a pwe publication28 NOVEMBER 2023The energy-demandopportunity:Howcompanies can thrivein the energytransitionOrganizations face an energy trilemma involving costs,carbon emissions,and supply uncertainty.But energysystem advances can help them create value and becomemore sustainable and resilient-by taking charge of theirenergy demand.by Jon Chadwick,Samantha Vincent,Reid Morrison,and Rob Turnerwww.pwc.com/energyopportunityJon ChadwickReid Morrisonspecializes in energy transition.is PwC's Global Energy Advisory Leader.He is a partner with PwC Australia.He is a principal with PwC US.Samantha VincentRob Turneris a leading practitioner in energy transition.is the UK sector leader for energy andShe is a director with PwC Australia.resources.He is a partner with PwC UK.Organizations worldwide spend more than US$10 trillion a year to meet theirenergy needs,and many stand-alone companies struggle under a heavy costburden.In the UK,more than half of businesses surveyed in 2023(54%)saidthat energy accounted for upward of 25%of their business costs.Unchecked energy usage does more than cut into the bottom line.It is alsoa major source of carbon emissions and a cause of operational uncertainty.But new dynamics in the global energy arena present opportunities forbusinesses to tackle all three parts of the so-called energy trilemma-costs,carbon emissions,and uncertainty of supply-at once,by holistically evaluatingtheir own current and future energy needs and assuming greater control overenergy demand.Of these new energy dynamics,perhaps the best known is the decarbonizationtaking place as more large-scale renewable power capacity comes online.But because renewable power can be unpredictable,as when clouds block thesun or the wind stops blowing,energy supplies and prices may be more volatileand harder for organizations to manage.These complexities are why otherenergy dynamics matter.Decentralization,resulting from the deploymentof small-scale renewable energy generation and storage,lets organizations1 Npower Business Solutions,Business energy tracker 2023,2023,2 www.strategy-business.com