WSBC at the Lakeside Vision Center for a Renewable Energy Showcase Presented by Faith Technologies Incorporated (FTI)

WSBC had the pleasure of hosting an event on September 4th, 2024, at The Vision Center, presented by FTI (Faith Technologies Incorporated), where sustainability and business leaders from various industries gathered to share insights, network, and explore ways to advance sustainable business practices. This event was a dive into practical strategies for energy management and decarbonization and ways to leverage Federal money, with expert contributions from Suzy Betker, VP of Sustainability at FTI, and Kathy Kuntz from Dane County.

The event kicked off with a warm welcome from WSBC Managing Director, Jessy Servi Ortiz, who shared exciting updates about WSBC Membership, highlighted the upcoming 17th Annual Conference in November, and announced WSBC’s transition to an independent 501(c)(3) organization, effective January 1, 2025.

Key Takeaways from Suzy Betker, VP of Sustainability at FTI:

Suzy provided insights into FTI’s approach to energy management, focusing on how businesses can create a strategic and data-driven process for reducing energy consumption and decarbonization. The process she is using is the same process they use with customers and includes these six steps.

1. Establish a Baseline for Energy Use: Begin by evaluating your organization’s energy use for Scope 1 (direct emissions) and Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased electricity). Identify the operations that are the highest energy consumers.

2. Conduct Energy Assessments: Analyze data through detailed energy assessments, complemented by on-site inspections to get a clear view of energy usage.  If you don’t have the internal resources for this, you can leverage EnTech Solutions Path to Smarter EnergyTM program. 

3. Identify Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs): From the energy assessment, pinpoint ECMs that could help reduce consumption and emissions.

4. Prioritize Based on Impact and Feasibility: Rank ECMs according to emission reductions, financial impacts, feasibility, and timing. For example, evaluate the simple payback period with and without the cost of carbon. Determine what matters most to your company when establishing an internal cost of carbon — whether it's product pricing, talent retention, preparing for future regulations, or social impacts.

5. Create a Roadmap: Develop a tailored roadmap that aligns with your company’s unique circumstances and goals and outlines your actions over time to achieve those emissions reduction projects.

6. Create Buy-In: Business function and leadership support of the plan is key. Establish an accountability structure, allocate resources, and track and report progress as you go so you can make any necessary adjustments.

   
   

Suzy also emphasized the importance of building replicable processes that utilize data and cross-functional teams. Additionally, she advocated for fostering partnerships that align with your company’s values and customer needs.

Highlights from Kathy Kuntz, Director of the Dane County Office of Energy & Climate Change

Kathy Kuntz shared how Dane County is leading by example in sustainability and offered practical advice for businesses aiming to make an impact.

1. Lead by Example: Dane County sets the tone by implementing sustainable practices in its operations and encouraging others to follow suit.

2. Celebrate Successes: Through the Climate Champions initiative, Dane County recognizes and celebrates businesses and organizations that are making significant strides in sustainability.

3. Make It Easy to Go Green: Kathy addressed the financial barriers to adopting sustainable practices in Wisconsin, stressing the need for accessible incentives. She highlighted opportunities for businesses to tap into federal funding through tax credits, energy efficiency programs, and clean tech manufacturing grants, such as those from the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and PACE Financing.

   
   

With Wisconsin well-positioned to leverage federal resources, businesses have a significant opportunity to lead in sustainability. Visit Dane County’s Office of Energy and Climate Change IRA page to learn more about how to take advantage of IRA funding. 

FTI Tour and Event Highlights

The event concluded with an insightful tour of the off-grid single-family residence, where attendees witnessed their innovative energy solutions firsthand. It was an eye-opening experience that demonstrated how companies can integrate sustainable energy solutions at their facilities and into their operations.

To join a future WSBC tour or event, visit their website at https://www.wisconsinsustainability.com/ and view their calendar of events. Additional resources you can leverage is the Focus on Energy business program.