SPONSORED BY E.ON
ZEROING IN
ON SUSTAINABILITY
Energy usage is a key business consideration for manufacturers – but many
require the support of a trusted partner to maximise their sustainability potential
Zero. Nothing. Nada. Diddly squat.
Whatever you call it, reducing anything
to zero is a tall order. Yet, says Annalisa
Bell, strategic account manager at E.ON
(pictured, right), that should be the
goal of all manufacturers when it comes
to their carbon emissions. “A ‘zero CO2’ target
fundamentally boils down to using less energy
and ensuring that whatever you do use comes
from sustainable sources,” she explains. “It’s
important that manufacturers – like all businesses
– understand how and when they are using carbon;
they have to understand all this before they work
towards any strategies for zero CO2 goals.”
That’s not just a nice-to-have. In today’s
demanding market place, Bell adds, sustainable
manufacturing means a more competitive
business, “helping businesses to save costs
per unit, as well as helping to gain more
customers, ultimately leading to long-term,
sustainable growth”.
Manufacturers need to see the value that zero
CO2 brings, both from the bottom line and from
the top down. Energy consumption has found
itself thrust into boardrooms up and down the
country, not least thanks to rising costs, continues
Bell. “Manufacturers have seen a rise in energy
bills, particularly because of higher third-party
charges and levies to pay for renewable energy
sources on the grid,” she says. “There’s going to
be a lot more pressure to hit carbon targets in the
CONTRIBUTOR E.ON
future, so the decisions that
are being made in boardrooms
must take energy consumption
and sustainability into
account.”
In addition, societal
awareness of energy use,
carbon emissions and climate
change has never been higher.
Movements like Extinction
Rebellion have received large
amounts of media attention,
which has had a knock-on effect
amongst the general public
and their buying habits. “There
will soon be a similar amount
of urgency around energy
use as there is on reducing
single-use plastic,” predicts
Bell. “As well as an increase
in consumer or end-customer
pressures, manufacturers are
also feeling the pinch from
their wider supply chains to
provide low-carbon services
and products. It’s therefore
vital for companies to have a
well-thought-out sustainability
strategy and take a proactive
lead as we transition towards a
more sustainable future.”
Managing risks
A survey conducted by
Manufacturing Management and
E.ON in late 2018 found that
more than 90% of business
leaders are committed
to reducing their energy
consumption, and 77% agreed
that a robust energy efficiency
strategy on their site will lead
to wider benefits across the
company. However, there is a
real concern that implementing
such a strategy will come
at a cost to the company’s
bottom line. This, says Bell, is
understandable. “Sustainability
also needs to be seen as
profitable,” she says. “From
the research we conducted,
we know that cost is still the
main driver for business energy
decisions. When we meet
with manufacturers, the first
question they always ask is ‘how
much is it going to cost, and
how much money will I save?’”
It may appear, then, that
the ‘zero CO2’ ideal is doomed
to fail thanks to perceived
high costs. However, says
Bell, there are many ways
manufacturers can develop a
strategy that works towards
zero CO2 without breaking
the bank. “The zero CO2 goal
can be achieved through the
decarbonisation of power
and the electrification of
processes,” she explains. “It’s
important for manufacturers
to do everything they can to
reduce their energy use by
developing an energy efficiency
strategy. In the short-term
The REGO scheme
The Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) scheme provides transparency to
consumers about the proportion of electricity that suppliers source from renewable generation.
All EU member states are required to have such a scheme. Ofgem, the government for the
electricity and gas markets, issues one REGO certificate per megawatt hour (MWh) of eligible
renewable output to generators of renewable electricity.
The purpose of the certificate is to prove to the final customer that a given share of energy was
produced from renewable sources. Generators of renewable energy of any size in the UK can
apply for the scheme.
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