Energy efficiency is becoming less and less about direct energy cost reduction and more about meeting demands of customers and governments.

A recently published article Who Invests in Energy Efficiency? by American Council for an energy efficient economy sums up a range of studies about driving of energy efficiency investment in business.

It comes out energy cost is less of a driver of energy efficiency investment.

Rapidly growing in importance drivers of energy efficiency are customer demand and regulations, not CEO values or company culture, not even cost savings. Energy efficiency is becoming recognised (should I say “at last”?) as means to creating business value way above direct cost savings. Bob Willard has been bringing attention to this aspect for years. The trend he predicted is becoming a reality.

We are entering a new territory now. Now it’s serious. Now energy efficiency is vital for business: laws of market and laws of state have joined the forces.