Companies face constant pressures to make effective capital planning decisions. Complex businesses like running a refinery, chemical plant or power station are no different. Therefore, being able to see the bigger economic picture is vital in effectively managing operational maintenance, regulatory requirements, energy efficiency and sustainability goals.

The year 2013 saw record-breaking growth for solar electricity generation as the photovoltaic and concentrated solar thermal power markets continued to grow. With over 39 gigawatts installed worldwide, the PV solar market represented one third of all newly-added renewable energy capacity, according to Max Lander and Xiangyu Wu writing in the latest number of the Worldwatch Institute's Vital Signs Online publication.

U.S. carbon dioxide emissions generated from energy consumption and production fell 3.8 percent in 2012 to 5,290 million metric tons, reaching their lowest level since 1994, according to a report from the Energy Information Administration.