How can we achieve net zero carbon emissions? How much will it cost? Can we ignore this problem? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers or magic bullets, but can we turn this problem into an opportunity?
Where to start
Establishing your operational carbon baseline is an achievable first step for all and provides the foundation to build your net zero ambitions. But where to start? The answer is always data. You may be lucky to have access to data through a broker or supplier but if not, examine your bills from the past year.
Electricity and gas utility providers must publish the carbon content of every kWh supplied, so multiply this by your consumption and you have created your baseline. Easy.
When we completed this exercise at Specsavers, we discovered circa 90% the carbon emissions from the operations we directly control, resulted from electricity we use, highlighting where our focus should be.
Assuming you are in the same position, how can you reduce emissions from electricity use? Luckily you have a few options, including:
- Reducing your electricity usage.
- Generating your own using technology such as solar panels.
- Purchasing renewable electricity from an energy provider.
Reducing electricity use
Clichés are clichés for a reason and in energy management you are taught early that ‘you can’t manage what you can’t measure’ and the ‘cheapest energy is the energy you don’t use’. So how do these principles help shape our net zero journey?
Let’s start with measurement. We started a data collection mission to inform where and when we consume, highlighting potential wastage affecting operational costs. This information can be used to create benchmarks, drawing attention to the most efficient and inefficient sites to take learnings from.
Data assists and validates decision-making. For example, we all know that installing LED lighting is worth considering but from the data we have collected we now know that it has reduced our lighting energy consumption by circa 50%. It also has additional sustainability benefits. They last longer, so less downtime, engineer visits and electrical equipment waste. They remain effective for longer, resulting in better lighting levels for longer, which is good for the customer experience and colleague comfort.
Generating your own
We have embarked on a drive towards embracing renewable power. Beginning with some of our manufacturing and office locations, we are investing in solar technology to reduce the electricity we need from the grid.
Within our manufacturing sector, our first installation at Vision Labs in Kidderminster is now complete and will generate 350MWhs of electricity annually. Further installations are planned in the UK and Hungary which will increase annual generation to almost 1,500MWhs.
Our first support office installation in Guernsey is also in planning and is aiming to generate more than a third of the annual electricity requirements for this site.
But solar is a technology that is not suited to all. Although it will significantly reduce demand yield power for at least 25 years and requires little maintenance, payback periods are relatively long, so lease terms must be considered and significant capital expenditure is required.
Even with the significant investment we have committed to, on-site solutions will not be able to produce all our annual requirements. So, what about the rest?
Purchasing renewable electricity
Where we can’t generate our own, we can purchase renewable electricity from our energy suppliers. This allows the elimination of Scope 2 emissions quickly, and relatively inexpensively while stimulating renewable investment. Maybe we have found that magic bullet after all?
Switching to a renewable supply is a fantastic start. But we can’t forget that once net zero is achieved, we need to keep on achieving year on year. As renewable energy demand rises, it follows that supply will be stretched and prices will rise, increasing future liabilities.
As such, renewable supplies should be viewed as a holding strategy allowing time to invest in demand reduction and on-site renewable generation.
What are you waiting for?
Building sustainability into your business isn’t a problem to overcome. It provides a host of benefits, from cost and risk reduction to satisfying growing customer expectations. It is an opportunity to do what we do but better.
We don’t have to achieve our goals overnight, but we need to start somewhere. Build a plan that aligns with business goals and the quicker you do the more likely you will succeed.
- Craig Macdonald is global sustainability lead (carbon and water) at Specsavers.
