100% renewable energy

The benefits of 100% renewables are being taken seriously by businesses and these considerations have been pushed to the forefront by legislation and reporting requirements that have been implemented by the Government such as Streamlined Carbon Energy Reporting requirements.

So, if you are looking at 100% renewable energy how is it created?

100% renewable energy is created from sources such as wind, solar, hydropower and energy from waste. These renewable energy sources account for approximately a third of electricity used in the UK (source: Digest of UK energy statistics)

Is it more expensive?

The technology and infrastructure set up costs behind renewable energy are high, therefore presently yes, renewable energy comes at a higher cost. This cost is reducing and will hopefully eventually fall in line with the cost of non-renewable energy.

The cost should also be viewed in a more holistic way, if you are a business and your clients and customers are highly engaged environmentally then the benefits of going 100% renewable can create great social stories and you can really shout about the reduced impact your business is having on the environment.

This is demonstrated by the rise in brands that are focusing on reducing their environmental impact. The fashion retailer Zara recently announced their sustainability and environmental impact goals, and this has led to positive exposure throughout the fashion world for the brand.

Are there businesses using 100% renewable energy?

Yes, 100% renewable energy is being taken seriously by some of the world’s largest corporations. The RE100 are the world’s most influential companies, committed to 100% renewable power. You can find out more about who they are, what they are committing to and how they are supporting and going about changes to how they operate here.

What are the benefits of 100% renewable energy?

SECR states that any carbon efficiencies and anything your business is doing to reduce this must be reported. This reporting is a narrative description and will include, for example

• The installation for smart meter and energy monitoring tools
• Moving a fleet of vehicles to electric
• Behavioural changes
• Changes to buildings making them more energy efficient

Although SECR doesn’t explicitly state that you should be reporting on how much energy your business is using that is renewable, the reporting requirements demonstrate that businesses should be focused on reducing the impact they have on the environment.