Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Roadmap to Neutrality – What Foundational Questions Need Answering to Determine One’s Ideal Decarbonisation Strategy

Version 1 : Received: 8 February 2022 / Approved: 9 February 2022 / Online: 9 February 2022 (10:52:06 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Buettner, S.M. Roadmap to Neutrality—What Foundational Questions Need Answering to Determine One’s Ideal Decarbonisation Strategy. Energies 2022, 15, 3126. Buettner, S.M. Roadmap to Neutrality—What Foundational Questions Need Answering to Determine One’s Ideal Decarbonisation Strategy. Energies 2022, 15, 3126.

Abstract

Considering increasingly ambitious pledges by countries, pressure from society, investors, and clients further up the supply chain, the question for companies is not so much whether to take decarbonisation action, but what action and by when. However, determining an ideal mix of measures to apply ‘decarbonisation efficiency’ requires more than knowledge of technically feasible measures and how to combine them to achieve the most economic outcome: In this paper, the author describes seven aspects which heavily influence the composition of an ‘ideal mix’ that executive leadership needs to take a (strategic) position on. These aspects consider underlying motivations and span across (socio-)economic, technical, regulatory, strategic, corporate culture and environmental factors and further underline the necessity of clarity of definitions. How these decisions influence the determination of the decarbonisation-efficient ideal mix of measures, both in principle but also in terms of specific impact is further explored by providing examples. What choices are taken by German manufacturers in several of the aspects is disclosed by insights from about 850 responses to the ‘Energy Efficiency Index of German Industry’. Knowledge of the status quo, and clarity in definitions, objectives, time frames and scope are key.

Keywords

decarbonisation; climate neutrality; industrial energy saving; strategic decision making; net-zero; roadmapping; energy efficiency; ideal mix; energy efficiency index

Subject

Engineering, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

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