Costurile cu energia apasa tot mai greu asupra economiei europeneHigh European Energy Costs Impacting Business Investment

De circa un an de zile, marii consumatori de energie din Romania incearca sa convinga guvernul ca povara energetica ii poate aduce in postura de a-si inchide afacerile. Iata ca situatia nu este valabila doar pentru tara noastra, ci pentru intreaga Uniune Europeana, care incepe sa constientizeze tot mai mult ca din cauza costurilor mari cu energia tot mai multi investitori ocolesc Europa. Prezentam mai jos concluziile unui studiu recent, realizat de FTI Consulting, Inc., o firma internationala de consultanta pentru afaceri, trimis pe adresa redactiei noastre. Pentru informatii suplimentare despre autori, accesati www.fticonsulting.com.

Iata câteva din rezultatele-cheie ale analizei:

• Potrivit noilor cercetari, costul energiei preocupa in cel mai inalt grad managerii din Marea Britanie

• Costul energie in Germania si Spania este considerat cel mai putin atractiv pentru potentialii investitori

• Polonia are cel mai inalt grad de informare privind sectorul energetic, in timp ce in Europa, in general, nivelul de informare privind problemele legate de energie este relativ scazut

• Costul energiei va continua probabil sa aiba efecte negative, deoarece eforturile europene se indreapta catre o reindustrializare energointensiva

Costul energiei si afacerile

Noi cercetari sugereaza ca pretul energiei in toata Europa afecteaza negativ deciziile legate de investitii. Un sondaj arata ca managerii din Marea Britanie sunt cei mai atenti la costurile cu energia de pe piata lor si la impactul asupra deciziilor lor privind investitiile. Omologii lor din Germania si Spania considera ca se confrunta cu cele mai putin atractive costuri cu energia pentru investitorii internationali. Analizând gradul de informare pe surse specifice de energie, managerii din Polonia sunt cei care inteleg cel mai bine multe din provocarile si ocaziile oferite de diferite surse de energie, ca raspuns la cererea mereu crescânda de energie la preturi mai convenabile.

Marcus Pepperell, manager al echipei de comunicatii strategice din cadrul FTI Consulting Bruxelles comenteaza rezultatele sondajului dupa cum urmeaza: „Stim deja ca firmele europene platesc semnificativ mai mult pentru energie decât concurentele lor de pe piete similare. Aceasta cercetare introductiva ofera dovezi concrete ca acest lucru influenteaza deciziile lor privind investitiile si prin urmare nivelul potential al investitilor straine atrase de Europa. Având in vedere importanta pe care o au in rezultatele financiare, se observa o relativa lipsa de intelegere a managerilor in privinta provocarilor si ocaziilor pe care le pot oferi diferitele surse de energie. Deoarece dezbaterile politicilor [energetice] continua la nivelul UE si al fiecarui stat membru, este nevoie de o implicare mai puternica din partea comunitatii de afaceri si de o constientizare mai buna a impactului pe care il pot avea orice decizii viitoare asupra competitivitatii industriilor noastre”.

Dan Healy, director pentru strategie si cercetare la FTI Consulting Londra, mentioneaza urmatoarele: „Un cost rezonabil al energiei este vital pentru industriile care depind de consumul de energie, cum ar fi cele prelucratoare si producatoare de bunuri, in momentul in care analizeaza destinatia investitiilor noi. Cu toate acestea, UE se confrunta cu concurenta la nivel global pentru atragerea acestor investitii, iar 30% din intentiile de investitii se indreapta spre zona Asia – Pacific, fata de numai 19% care inclina spre UE. In incercarea de a creste atractivitatea, Parlamentul European urmeaza sa voteze pe 15 ianuarie [n. red. – materialul ne-a parvenit dupa data respectiva] raportul asupra reindustrializarii Europei, care reflecta prioritatile Comisiei Europene in materie de politici industriale. Un vot favorabil ar trimite un semnal clar ca UE trebuie sa pregateasca un mediu corespunzator pentru atragerea investitiilor industriale, iar acesta include costuri cu energia competitive la nivel global. Urmarim evolutia opiniilor alegatorilor asupra principalelor probleme energetice si in special pozitiile ministrilor in tarile UE, in cadrul dialogului din consiliul privind competitivitatea programat in februarie”.

Pentru analiza raspunsurilor unui numar de aproape 350 decidenti din cadrul unor firme mici, mijlocii si mari din mai multe domenii, din cinci state membre UE (Germania, Marea Britanie, Franta, Spania si Polonia), dispunem  de raspunsuri la trei intrebari fundamentale: punctele de vedere privind impactul costului energiei asupra deciziilor investitionale, atractivitatea costurilor cu energia din tarile respective pentru investitorii straini, respectiv cât de bine informati se considera managerii asupra unei game largi de surse de energie.

Costurile cu energia si investitiile autohtone

Intrebati care dintr-un numar de 18 criterii pentru investitii sunt cele mai importante la alegerea amplasamentului pentru o investitie noua, 40% dintre managerii europeni au numit sprijinul guvernamental si costurile de operare ca fiind cele mai importante aspecte luate in considerare. Cu toate acestea, punctele de vedere fata de costul energiei au fost extrem de divergente. In medie, costul energiei s-a clasat pe pozitia a sasea in topul considerentelor managerilor europeni, cu 29%, comparabil cu alte zone geografice, inclusiv Australia, Rusia si America de Nord. Pe tari, Marea Britanie are cel mai ridicat procentaj, 39%, fiind depasita doar de Africa de Sud (47%), iar Polonia inregistreaza nivelul cel mai scazut (19%), comparabil cu raspunsurile din Brazilia. Asa cum era de asteptat, costul energiei a fost considerat mai important in sectoarele energointensive, cum ar fi industria si productia de bunuri (42%) sau constructiile (33%), respectiv pentru firmele mari (31%) mai mult decât pentru cele mici (25%).

Costurile cu energia si investitiile straine

Costul ridicat al energiei si accesul la energie ieftina au fost considerate cele mai putin atractive caracteristici ale pietei europene pentru investitorii internationali, alaturi de administratie si achizitiile publice. La nivel international, doar Australia a inregistrat un procent mai scazut, de 16%. Costuri atractive ale energiei au fost considerate cele din Africa de Sud (36%) si din Orientul Mijlociu si nordul Africii (31%). In Europa, Germania a fost cotata cel mai prost, numai 11% dintre respondenti considerând costul energiei ca atractive pentru investitorii straini. Urmeaza indeaproape Spania, cu 13%. Din nou, firmele mai mari (23%) si sectoarele energointensive cum ar fi transporturile si logistica (31%) au considerat costul energiei mai important pentru atragerea investitiilor straine, fata de firmele mai mici (18%) si sectoarele eficiente energetic cum ar fi biotehnologiile, sanatatea si telecomunicatiile (20%).

Surse de energie

Ultima analiza din cadrul sondajului se refera la gradul de informare privind ocaziile, fiabilitatea, riscurile si costurile generarii de energie din diferite surse, cum ar fi gazele, petrolul, carbunele, centralele nucleare si sursele regenerabile (instalatii eoliene, solare si hidrocentrale). Dintre combustibilii fosili, cel mai bine cunoscut este petrolul (34% „foarte bine informati”), urmat de gazele naturale si de carbune, cu 24%. Polonia s-a dovedit cea mai bine informata tara in general, 52% dintre manageri considerându-se foarte bine informati despre petrol. Gradul de informare al decidentilor privind energia nucleara a fost de 28% la nivel european, cu un maxim de 44% in Polonia si un minim de 21% in Spania. Dintre energiile regenerabile, cea mai cunoscuta s-a dovedit cea eoliana (28%), urmata de cea solara (27%) si de hidroenergie (23%), ca valori europene medii. Din nou, pe tari, s-au inregistrat diferente, Polonia fiind si aici cea mai bine informata (43%) referitor la energiile regenerabile in general, in timp ce Marea Britanie cu 11% privind hidroenergia si Franta cu 17% privind energia eoliana sunt cele mai slab informate in domeniile respective.With the authors’ permission, Energy-Center offers you the synthesis of a study carried out by FTI Consulting, Inc., a global business advisory firm. For more information about the authors, visit www.fticonsulting.com.

Here are some highlights of this analysis:

• New research reveals that energy costs are of highest concern to UK business leaders

• Energy costs in Germany and Spain are seen as least attractive to potential investors

• Poland is the most informed about the energy sector, while the level of awareness of energy-related issues is relatively low across Europe

• Energy costs are likely to impact further, as European efforts move towards high energy consuming re-industrialization

Energy costs and business

Energy costs across Europe are having a detrimental impact on business investment decisions suggests new research. Within a survey, business leaders from the UK were most concerned about energy costs in their market and the impact it had on their investment decisions and their German and Spanish counterparts felt their respective energy costs were the least attractive to international investors. Breaking awareness down to specific energy sources, Polish business leaders led the way in understanding many of the challenges and opportunities that different energy sources offer as solutions to an ever increasing demand for more affordable energy.

Speaking about the survey, Marcus Pepperell, Managing Director in the strategic communications team at FTI Consulting Brussels, said: „We already know that European businesses are paying considerably more for their energy than their peers in comparable markets. This introductory research provides tangible evidence that it is having an impact on their investment decisions and on the potential level of inward investment that Europe subsequently attracts. Given its importance to the commercial bottom line, there is also a relative lack of understanding amongst business leaders about the challenges and opportunities that each energy source can potentially provide. As the policy debate continues across the EU and within each member state, there needs to be wider engagement with the business community and more awareness of the impact that any future decisions could have on the competitiveness of our industries.”

Dan Healy, Managing Director of Strategy & Research at FTI Consulting London, commented: „Affordable energy costs are crucial for energy dependent industries such as industrial and manufacturing when examining destinations for their greenfield investments. However, EU faces global competition to attract such investments from this sector, where 30% are considering investing in Asia Pacific compared to lower 19% in the EU. In an attempt to boost appeal, the European Parliament is to vote [editor’s note: was to, at the time we received this report] on 15 January on the reindustrializing Europe report, reflecting the Commission’s priority on industrial policy. Should this new initiative be voted for, it would send a clear message that the EU needs to prepare the right environment for attracting industrial investment and this includes globally competitive energy costs. We’re monitoring how the electorate’s opinions shift on key energy issues and in particular EU Ministers with their discussions at the competitiveness council this February.”

Analyzing feedback from almost 350 senior decision makers from small, medium and large sized companies across a number of sectors from five European Union countries (Germany, UK, France, Spain and Poland), respondents were asked three core questions: their views on the cost of energy on their investment decisions; to rate the attractiveness of domestic energy costs to attract international investment; and finally how informed these business leaders believed they were about a broad range of energy sources.

 Energy costs and domestic investment

Asked which of 18 different investment criteria are particularly important when choosing a location for greenfield investment, 40% of European business leaders rated Government support and business running costs as the two most important issues they consider. However views on the cost of energy showed a widely disparate response. As an average the cost of energy was rated as the sixth most important consideration by European business leaders, at 29%, comparable to many other parts of the world, including Australia, Russia and North America. However, breaking this down to each of the specific countries surveyed, the UK was the highest in Europe with 39% and higher than any other market surveyed with the exception of South Africa (47%), and Poland the lowest in Europe at 19%, equal to views received in Brazil. As expected energy costs were also more of a concern for high energy using sectors such as industry and manufacturing (42%), construction (34%) and for larger businesses (31%) rather than for smaller companies (25%).

Energy cost and inward investment

High energy costs and access to affordable energy were ranked the least attractive aspect of the European market for international investors, alongside administration and public procurement. Only Australia was lower internationally at 16%. Attractive energy costs were most highly rated in South Africa (36%) and the Middle East and North Africa (31%). Within Europe, Germany had the lowest ranking, with only 11% of respondents believing domestic energy costs were attractive to foreign investors, closely followed by Spain at 13%. Again larger companies (23%) and high energy consuming sectors such as transport and logistics (31%) believed that energy costs were more important to attracting inward investment compared to smaller ones (18%) in lower energy intensive industries such as the biotech, healthcare and telecommunications sectors (20%).

Energy sources

The final analysis from the survey was awareness about the opportunities, reliability, risks and costs of generating electricity using a variety of energy sources including gas, oil, coal, nuclear and renewables (wind, solar and hydro). Of the three fossil fuels, awareness was highest for oil (34%, ‘very aware’) with gas and coal lower at 24%. Poland was the most informed country in general, peaking with oil at 52% of business leaders claiming to be very well informed. Awareness about nuclear energy within the boardroom stood at 28% in Europe but ranged from 44% in Poland to 21% in Spain. Wind was the most informed renewable (28%), followed by solar (27%) and hydro (23%) as a European average, but again broken down by country there were differences, with Poland again the most informed country (43%) regarding renewables, whilst the UK (11%) with hydro and France with wind (17%) were the least aware within these respective sectors.