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Balancing planet and profit during unprecedented market volatility
Jul 06, 2022

Balancing planet and profit during unprecedented market volatility 

How can you move towards net zero, when faced with rising energy prices? Download our practical guide to help find a sustainability pathway that suits your organisation. 

 

All eyes are on you. Your customers, investors and employees all expect you to be making progress towards net zero. They’ve heard the talk, and now they’re looking for the action. 

 

But we’re in a period of rising energy prices and unprecedented volatility. Decarbonisation is hugely important – but effectively managing your energy costs is critical, too. 

 

The good news? These objectives aren’t incompatible. Far from it. With the right energy strategy, you can cut your carbon emissions, and keep your energy costs under control too. Focus on these ‘sweet spots’ - where the needs of planet and profit converge – and you can build a truly sustainable business.   

 

Download our practical guide, Your business guide to pursuing net zero, to find out how you can make it happen. 




Receive your Practical Guide >


How to pursue net zero 


Getting to net zero is complex. Like everyone else, we don’t have all the answers yet. But what we do know, is that the future of our businesses and communities relies on delivering net zero. And, just as we’ve done for the last 200 years, we’ll continue to evolve and seize the opportunities the energy transition offers to ensure a fair and affordable transition for everyone. 

 

We know every organisation’s journey to net zero is unique. There’s no map or handbook that can tell you exactly how to get there. But a lot can be learnt from the experiences of other successful sustainable businesses. We’re dedicated to sharing these best practices, to help you chart your own flexible pathway to net zero. 

 

Some of the practical takeaways explored in our guide include: 

Use data wisely 

 

It will ensure you can pinpoint carbon emission hotspots in your organisation, so you know where to focus your efforts. Armed with a detailed, current view of the organisation, you can begin to explore the most promising options for transitioning to a more sustainable energy strategy. 

 

The report cites our research showing that 77% of organisations planned to embed ‘internet of things’ technologies into equipment by the end of 2025 – so if you’re considering this, you’re not alone. 

Design individual solutions 

 

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to sustainability, so you’ll need to find technical solutions – and financial ones – that match your goals and constraints. 


The report cites our research saying that 40% of organisations said they did not know which technologies to invest in – a barrier to emissions reduction. Working with a partner can support you here. 

Make the cultural shift 

 

New tools and technologies, such as hydrogen, are commercialising rapidly, offering new opportunities - and this market disruption may require a response.  


In that sense, the challenge lies in shifting the culture and conversation in your organisation. If the whole organisation takes responsibility for combating climate change, you can develop the flexibility to shift direction as the outlook changes. 

Build your own flexible pathway 

Decarbonisation is an imperative. It’s going to take time. It’s going to require investment. But it can deliver a wide range of commercial benefits too. It can also help you to leave a valuable legacy for the future. 

 

Whether you’re at the very beginning of your journey, or you’ve made some progress but aren’t sure where to go next – our practical guide outlines the practice steps you can take to build an energy pathway that delivers resilience, competitiveness and sustainability. 

06 Jul, 2022
Balancing planet and profit during unprecedented market volatility
By Vander Caceres 14 Jun, 2022
Wholesale energy prices have experienced unprecedented levels of volatility since the end of summer 2021, with both day ahead/spot and future contracts surging to all-time highs. In the last couple of months, prices have decreased but still remain high compared to a year ago. This period of high energy prices is expected to continue for the foreseeable future (see next section). Energy prices have surged for a number of reasons: A global increase in gas demand following the ease or end of Covid-related restrictions throughout 2021. After the pandemic, economies across the world started to recover. Asian countries like China saw their imports of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) increase. This resulted in lower LNG shipments to the UK and Europe. On the supply side, the Covid-19 lockdowns pushed some maintenance work from 2020 into 2021 at a time when demand was recovering. In 2021, gas production hit a record low of 363TWh, 47TWh below the previous record low in 2013. Low production was the result of an extensive summer maintenance schedule which saw shutdowns at several major terminals, as well as the Forties Pipeline System which serves a significant proportion of UK gas and oil production. A lack of wind in the summer resulted in higher demand for conventional power. European gas storage in 2021 and Q1’22 remained far below previous years and it’s unclear how these are going to be replenished in the summer given the concerns around supply including the potential suspension of Russian gas flows due to sanctions. The 1,234km offshore Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which was designed to double the flow of gas between Russia and Germany (and by extension the rest of Europe) has been abandoned following the invasion of Ukraine. Gas storage in the UK is extremely minimal with capacity at less than 2% of the UK’s annual demand, compared with 22% for other European countries. Whilst the UK is not heavily reliant on gas coming from Russia, it sources almost half it’s gas supply from Europe. Hence, wholesale gas and power prices in the UK are now subject to knock-on-effects from the conflict in Ukraine.
20 May, 2022
Amidst rising energy costs, digitalisation, growing pressure from stakeholders and increasing regulation, organisations may struggle to define their pathway to a low-carbon future. What can you do to protect your business’ net zero plans from the challenges of volatility? Disruption and volatility are putting organisations under pressure. Digitalisation and new technology developments continue to challenge existing business models. Its increasing dependence on energy and encouraging businesses to drive change to secure competitive advantage. And as customers, employees and shareholders look to engage with companies who understand the importance of decarbonisation, pressure is mounting to prioritise sustainability.
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