Rein in energy output
April 2, 2010
The Environment Agency (EA) wants businesses to put a tighter rein on their energy output to help the Government hit its targets on emissions reduction.
The EA has pointed out that hotels, restaurants, retailers and public sector offices have the potential to make the most significant reductions in energy consumption with minimal investment. Therefore these organisations are key to achieving the UK’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% from 1990 levels by 2050.
In a matter of days, new legislation will come into force to require organisations with high energy consumption to become more energy efficient by providing financial and reputational incentives.
The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme affects large energy users in business, industry and the public sector. An EA report has suggested that the scheme could reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 11.6 million tonnes per year by 2020, which is equivalent to taking 4 million cars off the road.
Organisations in the scheme will buy allowances for each tonne of CO2 they emit and will be placed in a league table according to their energy performance. All the money raised is then given back, with the best performers getting more than they paid for their carbon emissions and the worst performers receiving less.
A representative for the EA said: "The league table is a public statement on your carbon efficiency and, in this age of eco-conscious consumers, you need to perform well to have the edge on your competitors."
He added: "In companies where most of the energy used goes towards running inefficient buildings - shops and offices for example - there are some very simple things that can be done that will reduce energy use almost overnight and give big cost savings. In most cases, better management of heating, air conditioning and lighting will deliver immediate benefits."
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