What happens when you gather Australia’s top electrical professionals in Kyoto to challenge the status quo on energy? You get one powerful message: energy efficiency must come first.

A Paradigm Shift in Energy Thinking

At this year’s NECA Conference in Kyoto, Tom Green, Managing Director of Enginuity Power Solutions, delivered a keynote that disrupted the usual narrative. The National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) — Australia’s peak industry body representing over 6,500 electrical and communications contracting businesses — brings together the industry’s brightest minds annually to explore emerging trends and technologies shaping the sector’s future.

While many conversations in the energy space fixate on solar farms, wind turbines, and even nuclear futures, Tom invited the industry to look inwards — at the energy we’re wasting every day.

“I was invited to speak to the group on energy efficiency, which is obviously our core business and what’s closest to our heart,” Tom explained. “The idea of my presentation was to enforce a paradigm shift and get people to challenge their assumptions — to consider how energy efficiency can and should go hand in hand with the deployment of renewable energy.”

The Hidden Cost of Energy Waste

His message was clear: generating energy from renewables is not always the right solution, especially if we continue wasting what we already have. Tom pointed to the project at Hobart Airport — a site celebrated for its 100kW solar array. But beneath the surface, Enginuity’s analysis revealed something startling.

“The energy wasted by inefficient lighting in one building equaled the entire production of 100 kW of solar panels,” Tom revealed. This isn’t mere hyperbole — it’s quantifiable waste. “If the solar array is simply offsetting a blatant waste of energy, can we really say there is a benefit to the deployment of the system?”

The numbers tell a compelling story: a 100kW solar array produces approximately 110,000 kWh per year, while the outdated discharge lighting running 24/7 in a single hangar was wasting nearly 100,000 kWh annually. Even more striking was the return on investment — upgrading to efficient LED lighting would pay for itself in just 15 months, compared to the solar array’s six-year payback period.

Real-World Impact Across Industries

This isn’t an isolated example. Across the country, systems are running inefficiently, and businesses are unaware of the costs — both environmental and financial. Tom shared real-world case studies where smart upgrades, like replacing legacy motors with modern high-efficiency units, delivered savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year — all without expanding grid demand or requiring hectares of land.

At an aquaculture business, for instance, replacing a single asynchronous motor with a synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) and adding variable speed drives reduced energy consumption by 42%, saving approximately $177,000 annually with a two-year ROI. When scaled across operations, these changes saved 1.17 million kWh annually — enough to power 169 Australian homes and cut 212,190 kg of CO₂ emissions.

The equivalent solar installation would require 922 kW of panels covering 2-3 hectares of land — roughly the size of a small suburb with 60 homes.

Similar efficiency gains were found at Tasmania’s iconic Cadbury factory, where oversized motors in compressor applications were identified and replaced with appropriately sized, high-efficiency alternatives. The result? A reduction of 1.2 million kilowatt hours of energy consumption — enough to power over 180 Australian homes and cut CO₂ emissions by 240,000 kg.

From the Main Stage to Meaningful Conversations

Away from the main sessions, Tom reflected on some of the big themes explored at the conference — especially around workforce transformation. A standout moment was a fireside discussion exploring how the electrical industry can better attract and support diverse talent.

“One of the big takeaways was around the future training and development of the industry — we’re not doing a great job of attracting the other 50% of the population,” Tom noted. “There’s this whole other side to what we do that’s beyond pliers and screwdrivers. We need to start selling the opportunity in this industry much better.”

These insights reflect Enginuity’s broader mission — not just to reduce carbon emissions and energy waste, but to evolve the systems and people behind the work. It’s about future-proofing the industry, not just sustaining it.

A Moment to Pause — and Reflect

With the formalities of the conference complete, Tom had his first opportunity to explore Japan — a moment to reflect on the global context of the work Enginuity is doing.

“It’s my first time in Japan and the first impression is — it’s incredible. The architecture, the gardens, the green space — it reminds me a bit of Australia. We’re hoping to immerse ourselves now that the formalities are over — visit temples, see the grand sumo tournament, and get lost in the culture of Kyoto and Tokyo.”

It was a chance to breathe, absorb, and appreciate the way another country approaches harmony between built and natural environments — a principle that aligns closely with Enginuity’s energy ethos.

Energy Efficiency Isn’t Optional — It’s Essential

The message Tom brought to NECA 2025 wasn’t just technical — it was urgent. With energy prices climbing and net zero targets closing in, the case for energy efficiency is stronger than ever.

“Anyone that consumes energy can consume it better.”

This belief sits at the heart of Enginuity Power Solutions — that better thinking, better measurement, and better design can dramatically reduce our energy footprint before we even start talking about generation.

The presentation challenged the industry to rethink its approach: “Is generating more renewable energy always the right answer, or should we first address the energy we’re wasting?” As Tom pointed out, “Wasting energy is akin to a leak. If your family car was leaking fuel, would you find a ‘cleaner’ fuel to leak onto the ground, or would you fix the leak?”

For electrical contractors, this represents a significant business opportunity. The International Energy Agency projects that investment in end-use energy efficiency needs to triple from USD 660 billion today to about USD 1.9 trillion by 2030 to meet net zero goals.

Watch the Full Keynote

Want to hear the full story, backed by data and real-world impact? Watch Tom Green’s full keynote presentation from the NECA 2025 Conference in Kyoto below and discover why energy efficiency truly is the “first fuel” on our path to a sustainable future.

Contact us today for a confidential discussion about your energy efficiency opportunities and discover how our data-driven approach can dramatically reduce your operational costs while meeting sustainability goals. Organisations interested in booking Tom Green as a speaker on energy efficiency and sustainable power solutions can also reach out directly to our team.

Enginuity Power Solutions specialises in engineering innovative power solutions for businesses across Australia, with expertise in identifying hidden inefficiencies and delivering measurable energy savings with rapid return on investment.