An increasing number of corporations are directly buying from (or building) clean electricity sources. For decades most Fortune 1000 companies did little more than seek to manage costs as they bought electricity and fuel. This model of simply relying on the existing marketplace to meet energy needs has, however, suddenly become outdated. More and more companies are realizing the strategic advantages of sourcing renewable power. Companies that fail to adapt will face serious competitive disadvantages as this trend accelerates.
Several factors are driving this explosion in interest in direct purchases of clean energy. Reasons range from pure cost per kWh purchased, to market and regulatory certainty, to the brand value of reducing reliance on fossil fuels, to concerns over the future of specific markets in the face of a changing climate. Consistent in every one of these motives is an underlying economic case: replacing electricity generated from burning fossil fuels with electricity from wind and solar is a good business strategy.
Read the full article in the September 2016 issue of The EDGE Advisory. Click here.