Last week, our Managing Director, Tom Green, took the stage at the CPA Australia Conference in Hobart to speak on a topic that is shaping the future of sustainable business: energy efficiency. The message was clear. If Australia wants to reach its climate goals faster, we must focus on the energy we waste long before we think about the energy we produce.
For more than five years, Enginuity Power Solutions has helped organisations cut 6.5 million kilograms of CO₂ annually and save over $3.4 million in energy costs every year. These results reflect one simple truth: the cleanest, greenest, and safest energy is the energy we don’t use.

Why CPA Members Play a Critical Role in Achieving ESG Goals

CPA Australia (CPA) is the professional body representing more than 174,000 certified practising accountants and finance professionals across Australia and globally. As trusted advisors to business, CPA members sit at the heart of strategic financial decision‑making and are uniquely positioned to influence how organisations manage both cost and risk. With legislation such as the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Market Infrastructure and Other Measures) Act 2024 now in force – which mandates climate‑related financial disclosures in line with the new AASB S2 Climate‑Related Disclosures and broader Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards. Larger organisations face intensifying ESG‑reporting obligations. For CFOs and finance teams, the message is clear: energy efficiency isn’t just an operational fix – it’s a strategic lever for meeting regulatory, financial and sustainability goals. According to CPA Australia’s Integrated Report 2024, “Relevant individuals in the organisation have ESG related goals in their Personal Development Plans, the achievement of which is reflected in their
remuneration review and any incentive payment.“. CPA recognise the importance to its members, and so will be looking to companies like Enginuity Power Solutions to help meet their requirements. By reducing wasted energy, organisations can lower operating costs, improve power quality, and enhance reporting clarity – all under the watchful eye of stakeholders, regulators and markets growing ever more exacting.

Global Progress is Encouraging, but Efficiency Still Matters Most to CPA Members

Recently, the world celebrated an important milestone. For the first time in history, global renewable energy generation surpassed coal. It’s excellent news, and it shows meaningful progress. Yet Tom reminded the audience not to get too comfortable. Meeting our climate targets will take more than new solar farms and wind turbines. It will require us to rethink how we consume energy in the first place.
We cannot rely on new energy production if we continue wasting the energy we already have. And while renewables play a crucial role, they cannot compensate for inefficient systems running 24 hours a day.

What the International Energy Agency Says About the First Fuel

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has been clear for over a decade. We must accelerate both electrification and improvements in energy efficiency. In fact, in 2022, the former Executive Director of the IEA called energy efficiency the “world’s first fuel” and the most direct path to net zero.
Between 2010 and 2022, global efficiency improvements reduced emissions by almost 7 gigatonnes. That is equal to every car in the world running for an entire year. That’s emissions removed through smarter energy use.
Global investment tells a similar story. In 2024, the world spent around USD 660 billion on energy efficiency improvements. That total was higher than all investment in upstream oil and gas.

Enginuity Power Solutions have demonstrated how our unique approach to solution design supports an efficiency-first approach and helps bridge the gap between technical teams including electricians, and ESG managers.

The Hidden Giant: Energy Waste in Everyday Operations

When people imagine an energy transition, they often picture large solar arrays or wind turbines spinning in open fields. However, they rarely think about the outdated motors, compressors, pumps, and lighting running inside buildings every day.
Electric motors alone consume 45–50% of all electricity used globally. Many of these motors run constantly, regardless of demand. And although they power everything from HVAC systems to water pumps, countless motors still use technology developed decades ago. This is where the real opportunity lies.
Staying on point, it’s important to factor in the ‘real cost’ of manufacturing, transporting and installing large solar arrays or wind turbines. Progress is good, but before we throw off our thongs and go skipping through the flowers there is a lot more work to be done if we’re going to get close to hitting the climate targets.

A Practical Example: Saving 1.44 Million kWh Without Adding a Single Solar Panel

Consider a typical manufacturing site in Australia. It uses around 400,000 kWh each month. That equates to 4.8 million kWh every year. At today’s energy prices, the annual bill sits close to $600,000, and the associated emissions total around 2.9 million kilograms of CO₂.
When Enginuity applies an efficiency-first approach, the outcomes are striking. If we reduce that site’s energy use by just one third, we save 1.44 million kWh each year. That saving alone matches the output of a 1.3 MW solar system—achieved without installing a single solar panel.
The business would save $200,000 every year, and the planet would avoid 864,000 kilograms of CO₂ annually. In contrast, generating the same energy using solar would require 2,377 solar panels and 1.66 hectares of land.

Here are a few case studies to support the case for energy efficient solutions.

CPA Conference. Case Study 1: When Wasted Energy Cancels Out Renewables

Hobart Airport has been steadily strengthening its sustainability credentials, including the installation of a 100 kW solar array as part of its long-term commitment to reducing emissions. When Enginuity analysed the airport’s energy profile, they identified an opportunity to enhance these efforts even further. One freight hangar, that was using outdated discharge lighting, 24/7, was wasting almost the same amount of energy that was being generated by the new solar array. If a solar system simply offsets energy that never needed to be used, can we call that a sustainable outcome? By upgrading the outdated lighting in the hangar to high-efficiency LED lighting with smart controls, the airport achieved significant energy savings with a 15-month payback period for the new lighting installation, which assisted to reducing the six-year payback period for the solar array investment.

This improvement forms part of Hobart Airport’s broader strategy to optimise the precinct’s infrastructure as it grows. Enginuity has since supported multiple initiatives — including electric vehicle charging infrastructure and real-time energy monitoring projects — helping the airport reduce consumption, improve resilience and deliver measurable sustainability gains across its expanding operations.

CPA Conference. Case Study 2: Replacing Motors Delivers Energy and Economic Savings

One of Australia’s large aquaculture operators faced rising energy costs due to pumps running continuously. After analysing the site, Enginuity recommended replacing a single asynchronous motor with a modern synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) and adding variable speed drives.
The results were immediate.

• 42% energy reduction
• $177,000 annual savings
• 2-year ROI

When the solution was scaled across their wider operations, annual savings reached 1,178,836 kWh. This reduction equalled the annual energy needed to power 169 Australian homes and led to 212,190 kilograms of CO₂-e avoided each year.
To offset the same emissions with solar, the business would have needed 2–3 hectares of land. Watch to learn how replacing a motor can reduce power consumption and contribute to sustainability.

CPA Conference. Case Study 3: Efficiency Helps to Avoid a $600,000 Upgrade

United Plastics needed more capacity to expand production. Their initial belief was that they needed a $600,000 infrastructure upgrade with no return on investment. Instead, Enginuity delivered a comprehensive efficiency solution combining:

• Static VAR Generators
• Variable speed drives
• Optimised compressor and pump systems
• Compressed air leak detection

The result?

• 350 amps per phase of load reduction
• Infrastructure upgrade avoided
• $43,000 annual energy savings
• 120 tonnes of CO₂ reduced each year
• ROI in under four months

This case reflects what we see across Australia: removing waste often unlocks more capacity than adding new infrastructure. Learn more here.

The Business Case for Efficiency Is Strong And Growing Stronger

Efficiency improvements usually pay back within two to three years. In some cases, such as United Plastics, the return comes far sooner. Solar PV systems often require seven years or more before delivering net financial gains.
Yet the benefits of efficiency go far beyond cost savings. They include:

• Longer equipment life
• Reduced maintenance
• Improved power quality
• Lower peak demand
• Increased electrical capacity for future expansion
• Stronger ESG performance and reporting integrity

The World Needs Efficiency to Meet Net Zero Targets

The IEA’s recent report highlights a sobering truth. To reach net zero by 2050, the world must double the rate of efficiency improvements by 2030. However, current progress is falling short. In 2024, primary energy intensity improved by only 1%, well below the pace needed.
The opportunity is enormous. In the IEA’s Net Zero Scenario, global investment in efficient buildings, industry, and transport must rise from USD 660 billion today to USD 1.9 trillion by 2030.
In the past week (November 2025) policy makers wrestle with their stand on net zero locally. Regardless of the outcomes, as governments reassess their net-zero strategies, businesses cannot afford to wait for clarity. Energy costs remain volatile, and the transition to renewables will take time. This is not only a climate imperative but a once-in-a-generation economic opportunity.

Energy Efficiency Is the Smartest Fuel for CPA Members

Tom ended his keynote address to CPA members with a message that resonated with everyone across the room:
“Anyone that consumes energy can consume it better.”
With a curious mind and the right data, opportunities to reduce waste appear everywhere. When more organisations take this approach, the collective results become extraordinary.
As we continue helping Australian businesses future-proof their operations, our mission remains clear: reduce wasted energy, lower operating costs, and protect the environment through the smartest fuel we have. Efficiency.
If your organisation is ready to uncover hidden opportunities and achieve real, measurable results, our team is here to help.