Expert View – Supporting the energy transition

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has long recognised energy efficiency as the “first fuel” of the global energy system, stating that the energy transition must be led by an energy efficiency first principle (1). This approach makes sense when you consider that over two-thirds of the primary energy produced today is often wasted before it gets to the point of use (2). These challenges are borne out of inefficiencies which exist in the process of extraction, conversion, generation, transmission, and distribution of non-renewable energy. Furthermore, energy is associated with circa 80% of human-made greenhouse gas emissions, most of which comes from buildings, industry, and transport.  

Fortunately, with advancements in technology there are now a range of solutions available which have been commercially proven to significantly improve energy efficiency for businesses. This is what makes energy efficiency a sustainable endeavour… it is no longer a zero-sum game!  Investments no longer come at the expense of other actions which could improve business productivity. At the same time, businesses are able to drive lower operational emissions, and improve energy security! 

Below we have focused on three specific areas where BPCE EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS is able to combine knowledge, experience and expertise, to help clients in their energy transition and energy efficiency optimisation journeys: 

• Increasing on-site or near-site renewable power generation 
  e.g. Solar, On-Shore Wind Turbines, CHP (combine heat & power) / Co-Gen Assets, Biomass Boilers, Biogas Production. 
• Demand-side energy conservation 
  e.g. LED Lighting, Heat Pumps, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Aair Conditioning), Non HFC (HydroFluoroCarbonures) Refrigerants, Mobile Energy Storage. 
• Accelerating the Electrification of Transport 
  e.g. EV, BEV’s (battery electric vehicles), Charging Infrastructure for EV (electric vehicle) and FCEV (fuel cell electric vehicle).

BPCE EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS’s role in facilitating the energy transition lies in supporting manufacturers, partners, and customers (both SME’s and Corporates) with innovative, flexible, and scalable financing solutions for a range of different assets and services which can help to drive increases in energy efficiency. With sustainability in mind, we leverage a network of partnerships to make sure that our assets are not only maintained throughout their life cycle, but recycled, refurbished, and redeployed where possible in a 2nd, 3rd or even 4th useful life to drive the optimal resource efficiency possible.   

In the last 12 months alone, BPCE EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS has supported several projects, ranging from the financing of Solar Farms in Poland, LED Street Lighting Projects for Spanish Municipalities, Mobile Battery Storage Equipment for use in the UK Construction market, and the financing of Electric Transportation Assets across the DACH region.   

(1) Perspectives for the Energy Transition: The Role of Energy Efficiency (www.iea.org)
(2) The Edge – How competition for resources is pushing the world, and its climate, to the brink (Jonathan Maxwell)