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Against the backdrop of the threat of global climate change, utilities are expected to run sustainable operations, even at a time when the post-recession recovery is in a slump.

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A report from IDC Energy Insights, Sustainability Update – Utilities Focus on Execution, eliminates a lot of the guesswork and outlines how North American utilities are dealing with those issues. A 2011 IDC study of utility sustainability reports found a variety of initiatives utilities are using, such as:

·         Smart grid investments in renewable energy

·         Green energy programs that offer customers green sources of power

·         Energy and demand response programs (the most popular choice)

·         Conversion to electric or natural gas fleet vehicles

·         Smart metering and transmission and distribution grids (by far the most expensive)

·         More efficient and sustainable data centers

The IDC report details the initiatives and also gives utility chief information officers guidance on where and how to tie their varied operations to sustainability and how to manage sustainability reporting.

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