Introduction to Panel 5 Business models and financing: established practice and innovative approaches

摘要

As demonstrated in the Report of the Energy Efficiency Financial Institutions Group ("EEFIG"), energy efficiency investment potential in industry is still not fully utilised, due to various factors stemming from low understanding of value that such investments can bring, through business models that still do not incorporate the benefits of smart energy management to limited access to appropriate and attractive finance. In the corporate sector, the key issue considered when investment decisions are made is the payback - the shorter, the better. While such traditional investment behaviour has its merits, it needs to evolve and enable valuing the benefits that energy efficiency brings. This panel has addressed the key issues for discovering and utilising the direct and indirect benefits of energy efficiency across the production value chain. Starting with presentations of innovative methods for investment decision making, through practical ways to increase knowledge and trust towards non-core but connected energy efficiency investments the panel has further offered promising tools to improve the market conditions and concrete model solutions and contracting methods for industrial corporates as well as SMEs.