5 Business Tech Programs to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

outdoor power equipment software

The world is moving towards sustainability. Every industry from automotive to agriculture is looking for new ways to reduce its carbon footprint. To implement sustainable practices in business, the management needs to look at all processes, providers, policies, and several other aspects of their operations. Here are five tech pieces that will help businesses become more sustainable today and in the future.

LED Lighting

Although there are businesses still using traditional incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, LED lights are replacing these traditional lighting options. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that about 84% of homes and businesses will use LED lights by 2030. When that happens, the LED lights will reduce energy consumption in the U.S. by up to 40% and bring Americans up to $26 billion in savings compared to the energy prices today. These dramatic cost savings are only possible if businesses adopt LED technology in lighting.

If LED lighting combines with solar power, Americans will see even more savings. Businesses can use these LED lights in almost any lighting application, and they are available in different colors and offer different lighting strengths. Unlike incandescent lights, LEDs do not produce heat in the process of producing light.

Electric Vehicles

Over the years, the charging systems and batteries of electric vehicles have gotten better. Companies that adopt EVs in their fleets see huge savings in energy and also reduce their carbon footprint by a huge percentage. Although it takes more energy to produce an electric vehicle, these vehicles do not give off smoke-like combustion engine vehicles do.

Further, the use of electricity is more sustainable than the use of fossil fuels. Automakers, such as Ford and Tesla are increasing the number of charging stations available in the country to make it easier for businesses to adopt EVs. When you adopt EVs, you increase the chances of your business being compliant when it comes to sustainability regulations.

Advanced Battery Technologies

The new generation lithium-ion batteries are shaping the way businesses store energy. These new batteries feature state-of-the-art storage tech that ensures a high level of energy density, fast charge, and a wider temperature operating window. These new batteries can operate at temperature ranges between -50°C and 125°C. The batteries have the advantage of low self-discharge and are highly durable with thousands of charging/discharge cycles.

There are also lithium-sulfur batteries and solid-state batteries that businesses can use. These two battery technologies also bring in several advantages of the traditional battery. The lithium-sulfur batteries offer a theoretical energy density that is about four times that of lithium-ion batteries. Although these batteries are not on the market already, they are expected to revolutionize the way businesses save energy. You can connect the batteries through outdoor power equipment software to equipment, such as mowers and several others that you use outdoors.

Photovoltaic Technology

Advances in solar panel technologies in the recent past have ensured that businesses using solar get big savings. Businesses using solar will see energy savings jump from 15% all the way to 20%. These modern systems generate more solar power relative to the sunlight they absorb.

You can tell the efficiency of solar panels based on the efficiency of the solar cell. Solar cells are composed of silicon atoms, which convert light energy into electricity. The monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient where the cells are cut from a single solid piece of silicon. These models have fewer imperfections, and they absorb so much light.

These modern solar panels offer several advantages for businesses, including a quicker payback period, better for small spaces, and they are cheaper.

Paperless Office Technologies

Businesses are going paperless in a bid to save on costs and cut their carbon footprint. Although this is not a single piece of technology, it is one of the fields that most modern businesses rely on. The rise of paperless offices was magnified by the rise in remote work. Remote workers use fewer papers as they work and deliver results through computers.

Some of the technologies that shape paperless offices include smartphones, tablets, computers, scanning apps and software, cloud storage, eSignatures, eBilling and invoices, and eBooks among others. The more people work online and deliver results there, the more they save on paper.

Businesses also need to explore other sustainable ways to operate their business. Combining technology and sustainable practices will see businesses reduce their carbon footprint by a huge percentage.