Published

1 year ago

May 28, 2024

Alice Rush

Sustainable practices help the environment, support economic growth, and strengthen communities.

While sustainability might seem challenging for businesses, many companies worldwide have found long-term benefits by focusing on the 3 pillars of sustainability. So, why are they important?

Sustainability is more than just being green. It involves looking at social, economic, and environmental impacts.

The three pillars of sustainability aim to create a balance where people and nature can live together to meet the needs of both present and future generations.

This policy has led to business strategies that benefit the economy, protect the environment, and promote social fairness. For example, green buildings save energy and money over time.

These business strategies show how sustainability can help businesses succeed while protecting natural resources and supporting communities.

What are the 3 Pillars of Sustainability?

Corporate sustainability means running a business that creates long-term value for shareholders, employees, customers, and society by using responsible environmental, social, and economic strategies.

Let’s talk about the three pillars now!

Environmental Protection (Environment Pillar)

Natural resources are essential for the economy because they provide the materials required for manufacturing and production. The environment supports many aspects of modern life, such as transportation and food.

The concept of sustainable development, introduced in the 1980s, means meeting today’s needs while hindering future generations from meeting theirs.

This involves ensuring clean air and water, conserving resources, and restoring ecosystems. The United Nations has set 17 Sustainable Development Goals to encourage global action.

Facilities managers, real estate owners, contractors, and engineers must protect the environment. In many places, this duty is enforced by law through federal or state regulations.

Businesses must include measures like wastewater treatment and emissions reduction in their operations. Following these regulations and adopting extra sustainability practices can improve efficiency and profitability.

Economic Viability (Economic Pillar)

Economic viability means an economy’s ability to maintain production levels over time. It includes job creation, social well-being, eco-friendly market practices, sustainability costs, government support for sustainable business practices, and the overall health of people and the environment.

Practically, economic viability is also about having successful, enduring businesses. Due to its fair business model, the company recovered and grew more substantial.

A crucial part of economic viability is thinking about long-term effects. If a company focuses only on short-term profits, it might use up natural resources, harming its prospects.

Wise business leaders understand that their long-term success depends on these resources and create business models that promote sustainability.

Social Equity (Social Pillar)

Social sustainability and equity focus on the long-term health and well-being of social systems, whether global, national, local or within an organization.

This includes human health, education, environmental justice, and maintaining a sustainable balance for everyone involved. Paying attention to these factors helps people and the environment thrive together, supporting economic and environmental goals.

Businesses can ensure long-term sustainability by incorporating best practices into their supply chains, manufacturing processes, and working conditions and supporting their communities.

Businesses that allow pollution endangers public health or exploit workers with low wages or forced labor risk failing.

Implementing sustainable practices that provide fair wages, safety measures, and social support helps reduce conflict and poverty, leading to long-term success for the business and the community.

These pillars evaluate a company’s sustainability and allow us to determine how close an organization is to sustainability.

As a result, a sustainable company maintains its previous development level at the end of its evaluation or promotes activities to improve the level in all three areas.

The three pillars of sustainability must interact harmoniously because sustainability cannot exist without them. Each pillar demonstrates a context in which sustainability is applied while relying on others to support itself.

The Intersection of the 3 Principles

The three principles of sustainability are connected and depend on each other. Achieving true sustainability means taking a comprehensive approach that considers the interactions between the environment, society, and the economy.

When these principles work together, they create a strong foundation for lasting positive change.

For example, businesses that use environmentally sustainable practices can reduce their impact on the environment, create green jobs, and support local communities, enhancing social sustainability.

Investing in renewable energy and adopting circular economy practices, which also benefit the environment, can improve economic sustainability.

Understanding Corporate Sustainability

Corporate sustainability practices are often grouped under ESG, which stands for environmental, social, and governance practices. Companies use ESG to reduce their environmental impact and achieve goals that benefit society. For investors, this aligns with SRI or socially responsible investing.

Sustainability is about meeting today’s needs without harming future generations’ ability to meet theirs. Companies practice sustainability by using fewer limited resources or finding alternatives that have less environmental impact.

The three main pillars of sustainability are environmental care, social responsibility, and economic cooperation, also known as people, planet, and profit.

The Impact of Sustainability

The main question for investors and executives is whether sustainability benefits a company. When done right, it can be very advantageous. Sustainability strategies often draw from successful business practices.

Sustainability gives companies a larger purpose and new goals to aim for. It helps them renew their focus on efficiency, sustainable growth, and shareholder value.

A public sustainability strategy can also bring intangible benefits, like goodwill and a better reputation. If it helps a company get credit for positive actions it is already taking, it’s beneficial.

For some companies, sustainability is a way to organize various efforts under one concept and gain public recognition. For others, it means addressing practices that might harm their operations.

Sustainability and a public commitment to it might become as crucial as compliance for publicly traded companies.

How to Implement Corporate Sustainability

In today’s world, aiming for corporate sustainability can be beneficial for a company, its employees, customers, shareholders, the community, and the planet. When thinking about sustainability, consider the three pillars.

Here are some simple steps to help you plan a corporate sustainability program or project:

Understand the Basics: Learn about the principles of people, planet, purpose, and profit, and plan to integrate them into your company culture.
Evaluate Your Business: Look at your current business needs, goals, and opportunities. Identify which sustainability goals fit your priorities.
Create a Mission Statement: Develop a mission statement that aligns with your sustainability goals to guide your company’s direction.
Get Leadership Support: Ensure top leaders and managers are on board with your sustainability plans.
Engage Stakeholders: Seek feedback from shareholders, employees, suppliers, partners, customers, and the community. Make sure they understand the benefits of sustainable practices.
Set Strategies: Develop strategies to achieve your sustainability goals.
Track Progress: Choose a method for tracking changes and results and assign staff to manage this process. Consider offering performance incentives to meet sustainability-related goals.

Why Apply These Pillars Within Your Company?

Using the three pillars of sustainable development in your company benefits both your business operations and your responsible management policy (CSR).

Social Pillar: Ensure Employee Well-Being

Promoting social values within your company helps ensure the well-being of your employees. When employees are happy at work, they are more likely to stay longer and contribute positively to the company’s dynamic.

Ethical actions and good practices create a better society, making the social pillar crucial for sustainable development.

Economic Pillar: Optimize Your Budget

Adopting responsible production methods, such as recycling, reducing waste, and using renewable materials, can lower expenses while promoting sustainable consumption.

Efficient resource management and reusing waste in new production lines can optimize budgets and resources, making the economic pillar vital for achieving success in sustainable development.

Environmental Pillar: Improve Your CSR Strategy

Incorporating environmental goals into your company’s management is critical for corporate social responsibility (CSR).

While legally required for companies with over 500 employees, a strong CSR strategy is beneficial for all businesses, enhancing eco-friendly practices and improving brand image.

The environmental pillar is essential for creating a sustainable world and combating climate change.

What is Sustainability Reporting, and Why is it Important?

Sustainability reporting is when companies share their progress in protecting the environment, treating people fairly, and managing their operations responsibly.

They tell stakeholders about their efforts and their effects on sustainability, like how much they pollute, what social programs they’re involved in, and how they’re governed.

This information usually appears in yearly reports or separate sustainability reports that mix financial and non-financial details.

It’s crucial for a few reasons:

Transparency: It lets everyone know how well a company is doing with sustainability, giving insight into their practices and impacts.

Accountability: By reporting on sustainability, companies are held responsible for what they’re doing and are encouraged to get better at it over time.

Engaging Stakeholders: It helps companies connect with stakeholders like investors, customers, and communities by showing them what they’re doing to be sustainable.

Managing Risks: Sustainability reporting helps companies spot and handle risks related to climate change or social issues, which can affect their long-term performance.

Gaining an Edge: Companies with good sustainability performance can stand out from the competition, attracting investors, customers, and employees who care about ethical practices.

For more sustainable information, keep an eye on Cyanergy.

Your Solution Is Just a Click Away

The post 3 Pillars Of Sustainability: Why Are They Important? appeared first on Cyanergy.

https://cyanergy.com.au/blog/3-pillars-of-sustainability-why-are-they-important/

Renewable Energy

ACORE Statement on Treasury’s Safe Harbor Guidance

Published

3 days ago

August 15, 2025

Alice Rush

ACORE Statement on Treasury’s Safe Harbor Guidance

August 15, 2025

Statement from American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) President and CEO Ray Long on Treasury’s Safe Harbor Guidance:

“The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is deeply concerned that today’s Treasury guidance on the long-standing ‘beginning of construction’ safe harbor significantly undermines its proven effectiveness, is inconsistent with the law, and creates unnecessary uncertainty for renewable energy development in the United States.

“For over a decade, the safe harbor provisions have served as clear, accountable rules of the road – helping to reduce compliance burdens, foster private investment, and ensure taxpayer protections. These guardrails have been integral to delivering affordable, reliable American clean energy while maintaining transparency and adherence to the rule of law. This was recognized in the One Big Beautiful Act, which codified the safe harbor rules, now changed by this action.

“We need to build more power generation now, and that includes renewable energy. The U.S. will need roughly 118 gigawatts (the equivalent of 12 New York Cities) of new power generation in the next four years to prevent price spikes and potential shortages. Only a limited set of technologies – solar, wind, batteries, and some natural gas – can be built at that scale in that timeframe.”

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ABOUT ACORE

For over 20 years, the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) has been the nation’s leading voice on the issues most essential to clean energy expansion. ACORE unites finance, policy, and technology to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. For more information, please visit http://www.acore.org.

Media Contacts:
Stephanie Genco
Senior Vice President, Communications
American Council on Renewable Energy
genco@acore.org

The post ACORE Statement on Treasury’s Safe Harbor Guidance appeared first on ACORE.

https://acore.org/news/acore-statement-on-treasurys-safe-harbor-guidance/

Renewable Energy

Should I Get a Solar Battery Storage System?

Published

4 days ago

August 15, 2025

Alice Rush

Frequent power outages, unreliable grid connection, sky-high electricity bills, and to top it off, your solar panels are exporting excess energy back to the grid, for a very low feed-in-tariff.

Do all these scenarios sound familiar? Your answer might be yes!

These challenges have become increasingly common across Australia, encouraging more and more homeowners to consider solar battery storage systems.

Why? Because they want to take control of their energy, store surplus solar power, and reduce reliance on the grid.

But then again, people often get perplexed, and their biggest question remains: Should I get a Solar Battery Storage System in Australia?

Well, the answer can be yes in many cases, such as a battery can offer energy independence, ensure better bill savings, and provide peace of mind during unexpected power outages, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.

There are circumstances where a battery may not be necessary or even cost-effective.

In this guide, we’ll break down when it makes sense and all the pros and cons you need to know before making the investment.

In this blog post:

Why You Need Battery Storage Now?

According to data, Australia has surpassed 3.9 million rooftop solar installations, generating more than 37 GW of PV capacity, which is about 20% of electricity in the National Electricity Market in 2024 and early 2025.

Undoubtedly, the country’s strong renewable energy targets, sustainability goals, and the clean‑energy revolution have brought solar power affordability, but the next step in self‑reliance is battery storage.

Data from The Guardian says that 1 in 5 new solar installs in 2025 now includes a home battery, versus 1 in 20 just a few years ago, representing a significant leap in adoption.

Moreover, the recent launch of the Cheaper Home Batteries program has driven this uptake even further, with over 11,500 battery units installed in just the first three weeks from July 1, and around 1,000 installations per day.

Overall, the Australian energy market is evolving rapidly. Average household battery size has climbed to about 17 kWh from 10–12 kWh previously.

Hence, the experts are assuming that 10 GW of new battery capacity will be added over the next five years, competing with Australia’s current coal‑fired capacity.

What Am I Missing Out on Without Solar Batteries?

Honestly? You’re missing out on the best part of going solar.

Renewable sources of energy like solar, hydro, and wind make us feel empowered. For example, solar batteries lower your electricity bills, minimize grid dependency, and also help to reduce your carbon footprint.

But here’s the catch! Without battery storage, you’re only halfway there!

The true magic of solar power isn’t just in producing clean energy; it’s storing and using it efficiently.

A solar battery lets you store excess energy and use it when the sun goes down or the grid goes out. It’s the key to real energy independence. Therefore, ultimately, getting a battery is what makes your solar system truly yours.

Here’s a list of what you’re missing out on without a solar battery:

Energy Independence

Batteries help you to stay powered even during blackouts or grid failures. With energy storage, you don’t have to think of fuel price volatility and supply-demand disruption in the Australian energy market.

Maximized Savings

Adding a solar battery to your solar PV system allows you to use your own stored energy at night instead of repurchasing it at high rates. It also reduces grid pressure during peak hours, restoring grid stability.

Better Return on Investment ROI

Tired of Australian low feed-in-tariff rates?

Make full use of your solar system by storing excess power at a low price rather than exporting it. Solar panel and battery systems can be a powerful duo for Australian households.

Lower Carbon Footprint

Despite the steady growth in solar, wind, and hydro, fossil fuels still dominate the grid. Fossil fuels supplied approximately 64% of Australia’s total electricity generation, while coal alone accounted for around 45%.

These stats highlight why solar battery storage is so valuable. By storing surplus solar energy, homeowners can reduce their reliance on a grid that still runs on coal and gas.

Peace of Mind

Enjoy 24/7 uninterrupted power, no matter what’s happening outside.

Besides powering urban homes and businesses, batteries also provide reliable power backup for off-grid living at night when your solar panel can’t produce, ensuring peace of mind.

What Size Solar Battery Do I Need?

While choosing the battery size, it isn’t just about picking the biggest one you can afford; it’s about matching your household’s energy consumption pattern. There is no one-size battery that will make financial or functional sense for everyone.

Nevertheless, if you have an average family of four with no exceptional power demands, you may get by with a 10kWh to 12kWh battery bank as a ready-to-roll backup system.

Well, this is just an estimation, as we have no idea of your power needs, because selecting a battery is highly subjective to the household in question.

With that being said, you can get a good idea of how much power you use on average by analyzing your electric bill copy. Also, keeping track of which appliances you use the most and which ones require the most power will help you.

So, to figure out the ideal battery size for your home, you need to consider three most important things:

Your Daily Energy Usage

Check your electricity bill for your average daily consumption (in kWh). Most Australian homes use between 15 to 25 kWh per day.

Your Solar System Output

How much excess solar energy are you generating during the day? That’s the power you’ll store to use later rather than exporting.

Your Nighttime Power Usage

A battery is most useful at night or during grid outages. So, estimate how much power you typically use after sunset. However, by using a battery, you can also get the freedom of living off the grid.

Sizing Up: The Ideal Home Battery for Aussies!

For small households and light usage, a 5 kWh battery will be suitable.

For average Australian households, adding a 10 kWh battery would be enough.

Large homes and high-energy users will need a 13 to 15 kWh system.

For full independence, off-grid living, or blackout protection, you may require a larger battery size of 20+ kWh.

Want help calculating your exact needs? Just drop your daily usage and solar output, and we’ll do the math for you! Cyanergy is here to help!

Sizing Up: The Ideal Home Battery for Aussies!

For small households and light usage, a 5 kWh battery will be suitable.

For average Australian households, adding a 10 kWh battery would be enough.

Large homes and high-energy users will need a 13 to 15 kWh system.

For full independence, off-grid living, or blackout protection, you may require a larger battery size of 20+ kWh.

Want help calculating your exact needs? Just drop your daily usage and solar output, and we’ll do the math for you! Cyanergy is here to help!

How Much Do Solar Batteries Cost?

Previously, you would have to pay between $3000 and $3600 for the battery alone, plus the cost of installation, for every kWh of solar battery storage.

However, you can currently expect to pay between $1200 and $1400 for each kWh of solar battery storage. That is a price reduction of approximately 52%, and things will only get better from here.

Does that imply solar batteries are cheap now? Not really, but the cost is well justified by the pros of having a battery storage system.

Also, while paying for solar batteries, you have to consider many other factors like the type of battery, your solar panel system configurations and compatibility, brand, and installation partner.

These will significantly influence the price range of battery storage.

Is a Solar Battery Worth It | Pros and Cons at a Glance

It’s okay to feel a little overwhelmed while deciding to invest your hard-earned money in a battery.

So, here we’ve listed the pros and cons of having a solar battery to help you in the decision-making process.

Benefits of Solar Battery Storage

Solar batteries help you become self-sustaining.

You don’t have to care about power outages anymore

In the event of any natural disaster, you will still have a power source

Battery prices are dropping significantly as we speak

During peak hours, grid electricity prices increase due to high demand; you can avoid paying a high price and use your battery. It’s essentially free energy, as solar generates energy from the sun.

Reduced carbon footprint as the battery stores energy from a renewable source.

Advantages of battery for the grid and national energy system:

Batteries support Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). In 2025, consumers get financial bonuses (AUD 250‑400) for joining, plus grid benefits via distributed dispatchable power.

Grid‑scale batteries like Victoria Big Battery or Hornsdale Power Reserve are increasing system resilience by storing large amounts of renewable energy and reducing blackout risk.

Drawbacks of Solar Battery Storage

One of the biggest barriers is that solar batteries have a high upfront cost, which makes installation harder for residents.

Home batteries require physical space, proper ventilation, and can’t always be placed just anywhere, especially in smaller homes or apartments.

Most batteries, like lithium-ion batteries, last 5 to 15 years, meaning they may need replacement during your solar system’s lifetime.

While many systems are low-maintenance, some may require software updates, monitoring, or even professional servicing over time.

Battery production involves mining and processing materials like lithium or lead, which raise environmental and ethical concerns.

Should You Buy a Solar Battery?: Here’s the Final Call!

You should consider buying a solar battery if several key factors align with your situation.

First, it’s a strong financial move if you live in a state where federal and state incentives can significantly reduce the upfront cost. This can make the investment far more affordable.

A solar battery can be especially worthwhile if you value having backup power during outages, lowering your electricity bills, and gaining a measure of energy independence from the grid.

Additionally, you should be comfortable with taking a few extra steps to get the most value out of your system, such as joining a virtual power plant (VPP), which allows your battery to participate in grid services in exchange for modest returns.

Finally, it’s worth noting that rebates decline annually, and early adopters get the most value.

Takeaway Thoughts

Installing a solar battery in Australia in mid‑2025 offers substantial financial, environmental, and energy‑security benefits, especially if you qualify for multiple subsidies and have good solar capacity.

With rebates shrinking after 2025 and demand surging, early movers stand to benefit most.

By helping balance the grid and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, home battery adoption contributes significantly to Australia’s national goals of 82% renewable energy by 2030.

It’s not just about savings; it’s about being part of a smarter, cleaner, more resilient electricity future for Australia.

Looking for CEC-accredited local installers?

Your Solution Is Just a Click Away

The post Should I Get a Solar Battery Storage System? appeared first on Cyanergy.

Should I Get a Solar Battery Storage System?

Renewable Energy

Wine Grapes and Climate Change

Published

4 days ago

August 14, 2025

Alice Rush

I just spoke with a guy in the wine industry, and I asked him how, if at all, climate change is affecting what we does.

From his perspective, it’s the horrific wildfires whose smoke imbues (or “taints”) the grapes with an unpleasant flavor that needs to be modified, normally by creative methods of blending.