenario with no major changes expected, the emissions forecast for 2030 is approximately 70 GtonCO2e. One GtonCO2e is equal to 1,000,000,000 tons of CO2!

We, energy efficiency and emissions

Each of us can help change this scenario that requires rapid and concrete actions. Broadly speaking, there are four major categories of direct actions to reduce emissions, which are:

– energy efficiency;

– cleaner energy generation, low-carbon energy;

– terrestrial carbon (forestry and agriculture);

– changes in behavior.

The list above is ordered so that the difficulties in improving increase from the bottom to the top. The opportunities for our actions as individuals, on the other hand, increase in the opposite direction. Some changes in behavior are in our hands.

A study carried out by McKinsey & Company in 2010 shows the potential of direct actions for energy efficiency. A change from inefficient lamps to LED, for example, has a positive impact on carbon emissions and brings savings to the user.

Efficiency measures in industrial equipment, in turn, reduce emissions and costs and increase the competitiveness of the industry. With energy efficiency, it is possible to have great financial and sustainability gains at the same time.

More complex issues, such as diversifying a country's energy matrix, present a large investment that can bring environmental gains and stimulate the local economy.

With all the categories of related measures, it is possible to achieve reductions of up to 40%. By investing a little more and changing user behavior, we can achieve a 49% reduction in GHG emissions.

Initiatives in the industrial sector, with energy efficiency programs and goals, have been successful and reducing energy consumption increases productivity. This, of course, in addition to helping the planet. (Ceres, 2014).

What can we conclude?

As users, we can be more responsible when choosing products and services. As employees of a company, we can adopt good operating practices in our work environment; and as decision makers, we can compensate for the energy performance of our systems and even save money.

GHG reduction measures, especially those related to energy efficiency, are usually beneficial for the environment and for the user. In addition to reducing unnecessary expenses, it goes against the outdated idea that reducing environmental impacts is expensive.