Most firms ambivalent about energy control

Most businesses are focused on suppliers, customers and their brand, when 15 per cent cost reductions are only a light switch away, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority says.

EECA research shows 60 per cent of businesses are ambivalent, or worse, about energy management.

EECA chief executive Mike Underhill said the key problem was having time to think about it, made worse by tough market conditions.

"Business today just has so many things that are top of mind, how do you make space for energy?"

The challenge was the main issue stopping EECA from turning its key message into action, but Mr Underhill said changing the incentives was a potential winner.

"Energy efficiency used to be a bit boring, but good for the country so you did it. Now people are saying it actually makes sense."

The drivers had changed; it was no longer about how many kilowatts you saved.

Households were interested in striving for better health, businesses in saving money and export industries liked the effect on their brands.

"The main hurdle is awareness, the second hurdle is [understanding] that it is actually good for the bottom line. The key paradigm shift for us is to sell it on the other things and get the energy savings at the same time," Mr Underhill said.

The research showed a fifth of businesses were in the "don't waste my time" bracket, while a quarter were aiming to improve energy usage and about 16 per cent were keen but needed to be shown how, Mr Underhill said.

Working with industry bodies and proving the case through businesses making real gains was the only way to convince companies, he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News