The industrial sector accounts for a quarter of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions and consumes 37% of global energy. As electricity demand increases, energy efficiency is enabling industry and services sectors to achieve significant energy savings, counterbalancing growing demand. Efficient energy use is not merely a cost-saving measure; it may be a catalyst for enhancing industrial competitiveness as well as contributing to global climate initiatives.
With governments worldwide supporting this transformation through policies and incentives, innovations in energy management, cross-industrial partnerships and targeted financing solutions are also helping accelerate this progress. The European Commission introduced the Clean Industrial Deal earlier this year to help energy-intensive industries improve efficiency. And at the recent IEA Global Conference on Energy Efficiency in Brussels, 47 governments reiterated the value of energy efficiency for economic and social development, and pledged to support energy efficiency.
Driving continuous improvement through cross-sector partnership
To support European industrials in their energy efficiency efforts, BNP Paribas, METRON, Dalkia, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) launched the Decarb Fast Track (DFT) programme in 2022. This programme offers subsidised access to METRON’s energy management and optimisation software (EMOS), support from energy efficiency and financial experts, and a knowledge-sharing community. BNP Paribas aims to identify potential projects for financing.
Currently 61 sites across eight European countries are part of the programme, spanning sectors such as food and beverage, construction and pharmaceuticals. Each site follows a structured 24-month journey with DFT. A joint working group conducts an energy audit by building digitalization plans to identify missing processes and/or data. Real-time resource monitoring dashboards are created for energy and water usage.
When energy efficiency projects are identified, site teams and DFT experts select and implement them, monitoring their impact on energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Further optimisation solutions may include upgrading outdated equipment to high-efficiency models, integrating renewable energy sources, installing energy storage assets and circular technologies such as heat recovery systems. These projects are then evaluated based on impact, timeline, financing, and required resourcing.
Participants use an online platform to share expertise through meetups, focusing on practical outcomes, challenges, solutions, case studies, and networking with energy efficiency experts.
Catch the video insights from METRON, Dalkia, Amazon Web Services and participants of the Decarb Fast Track as they reflect on their achievements and discuss future plans
Unleashing synergy: the community effect
Vincent Sciandra, CEO of METRON noted: “The real innovation lies in building an ecosystem of industrial leaders united by a common mission: cutting carbon emissions across industry. It’s a global challenge, and Europe is leading the way—demonstrating that collective action can drive real transformation.”
Marie d’Argentré, Head of ESG Data and Transformation for BNP Paribas CIB, reiterated the power of collective action: “To describe the DFT programme in one word, it would be ‘committed.’ Partners and participants are dedicating time and resources beyond their regular activities to work on this initiative and share experiences to support each other. This is the only way to make an impact and collaboratively address decarbonisation efforts.”
Tangible results: demonstrating real-world impact
The programme aims to reduce energy consumption by up to 10% per site and avoid up to 100,000 tonnes of CO2 through optimised energy use. Since the first companies were onboarded, METRON and Dalkia have identified over 300 decarbonisation projects. Companies prioritise improvements based on complexity and scalability, setting up a roadmap for implementation. Participants can also use the software employed in their DFT projects when obtaining or renewing their ISO 50001 certification as METRON’s EMOS complies with ISO 250001 requirements.
At the recent Pioneers Day 2025 event, METRON announced that 100 decarbonisation projects have been deployed, collectively avoiding 62,000 tons of CO2 emissions through optimisation measures. In addition, more than 15,000 data points across all sites were aggregated into the digital platforms.
This collaborative effort showcases the ability of partnerships like DFT to foster community engagement, driving positive changes across industries, boosting competitiveness and promoting industrial energy efficiency transition to a low-carbon economy.
Check out this edition of BNP Paribas’ “Perspectives” for comprehensive insights into energy efficiency strategies that integrate moderation and innovation across the industrial, automotive, and residential sectors, and energy transition.
