Tag » Energy
Virtually all large enterprises are conscious of the image they project, and corporate responsibility is an important part of that image. Green technologies represent an opportunity for corporations that extends beyond brand reputation and can affect overall profitability. In its 2007 list of “20 Most Admired Companies,” Fortune magazine noted that “many of the Most Admired Companies are busy figuring out ways to think green and garner more greenbacks too.”1
The demands on information technology continue to rise at an increasing rate. To keep up with the demand, IT departments are increasing the use of computing and associated resources. The demand on energy is also reaching epic proportions, and power grids are showing signs that they are struggling to meet demand through higher consumer energy costs and power usage caps for corporations. As a major consumer of power, IT departments are being challenged to find innovative ways to reduce power consumption and reduce the company’s overall carbon footprint. IT is now facing overall economic and socioeconomic pressures to reduce costs and go green.
Xcel Energy’s business strategy has multiple components, including a focus on our customers, people and communities. Our strategy of delivering reliable energy is complimented by our commitment to find the most environmentally feasible methods of meeting the energy demands of our customers. One area of opportunity revolves around the concept of a smart grid. While the industry has various definitions of a smart grid and there are multiple efforts underway that are called “smart grid,” we believe the opportunity to develop a fully inter-connected system allowing customers to automatically manage their energy consumption and enabling Xcel Energy to reliably produce and deliver that energy through real-time, automated controls is now available.
The oil & gas industry’s well-recognized human resource crisis is worsening as an acute shortage of geoscientists intersects with a growing demand for geologists and geophysicists.