Energy-efficiency and renewable energy options for risk management and insurance loss reduction

This paper identifies a spectrum of risk management opportunities associated with technologies and procedures that use energy more efficiently or supply renewable energy. While the economic benefits of these measures have long been of interest to energy consumers seeking to reduce their energy expenditures, we have found that they also offer a novel and largely untapped pathway for achieving traditional risk management objectives. These technologies have many benefits, including insurance loss reduction and prevention. Early examples of research in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies conducted by insurers are described, and new interdisciplinary collaborative applied research is proposed. These technologies should be of interest to the insurance and risk management communities (e.g., researchers, insurance companies, government, energy service companies, facility owners, and utility companies).  2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.