Building a Greener Future: Investing in Renewable Energy and Clean Technology
Green concerns have always been a major part of the international conversation, as engineers and energy scientists together intuit new, efficient ways for us to power our power-hungry societies. Recently, though, this conversation has become more important than ever before.
The stakes in relation to green energy and clean technology have been well-stated, but there are additional incentives for businesses considering investment in green sectors. What are they?
The Renewable Energy Revolution
Renewable energy is not a new concept, and indeed, has been an active part of international energy infrastructure for decades now. Renewable energy, of course, describes the various sources of energy that do not rely on depletable resources like fossil fuels – which not only threaten the liveability of Earth through their emissive by-products, but are also functionally impossible to replenish.
The worsening state of the global climate, as greenhouse gas emissions continue to cause rising temperatures and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, has led to growing concern on the part of climate sciences, nation governments and the wider global public. Renewable alternatives to fossil fuels have become all the more important for countries to invest in, as a direct response to the challenge of our times.
Simultaneously, rising geopolitical tensions have demonstrated the feeble state of international fossil fuel supply chains. This, coupled with their global scarcity, has created fresh fears around the possibility of energy supply disruption – and the vital need for self-supplied and self-sufficient energy.
Clean Technology Innovations
With an increased focus on renewable energy as the inevitable future of energy supply, technological innovations with regard to facilitating renewable energy – collectively referred to as ‘clean technologies’ – are being developed with growing quickness.
This is most visibly evidenced in the swift iterative development of large-scale battery cell arrays, enabling electric vehicles to extend both power and range considerably. Less visibly, innovations across sectors are serving to improve efficiency and set the stage for a smart future.
Investment Benefits for Businesses
Investing in green energy and clean technology can take two distinct forms. For one, a business might position its stock portfolio around sustainable investing, in order to passively benefit from the growth of sectors destined to become existentially important for modern society.
Alternatively, businesses might actively and directly invest in products and services from specific enterprises in the green sector, to improve their own carbon footprint, reject reliance on fossil fuels, and effect an early transition into a clean future.
The benefits associated with either approach are significant and well-documented. On top of the financial incentives presented by a diverse and sustainable portfolio, investment can improve a given business’ ‘green credentials’, making for positive PR. The moral element to green and clean investment cannot be ignored, and any assistance a business can give to hastening development of clean technologies will be vital in the fight for a sustainable society.