CIMdata is known globally for its research into topics important to PLM Professionals. One such topic is Green Energy & Sustainability. This is a topic that impacts us all. With this in mind, I recently spent some “quality” “Zoom” time with my colleague Mark Reisig, CIMdata’s Sustainability & Green Energy Practice Director. Mark is busy getting ready for his presentation on The Green Energy Transition, which he will make at our upcoming PLM Market & Industry Forums which take place over the late March to early April time frame in North America and EMEA. In this interview, I asked Mark to update us on the following:
First off, I know that you have been working on some key research on green energy and sustainability. Will you be sharing findings from your recent survey at the Forum?
Yes, the results will be featured, and as we review each key area, we will also review the survey results from CIMdata’s 2023 Green Energy Transition and Sustainability survey.
What kind of information will be shared?
The survey covered a lot of things. PLM professionals were asked to provide answers to the following questions among others:
- How industries compare with other industries relative to sustainability.
- The prevalence of “net zero” pledges.
- How companies organize to achieve sustainability objectives.
- Common features of sustainability programs.
- Bottlenecks to achieving sustainability objectives.
What is happening in the green energy space, and what will you discuss in your presentation?
Rising concerns over climate change are shifting energy ecosystems—away from fossil fuels and toward renewable, clean energy and more sustainable products across many industries. Companies are responding with ambitious “net-zero” greenhouse gas emissions commitments. The presentation will review key aspects of reducing a product’s carbon footprint, including its supply chain as well as embedding sustainability within your PLM strategy.
Greenhouse gases are front and center of any discussion on green energy; how will you address this in your presentation?
Since 1958, we have been monitoring the accumulation of CO2 in our atmosphere, which along with other greenhouse gases (GHG), continues to rise, causing global warming to rise to more than 1.1°C higher than the pre-industrial era. This lack of sustainability has resulted in climate change, biodiversity loss, and other challenges that threaten the ability for future generations to survive on the planet. At the Forum, I will look at the GHGs emitted by type, country, and industry sector and the projected forecast for different types of energy, including coal, gas, nuclear, and renewable energy.
What role does sustainability play?
The U.N. has 17 goals as part of their 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which they adopted in 2015, which is the blueprint the world is using. The Green Energy Transition is a subset of the greater need for achieving a sustainable future where we do not compromise the needs of future generations to meet their own needs. While our focus is primarily on climate change and clean energy’s role, we will touch on other aspects of sustainability.
You just mentioned an emphasis on climate change and clean energy’s role; how will you cover this aspect in your session?
Specifically, concerning climate change, the Paris Agreement set the goal to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C, preferable to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrialized levels. I will review the progress and what still needs to be done to limit global warming to 1.5°C from the perspective of countries. Additionally, I will look at the U.N. projections to see the most likely scenario.
What other topics do you have on tap for attendees?
I will review corporate trends and net-zero pledges and validate plans, how investors view this, and what actions policymakers are taking. Enabling a green energy transition requires a new grid. I’ll also discuss the traditional grid and how that will transform into a grid that can support distributed renewable energies. As we make new products, sustainable design and reducing their product carbon footprint becomes critical. I will cover the key concepts of sustainable design and how sustainability can be embedded in a company’s PLM strategy.
And what about the implications for PLM?
I will show how PLM can reduce a company’s PCF and the role of PLM in a growing circular economy.
Thanks, Mark. I look forward to hearing your presentation at the end of March.
