CURBING CORPORATE DEMAND-SIDE EMISSIONS: A CRITICAL PATHWAY TO NET ZERO

Author:
Bernard Arogyaswamy

Doi: 10.26480/egnes.02.2024.93.99

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

One of the pathways pursued to achieve Net Zero Emissions (NZE) has been through a sharp rise in renewable energy (RE) installations, which has not proved adequate. Corporate innovation could help slash demand-side emissions. Using the Avoid-Shift-Improve (A-S-I) methodology originally developed for policymakers, we address demand side emissions in four sectors-electricity, transportation, industry, and buildings. Increasing digitalization by corporations helps address areas where electricity is wasted, combine REs with their existing energy mix, and optimize the cost-risk-emission mix. In transportation, challenges faced by companies transitioning to EVs are discussed particularly with reference to battery production, charging, and recycling, public transit, remote work, and reconfiguring future city design. Industry includes consumer and industrial goods. Scope 3 emissions, circularity, and hard-to-decarbonize areas are analyzed. Emission reduction arising from building heating and cooling, and construction, are discussed particularly for steel and concrete. Though the investments needed to implement these A-S-I strategies are massive, the returns to business and society, even if not immediate, would be sufficient to justify the initial outlays.

Pages 93-99
Year 2024
Issue 2
Volume 3