21 March 2025
Today's business environment is nothing short of volatile, companies across the globe are facing unprecedented challenges. One area of challenge is energy prices. In Australia, wholesale electricity prices have risen 50% over the last two years due to coal outages, rising gas costs, and network limits. In contrast, New Zealand’s electricity prices have seen only a slight increase, however they have the potential to follow Australia’s example over the next few years on the back of the current thermal fuel challenges, increasing demand, and the changing generation mix. As well as the rise in energy prices, supply chain disruptions continue to affect operations, and regulatory requirements around carbon emissions grow increasingly stringent. These pressures are becoming fundamental business risks, often in combination with each other. Any work that has the potential to address these pressures would seem to be a no brainer to complete, yet many organisations still treat energy audits as mere ‘tick-the-box’ exercises rather than an opportunity to strategically assess energy use and business processes. DETA, a leading team of energy consultants in Australia and NZ , is changing this paradigm by transforming traditional energy audits into powerful tools for building genuine business resilience. When approached strategically, energy audits can help organisations not just reduce their energy usage and costs, or comply with current standards, but also future-proof their operations against an evolving energy landscape. The evolving energy landscape The business environment has fundamentally shifted in recent years. Energy can no longer be considered as an overhead cost; it’s evolved to become a strategic consideration with far-reaching implications. Fluctuating energy markets have made budgeting increasingly difficult, while supply uncertainties - particularly for natural gas in manufacturing - threaten operational continuity. Meanwhile, investors, customers, and employees are demanding greater environmental responsibility and transparent ESG commitments. These escalating pressures create significant vulnerabilities for unprepared businesses. Forward-thinking organisations have recognised that energy management in Australia and NZ isn't simply about reducing utility bills—it's about competitive advantage when employed well at a strategic level. Companies without a coherent energy strategy find themselves perpetually reactive, addressing each new challenge as it arises rather than building systematic resilience.
