Renewable electricity will undoubtedly be on that roadmap, but there's a compelling case for tackling it right now, even before the wider plan is finalised.
Because switching to renewable energy is more than a sustainability strategy; it's a powerful business opportunity. Acting today can place your organisation in a much stronger position for the future, both financially and environmentally. Here are five straightforward reasons not to wait.
Finding a new budget line is always a challenge. The good news is, buying electricity isn't new to your organisation. Your organisation is already buying electricity, megawatt-hours (MWh) of it, from a local utility. You likely have a team dedicated to managing this procurement.
Instead of facing a new cost, you will be redirecting an existing one. By choosing to source your electricity from renewable providers, you can significantly cut your scope 2 emissions (the emissions from the electricity you buy) without needing to find a new budget.
Unlike other decarbonisation projects that require extensive data collection, you can get started on your renewable energy strategy almost immediately. To build a roadmap, you only need two key pieces of information: how much electricity you consume (in MWh) and in which markets you consume it.
Your finance or procurement teams already track this. It's standard business practice to know how much energy you're buying and where. This means there is no extra work required to take the first step.
The immediate question for any procurement manager is: "At what extra cost?" While renewable energy boosts your climate credentials, you need a solid business case to get internal buy-in.
Fortunately, renewable electricity comes with significant cost savings in many markets. Thanks to a remarkable drop in the cost of technologies like solar and wind, renewable electricity is frequently cheaper than electricity from fossil fuels. You can meet your climate goals and improve your bottom line simultaneously.
Source: BloombergNEF. Levelised Cost of Electricities (LCOEs) using global benchmarks of capacity-weighted averages and reported without subsidies or tax credits.
Is your organisation a large electricity user? Are you concerned about unpredictable price spikes? Recent years have shown just how volatile wholesale and retail electricity markets can be, making budget forecasting a nightmare.
Source: ENTSO-E Transparency Platform
Certain types of renewable energy contracts, like Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), allow you to lock in a fixed electricity price for years to come. This provides long-term budget certainty and protects your business from unpredictable market swings, turning a volatile cost into a stable, manageable one.
Addressing your entire carbon footprint can be expensive. That's what makes renewable energy such an attractive place to start. It's one of the few climate solutions that can deliver a direct economic return.
These returns, whether from positive cash flow on a PPA or avoided costs from on-site solar, can be channelled into those harder-to-decarbonise areas of your business. When you present your full decarbonisation roadmap to leadership, illustrating a plan that starts with a financially positive initiative makes the entire case for climate action far more persuasive.
For all these reasons, renewable electricity isn't just one item on a long checklist; it's the strategic and often profitable first step on your climate journey. The data is ready, the business case is strong, and the time to act is now.
A compelling business case is one thing, but practical execution is another. The good news is that there are several clear pathways to sourcing renewables, each suited to different business needs, budgets and levels of commitment.
You buy certificates, like renewable energy certificates (RECs) or Guarantees of Origins (GOs), to match your energy use, achieving a simple and flexible way to meet renewable goals without changing your physical electricity supply. Learn more here.
This is a convenient, all-in-one solution offered by most electricity suppliers. You switch to a "green" plan, and your supplier handles the complexities of matching your usage with renewable sources. It's a great "set and forget" option for small medium enterprises
Contact us today to analyse your options and find the most cost-effective renewable solution for your business.
