Energy
 | The Context |
| Benefits to your business | |
| Renewable Energy | |
| Tops Tips | |
| Who is doing what | |
| What we are doing |
Energy is a crucial commodity for all business. It has traditionally been perceived as a bottomless resource, a cheap commodity with no end in sight; a fixed cost on the financial statements. However, this is changing...
Most energy in the UK comes from non-renewable fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas. These resources not only cause pollution, but are also running out. Burning fossil fuels contributes to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and to global climate change. In fact, energy creation in Scotland is the largest contributor to carbon emissions with an emission total of 23.9 MtCO2e in 2006, 40.5% of the Scottish total, a rise of 7.2% since the baseline.(1)
These carbon emissions are having a direct impact on the global climate and continued changes in climate may affect the capacity to generate energy and distribute power. Extreme weather events may pose a threat to critical energy infrastructure; overhead cables, for example, may be vulnerable to temperature fluctuations and extreme weather.
However, despite the many threats associated with climate change, there are also many opportunities for Scotland and for Scottish businesses.
Benefits to your business
Simply put, the cost of energy is rising. From direct emissions (from heating) and indirect emissions (electricity), we have control over the amount of energy we use. The very first step in this is reduction. This will, in almost all situations, save money. A simple energy audit will identify where most of your emissions and, therefore, costs lie within the business. By developing and implementing action plans to reduce this, you will be lowering your heating and electricity bills. By going further and identifying renewable energy sources, you may even be able to make money through the feed in tariff scheme.
Thinking differently about your energy is what is needed. This means re-evaluating the processes, the systems you have in place that point to the past and instead starting your energy journey by taking simple steps towards a low carbon future.
If your customers, your shareholders or your external stakeholders don’t ask this of you, your staff certainly will. Don’t let money disappear through the walls, get free support now to future proof your business.
As a country Scotland is investing in new, sustainable energy solutions and this in itself presents numerous opportunities for new and established business alike. Scotland has the potential to produce 60GW (Gigawatts) of renewable energy and is set to become one of Europe’s key suppliers of renewable energy. With the abundance of natural resources it is estimated that Scotland can provide around 25% (around 36.5 GW) of Europe's total wind generation potential. The coastline, some 11,500 km long, translates to an estimated one quarter of Europe's tidal power and 10% of its total wave power potential.
Despite the development of renewable technologies and Scotland’s potential as a renewable energy exporter, businesses need to take immediate action to prepare for the imminent changes in our climate. Understanding the threats and opportunities is the fist step towards achieving an environmentally sustainable economy and by taking informed action now businesses will not only contribute to a massive reduction of energy related emissions but will also see a very tangible improvement to their financial bottom lines. Some areas for your business to consider are:
Don’t Standby, turn equipment off when not in use
Choose A rated appliances
Choose green or renewable energy tariffs and suppliers
Create your own energy and sell it back to the grid with a Feed-In-Tariff
Employ Behaviour Change initiatives to help you engage with your staff and consumers
Who is doing what:
For more information on energy efficiency initiatives visit www.carbontrust.co.uk or if you are a small business with an energy spend of less that £30k, then see www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
What we are doing:
At Mayday Scotland we are currently running a number of projects including the Carbon Masters Project which provides free carbon audits helping members understand and reduce their energy use. For more information and to find out how you can operate in a more efficient and sustainable way join the Mayday Network and find out how we can help.
To see what Energy Efficiency initiatives other Mayday Businesses have implemented click here. Or for a complete list of Mayday Case Studies click here
Click here to see the latest energy efficiency legislation or visit www.netregs.gov.uk for all of the free environmental guidance across the UK.
For a full list of the most relevant environmental reports, publications and other resources to ensure your business is future proofed click here
