Many of us have come across a situation where a proposal for change was blocked by a simple: "We’ve always done it this way". It’s an apparently neutral phrase, but it reveals one of the greatest obstacles to energy transition in industry: cultural resistance.

On World Energy Day, reports, commitments and goals multiply. But the real challenge is not only in technology or investment. It often lies in the invisible: in organisational culture, ingrained habits, and the perceived risks associated with change. The energy transition also demands a mindset shift — a collective willingness to question established routines and make room for the reinvention of processes.

In industry, where energy consumption plays a significant role, the transformations required are increasingly tangible. The technical tools exist: optimised compressed air networks, photovoltaic panels, electric mobility, biomass. But none of these work without collective commitment. Technology can be acquired; culture must be built.

In the context closest to me, the gains are measurable: replacing lighting systems with LED has shown reductions in consumption and improvements in working conditions across various industrial units; the recovery of by-products like biomass represents an efficient energy solution; and real-time monitoring of consumption allows decisions with immediate impact. Still, the greatest progress has come from another front: team engagement. Listening to concerns, providing continuous training, consolidating new habits. Creating an energy culture is, above all, creating a culture of shared responsibility.

The cleanest energy is that which is not wasted. And waste, in industry, is not only thermal or electrical — it is also human and structural. The energy transition is also a transition in mindset. It’s about redefining success: not by productivity alone, but also by conscious and sustainable efficiency.

Today, an action-oriented approach is essential. Fewer promises, more behaviours. Fewer slides, more reprogrammed switchboards. Fewer buzzwords, more decisions with impact on shifts and processes. Innovation is not a product — it is a continuous process that demands persistence, learning, and correcting flaws.

That’s why I believe the next frontier lies less in adopting new technologies and more in our ability to listen to what the data tells us and act accordingly. It lies in the humility to recognise that no tool is miraculous without context and culture. Moving from companies that "communicate well" to organisations that "act better" demands discipline: consistency in the details, courage to change, and vision to lead by example.

Such transformation starts where it’s least visible: in everyday decisions, operational details, and the uncomfortable questions we ask ourselves. Because, in the end, it is not energy that changes the industry. It’s the People.

Filipe Ferreira
Vicaima Group Chief Sustainability Officer