Knowledge is Power: 3 Climate Change Terms to Familiarize Yourself With

You hear it everywhere: efforts to minimize, prevent, reverse, and understand climate change. It will be the defining issue of our time. And not to be alarmist but, if it is not an issue we take great care in remedying, its effects could be detrimental for future generations.

If you’re reading this there are probably two truths. The first is that you want to do your part in making the world a sustainable, environmentally friendly and clean place to live. The second truth is that you don’t always know where to start or what you can do.

If you want to know better and be better when it comes to climate change keep reading for the: 3 Climate Change Terms You Should Know

1. Renewable Energy Solutions

Renewable energy also referred to as ‘clean energy’ is a form of energy that is naturally replenished by the earth. Renewable energy solutions are great from a climate change stance as the use of these resources is sustainable due to their ability to replenish themselves. Renewable energy is also great from a business perspective as investors look at sustainability measures, like ESG standards when deciding which companies to invest in. Investors are likely to invest in companies that are environmentally sustainable as this is an indicator of their financial sustainability. Organizations that are sustainable are impressive to investors when considering future performance! We would argue that renewable energy solutions are the future of business!

SPH Solutions offers renewable energy solutions to a wide variety of organizations helping them to meet ESG standards and ultimately promoting sustainability and climate change efforts.

Read more about ESG and sustainability here.

2. Energy Justice

It is important to recognize the larger political, social, and economic systems contributing to climate change. For differences to be seen on a global level, sustainability efforts have to be accessible not just to the rich and privileged. Energy justice aims to make energy accessible, affordable, clean, and democratically managed for all communities.

SPH supports the Energy Justice movement by offering cost-effective solar electric solutions, that are accessible to a variety of organizations including non-profits. We believe in making renewable energy solutions accessible to all institutions and communities!

3. Carbon Neutral

Carbon neutral refers to an entity, like a business, balancing out its carbon emissions by funding an equivalent amount of carbon savings elsewhere in the world. The logic behind this is that any damage done by an entity through carbon emissions released during their business practices is nullified as they contribute to carbon saving efforts. Neutral is the term that encompasses this nullification, as it indicates that there is arguably no effect on the climate. Being carbon neutral does not mean that you are contributing to climate change reversal efforts, but that you are not actively contributing to climate change.

Fun Fact: Whole countries can be measured on their carbon neutrality. Research the carbon neutrality of your favourite countries to see how they stack up to each other!

The truth of the matter is that knowledge is power. Understanding the basics of climate change will allow you to join in conversations with others on the issue as well as give you a starting point to reflect on how you can contribute to fighting against it. For example, holding your elected officials accountable to clean energy solution projects in your town is much easier to do when you have a solid knowledge base to back your efforts.

Also, finding ways to make your organization a climate change warrior is easier when you know where to look!

Contact SPH Solutions

Lucky for you at SPH Solutions we are the leaders in helping organizations become more environmentally friendly. We do this by offering cost-effective solar electric solutions. Our solutions disrupt the traditional Power Utility industry by using distributed generation and technology democratizing energy production and cost.

When it comes to action on climate change, the world can’t wait and neither can your business.

For more information on the services we offer click here or contact us directly.

Are you geared to be 100% carbon neutral in the near future? What even is carbon neutral? And is it possible to be carbon negative?

The world is changing at breakneck speed, forced to adapt by our rapidly changing climate, environmentally conscious consumers, and, more recently, presidential plans.

Let’s clear up all the carbon jargon.

What Does it Mean to be Carbon Neutral?

If your business emits the same amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere that you’re able to offset by any other means, you’re carbon neutral.

What Does it Mean to be Carbon Negative?

If your business removes more CO2 from the atmosphere than it emits, you’re officially carbon negative!

But when should your business change gears to join the carbon-neutral giants like Google?

Cutting emissions today makes you a leader tomorrow. Don’t wait for regulations to kick in and force your hand. Ease into the change now with a few simple actions.

Many corporations either claim to already be carbon-neutral or have definite plans to make sure they are:

• Amazon and GM pledged to be carbon neutral by 2040.
• Apple aims to be carbon neutral by 2030.
• Google claims to be carbon neutral since 2007!

Since Biden marched into the White House, climate-changing plans are being laid down thick and fast. One such ambition is for the US to reach zero, or even negative CO2 emissions from the energy system, by 2050.

For that to happen, experts agree that the following 8 actions need to be in place by 2030:

1. Increase solar and wind capacity 3.5 times, to 500 gigawatts.
2. Eliminate most electricity generation from coal.
3. Maintain current natural gas generating capacity for reliability.
4. Increase zero-emission vehicle sales share to 50%.
5. Increase sales share of building heat pumps to 50%.
6. All new buildings and appliances meet strict energy efficiency goals.
7. R&D for carbon capture, sequestration, and carbon-neutral fuels.
8. Build electricity transmission and pipelines for carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas.

How Can Your Business Make the Biggest Dent in Your Current Carbon Footprint?

According to the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation.

By simply switching your business to a solar solution, you can address all 3 of these areas.

Installing solar allows you to generate renewable energy for electricity, heating, and charging electric vehicles on-site.

How Can You Start the Transformation?

SPH Solutions are experts in pinpointing the perfect solution for your unique business.

Depending on your business premises’ size and layout, you could either generate all your electricity needs from your own solar solution, or partly make use of other clean energy sources.

Contact our team of professionals and start your path to carbon neutrality now.

2050 is just around the corner!

Renewable and clean energy may have been buzzwords up to now, but the new presidency thrust these terms into sharp focus.

The latest message from Biden’s energy secretary (aimed at the oil industry) is clear:

“Adapt or Die.”

In other words, reduce your carbon footprint by adopting clean/renewable energy solutions or face penalties and/or fines in the near future.

This applies to all businesses, not only dirty energy providers.

By the end of Biden’s first term, he wants to put “us on an irreversible path to achieve economy-wide net-zero emissions no later than 2050.”

It might sound impossible, but transforming your own business from dirty to renewable energy sources is simpler than you think.

Which energy sources are renewable?

Renewable energy is produced from sources that either don’t deplete or that can be replenished within a human’s lifetime.

These include:
• Solar
• Wind
• Geothermal
• Biomass
• Hydropower
• Ocean thermal energy
• Ocean mechanical energy
• Hydrogen

Solar energy is the least expensive commercially available option that’s accessible to almost any business.

Are Renewable Energy and Clean Energy the Same Thing?

No. Not all clean energy sources are renewable. Clean energy is defined as being generated from sources that have zero-carbon emissions.

Nuclear energy is one example of clean energy generated by a non-renewable source. Currently, most nuclear energy processes use a rare type of uranium, U-235, that could eventually run out. During this process called nuclear fission, no carbon dioxide is released into the air, which classifies it as clean energy.

How Does Renewable Energy Benefit my Business?

Our article, “7 Benefits of Switching Your Company to Clean Energy,” addresses this topic in detail. And because the type of commercially available clean energy solutions is mostly renewable energy solutions as well, your business can enjoy these same benefits:

• Consistent cost savings
• Improved ESG score
• Contributes towards CSR
• Improves company resilience
• Builds company culture
• Bullet-proofs your company
• New marketing avenue

Which Renewable Energy Solution is Best for my Business?

Every business is unique, and only after a comprehensive energy audit can an effective solution be proposed.

Currently, the simplest and most cost-effective solution for most companies is to install photovoltaic solar panels.

Why Should You Choose SPH Solutions for your Solar Energy Solution?

SPH Solutions offers full spectrum photovoltaic (solar), energy storage, and energy efficiency services.

Our expertise includes:

Planning & Construction

• Feasibility Studies

• Financial Analysis

• Energy Production Modeling

Financing

• Power Purchase Agreements

• Capital Leases

• Operating Leases

• Site Licenses

Design & Engineering

• Electrical Design

• Plan Development & Array Layout

• Output Projection

• Project Estimation

• Permitting

• Equipment Specification

System Installation

• Project Management

• Construction

• Performance Testing

• Commissioning

• Customer Training

Supply

• Procurement

• Equipment Provision

Long-term O&M

• Maintenance

• Performance Verification

• System Monitoring

Marketing

• Employee & Constituent Outreach

The time is ripe to embrace an energy solution that spares the environment while boosting your business.

We’re equipped with every skill you might need to navigate the world of effective energy solutions.

Clean energy is great for the environment and even better for your business.

But what is Clean Energy, and how can your business benefit from this investment?

Clean energy is energy generated from sources that don’t pollute the air:

• Solar
• Wind
• Biomass
• Geothermal
• Biogas
• Hydro

Solar is the most popular commercially available option, as most business premises can easily accommodate a solar solution.

But every savvy business owner wants to know, “Will this investment provide worthwhile returns?”

Yes, 7 times over.

7 Benefits of Switching Your Company to Clean Energy

1. Consistent cost savings
2. Improves ESG score
3. Contributes towards CSR
4. Improves resilience
5. Builds company culture
6. Bulletproofs your company
7. New marketing avenue

Consistent cost savings

The cost of energy generated by non-renewable sources (coal, natural gas, and oil) are going everywhere but down. Switching to clean energy will immediately cut your utility bill, and you also won’t dread the next increase in electricity prices.

Improves ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) score

An excellent ESG score is an asset in itself, benefitting your company in a myriad of ways. It’s also rapidly becoming a compulsory element when discerning investors select viable investment opportunities.

When 70 senior executives from 43 global institutional investing firms – including the world’s 3 largest asset managers, BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street – all say that ESG is top of mind, we might have to perk up and listen.

Contributes towards CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)

A solid CSR strategy is now an expectation of most consumers, employees, and investors. By investing in clean energy, you’re heeding the call of 77% of consumers who say they prefer to purchase products or services from a company committed to social, economic, and environmental issues.

Improves resilience

Whether you entirely switch to clean energy, or rely less on energy from dirty power sources, your company is more resilient in tough times.

If facing an unpredictable scenario such as a complete power black-out, caused, for instance, by a faulty power station, you’ll either be minimally affected or not all.

When only partially relying on dirty power sources, you also have the option of switching these sources off during peak times when the cost of supply might be higher.

Builds company culture

Healthy company culture is linked to a host of benefits that positively influence a business’ bottom line.

By actively involving your team in an environmental cause, such as lowering your carbon footprint, you’ll have a collective sense of purpose that’s been proven to spark innovation and encourage growth.

Bulletproofs your company

Climate change impacts the global economy, and more and more countries are implementing stricter measures to curb carbon emissions.

By embracing a clean energy solution right now, your company is in the best possible position to adapt to new regulations as and when they’re implemented.

New marketing avenue

Attracting new customers is on any company’s to-do list. And one of the best ways is to launch a fresh marketing campaign. Even better when that marketing involves a “going green” initiative.

Latest studies done by IBM and the National Retail Federation show that a whopping 70% of consumers in the U.S. and Canada think it is important that a brand is sustainable.

Partner with SPH Solutions

Switching your business to a clean energy solution is easier when you partner with the right company. SPH Solutions provides a comprehensive plan that includes custom financing and contractual solutions that suit your unique needs. Don’t let a lack of capital stand between you and a flourishing business.

Contact our team of professionals for a free assessment and discover which solution is perfect for you.