Breaking down Net-Zero

February 17 2021 - CEP Team

Net-zero is likely not an unfamiliar term but there is sometimes a lack of clarity over what it actually means to be net-zero and the impact that it will have.  

Breaking down Net-Zero

Net-zero means that the greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere are in balance with those being removed.

Greenhouse gases are the major contributor to global warming and we create them largely through our power generation processes. In 2019 the UK government set out targets to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. This came as an extension to the previous commitment to an 80% reduction which has been in place since 1990. The UK has in fact been behind on meeting this target, but with an impactful shift of public attitudes in recent years, they have become more ambitious in what they aim to achieve.

Ofgem has set a clear precedent to the energy sector that it will play a crucial role in realising the UK’s net-zero target through its Decarbonisation Action Plan, emploring the energy industry to devise their own plans to reduce their emissions.

 

How will it impact you?

The challenge of net-zero falls largely on businesses and companies to revolutionise not only their processes but also how they operate on a day-to-day business. Inevitably businesses need to start making changes and making them fast.

Traditional, carbon-heavy, methods of water, gas, and electricity acquisition are rapidly decreasing in use as consumers switch to renewable methods. Solar panels are popping up all around us as the renewable energy wave sweeps across the globe. The energy industry, which has historically been a large culprit in carbon generation, will see a marked shift in the way we are using energy in the future whether that is through regulations or the development of new technologies. 

 

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What does this mean?


So far, there has been a positive uptake for environmentally conscious practices in energy and related industries: 

 

- The future home’s standard is set to ensure that all new-builds are zero carbon

- We have moved away from fossil fuel boilers 

- We are implementing minimum efficiency standards in both private and rented buildings 

 

We are a supplier of heat to 16,000 customers, a utility that is primarily generated using natural gas. The heating industry has been identified as a particularly difficult area to tackle when looking to decarbonise, but that doesn’t make CEP any less committed to achieving Net Zero within our company by 2025. We will therefore be working with our clients to look at how we can best utilise carbon offset schemes and building the blocks of a future framework for low-carbon heating technologies which will aim to decarbonise heating systems.  Our dedication to achieving net-zero will involve us changing numerous elements of our operations. We will be looking to change our van fleet to hybrid or all-electric vehicles in the future and will be sourcing carbon offset with a verified partner working to the Woodland Carbon Code. 


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