CRC league table worth £734m from 2106 businesses

The scheme’s administrators, the Environment Agency (EA), published the table of 2106 businesses, which was down from the 2789 initially listed to take part in it.

According to the EA the 25% drop off was due to exemptions under Climate Change Agreements (CCAs) or EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to prevent businesses being taxed twice.

However, independent observers claimed it’s unclear if some of those not making it to the final table were due to non-compliance rather than exemptions.

Speaking to edie energy Camco UK director, Dave Worthington, and senior consultant, Paul Stepan, said in their initial estimates the CRC league table would be worth £734m to Government coffers – down from the £1bn chancellor George Osborne hoped for in his most recent budget.

That is based on current participants buying CRC allowances in spring next year at £12 per tonne to cover their carbon emissions, should they stay at similar levels, this will raise £734m in revenue.

Mr Worthington said: “Changes to the financial reward system of the CRC might have dropped it out of the boardroom.

“But the amount of attention, which brought the Environment Agency’s website to halt this morning, could well see it back up the corporate agenda.”

Mr Stephan added: “The EA’s decision to change the rules on smart meters, to only credit people from when they were installed will have impacted a lot of people.

“As next year’s reporting period is already underway it’s going to be interesting to see how the next league table pans out.”

Camco UK were also delighted with high places for their clients the vast majority of which finished in the top quartile – they singling out British Land and Bath University for particular praise.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency, said: “The data forms a baseline for future years which will also show overall carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, annual emissions savings and progress on energy efficiency.

“The 2011 league table shows that over 60 per cent of organisations have taken action by installing smart meters and obtaining a certificate for ‘good energy management’ from the Carbon Trust or other accreditation scheme.

“The table also shows participants’ annual carbon emissions – although they are not ranked on them this year.”

From 2012 organisations’ rank will reflect changes in carbon emissions year-on-year – both in absolute terms and taking the growth of an organisation into account.

The table is online here.

Luke Walsh