A survey has shown that US corporations and institutions are honouring their climate change promises and strengthening their interest in renewable energies.
Conducted by Smart Energy Decisions between June and July 2017, the data shows that in many instances that rather than stagnate or slow down the proliferation of renewables, interest has steadied or increased.
Results show that often this is due to organisations having already set themselves renewable targets or goals before the Trump Paris decision.
The survey found that of the groups or businesses who had already purchased or were interested in purchasing renewable energy, ‘over 95% reported interest in renewable energy stayed the same (36%) or increased (59.3%) in the past year. In that same group, a combined 70.9% currently have either a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target or renewable energy usage target – 32.6% have targets in both areas’.
Many of the group also had a pre-existing greenhouse gas reduction target (GHG) in place with 68.6% saying their target was ‘tied to climate science. In addition, 47.4% of organisations with renewable energy targets have a goal to meet 100% of their electricity needs from renewable resources’.
Michael Barry, head of sustainable business operations at Bloomberg LP, and a member of the Renewable Energy Sourcing Initiative Steering Committee, said: “Organizations are realizing the benefits of renewable energy investments as part of their business, irrespective of the current political climate, because these investments make economic sense.
“Smart Energy Decisions’ study confirms this and sheds light on the various renewable energy purchase methods that allow companies to use clean energy in a way that best aligns with their strategies.”
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