Final details of CRC announced

The Government has this morning announced the final details of the Carbon Reduction Commitment due to start next year.


Energy and climate change minister, Joan Ruddock, announced the final details of the plan this morning (7 October) after finishing a consultation with business and other organisations affected.

The scheme also has a new name, the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, to reflect the fact its main focus in to cut power use and therefore emissions.

All large energy users, from government departments to big-business, have to take part in the scheme from 1 April next year.

Mrs Ruddock said today that following ‘extensive consultation with businesses and trade bodies’, DECC has made some improvements to the scheme.

These include allowing organisations to only report emissions in the first year (2010/11), then in following years they will have to buy allowances matching their emissions from energy use and then surrender them by the end of the year.

In the second year (2011/12) extra weighting will be given to organisations ‘taking action early’ to improve energy efficiency.

Organisations which use ‘onsite’ renewable energy like wind turbines or solar panels by publishing the increased carbon savings from such measures will get increased ‘recognition’ under the CRC.

Mrs Ruddock said: “The UK is leading the way in tackling climate change and in the move to a low carbon economy.

“Organisations and the public sector must play a central role including all government departments, regardless of size.

“Large organisations have huge potential to achieve cost-effective energy efficiency savings, there are clear benefits from positive, immediate action to tackle climate change.

“Investment that takes place in the next few decades will have a profound effect on the climate in the second half of this century and in the next.

“The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme will help organisations to become more energy efficient, to save significant sums of money on fuel bills, and to show customers, clients and competitors that their organisation is a leader in tackling climate change.”

The scheme targets organisation’s annual half hourly metered (HHM) electricity use, if that’s at least 6,000 Megawatt hours (MWh) they’ll qualify for the scheme – or typically those that spend £500,000 a year on electricity.

The Environment Agency will publish the qualification and registration guidance for potential CRC participants by November.

Edie is running a CRC clinic at the Hurlingham Club, London on November 12 to help affected organisations get ahead of the game.

The morning event will feature speakers from DECC and industry experts ERM and PowerPerfector.

Tickets are priced at £150. For more information, visit our CRC clinic page.

Luke Walsh

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