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Power Forward: How the largest US companies are capturing business value while addressing climate change
The largest US companies are increasing their clean energy and energy efficiency efforts while improving their bottom lines.
First Utility rebrands as Shell Energy and switches 700,000 customers to renewable energy
A year after Shell acquired First Utility it has rebranded the supplier as Shell Energy Retail and has today (25 March) confirmed it has switched more than 700,000 homes in Britain to 100% renewable electricity.
Doubts raised over viability of 'subsidy-free' renewables
Senior figures from the energy and finance industries have declared doubts over the feasibility of building "subsidy-free" renewables at scale without some form of revenue stabilisation.
Study charts six scenarios for fossil-free energy by 2050
Cutting energy use in buildings, ramping up renewable electricity and developing large-scale storage with hydrogen are clear options in bringing energy emissions down to zero by 2050, according to a new study.
European lawsuit on biomass rules threatens Drax plant
A coalition of environmental campaigners has launched a court bid to stop the European Commission treating forest grown wood as a renewable source of energy.
Ikea creates blockchain solution to "democratise" renewable energy
Plans have been created by furniture giant Ikea's innovation lab Space 10 to develop a blockchain-powered solar microgrid.
Five EU countries call for 100% renewable energy by 2050
The European Union's 28 energy ministers had their first public debate on the European Commission's 2050 climate plan on Monday (4 March) but five member states derided the lack of a 100% renewable energy scenario among the EU executive's proposed options.
Northumbrian Water seals UK's first offshore wind PPA deal with Ørsted
Northumbrian Water has signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with energy giant Ørsted, the first deal of its type in the UK to secure procurement from an offshore windfarm.
Government throws its weight behind offshore wind power expansion
The government will throw its weight behind an expansion in the use of offshore wind power in the hope the renewable energy source will provide a third of the UK's electricity by 2030.
We need to put jobs and poverty at the centre of climate action
Discussions around climate change are in need of a new narrative that outlines the opportunities of a low-carbon transition, as renowned environmentalist Jeremy Leggett and Xynteo's Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President Philip Smith explain.
3M pledges to source 100% renewable electricity
Multinational consumer goods, healthcare and industry firm 3M has become the latest corporate to join The Climate Group's RE100 initiative, pledging to source 100% renewable electricity for its global operations.
Scottish Power's £2bn renewables pledge and Dublin's zero-emission post: The sustainability success stories of the week
As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
Warrington Council moves towards energy self-sufficiency with major solar and storage deal
Two industrial-scale solar farms and a 27MW battery storage facility are set to be installed in York and Hull before the end of next year, after funding for the project closed today (28 February).
DeepMind: Google uses AI technology to boost wind energy efficiency
Google has boosted the value of the wind energy it produces by 20% after installing its own artificial intelligence (AI) software across its largest renewable energy facilities in the US.
Manifesto demands stronger support for community energy
A coalition of 20 charities, green campaigners and community energy groups has published a new manifesto calling for stronger support for community energy schemes to help improve their dwindling prospects.
How AB Sugar made sustainability its competitive edge
Faced with extreme climate-related challenges and increased calls for healthier diets, one of the world's leading sugar businesses has raised its sustainability ambitions to keep its competitive edge in a challenging economic environment.
How could a no-deal Brexit affect the UK's low-carbon energy transition?
As the Brexit deadline looms and Ministers struggle to take a no-deal option off the table, leading energy and policy experts have argued that leaving the EU without a deal would considerably increase the price of the UK's low-carbon transition.
Development bank investments could halt emissions rises in developing nations, report finds
By funnelling concessional finance into renewable energy and battery storage projects in developing nations, development finance institutions could halt the rate of emissions growth across such countries altogether.
Kingfisher has emissions goals approved by Science Based Targets initiative
Home improvement retailer has had goals to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 22% and emissions from purchased goods, services and the use of sold products by 40% approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
BP: Renewables will be the world's main source of power by 2040
Oil and gas giant BP has forecast that renewables are likely to account for around one-third of the world's energy production by 2040, with uptake growing faster than that of any other fuel to date.
Audi to install Europe's largest rooftop solar array in 'climate-neutral' bid
Carmaker Audi has unveiled plans to install a 12MW rooftop solar array across two of its logistics centres in Hungary, in a drive to make the facility's operations carbon-neutral.
How meeting the Paris Agreement will improve global economic growth
A new report has outlined that meeting the 2C target established as part of the Paris Agreement will improve global GDP and boost investment. Here, edie explores how nations can make this vision a reality.
UK wind energy generation smashes record again
Wind energy in the UK set another record last week, with new figures revealing that more than 15GW of renewable energy was generated by wind technologies on Friday (8 February).
Verizon's green bonds and Nike's clean energy deal: The sustainability success stories of the week
As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
Sustainability Leaders Awards 2019: Meet the Winners
Welcome to the winners report for the 2019 Sustainability Leaders Awards. Organised by edie, these awards recognise excellence across the spectrum of sustainable business; from the best efficiency programmes through to product innovation, from stakeholder engagement and CSR initiatives to the people making it happen.
Carlsberg progressing towards carbon-neutral status
Onsite renewable arrays and low-carbon packaging innovations have helped Carlsberg to achieve a 20% reduction in its relative carbon emissions since 2015, as it strives to become a 'net-zero' carbon business by 2030.
Carbon Brief: UK's emissions could have doubled since 1990 without renewable energy
The UK's total carbon footprint has decreased by 38% since 1990 - but could have doubled if the renewable energy revolution had failed to gain traction, new analysis from Carbon Brief has concluded.
UK's low-carbon economy surpasses £44bn
Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown that the UK's low-carbon economy has reached record heights, with the sector growing by almost 7% in 2017 to £44.5bn.
Government launches new funding measures to target energy storage and AI innovations
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has announced a range of new funding measures aimed at uncovering cost-competitive energy storage technologies and using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tackle food waste.
Onshore limits on turbine size could make offshore wind cheaper
Offshore wind could become Britain's cheapest source of renewable power within a decade as planning constraints prevent the deployment of larger, more cost-efficient turbines onshore, new research has found.
Corporate clean energy purchases smash record in 2018
Businesses obtained 13.4GW of clean energy through power purchase agreements (PPAs) in 2018, more than doubling the record set in the previous year.
Germany agrees to end reliance on coal stations by 2038
Germany has agreed to end its reliance on polluting coal power stations by 2038, in a long-awaited decision that will have major ramifications for Europe's attempts to meet its Paris climate change targets.
The 10 Year Challenge: How the UK's low-carbon economy has changed
The 10-Year Challenge has swept across social media this month, providing celebrities with ample opportunity to show how little they've aged. However, the UK's low-carbon economy has changed drastically in this time, as edie explains.
Analysis warns of lack of progress on 2020 global emissions target
Removing coal from the global energy mix is taking too long, too many forests are still being destroyed, and fossil fuel subsidies are ongoing despite their distorting effect on the market, a new study has found.
Report: Half of energy workers feel 'unprepared' for low-carbon transition
Almost half (48%) of workers within the global power sector are concerned that their industry is not doing enough to equip staff with skills they need to adapt to an increasingly decarbonised, digitised energy system, new research has revealed.
Claire Perry: UK's business community must help create a 'just' low-carbon transition
As the UK strives to meet legally binding carbon targets, businesses must help policymakers create a low-carbon economy that does not exclude working-class people or rural regions, Energy Minister Claire Perry has claimed.
Renewables forecast to overtake fossil fuels in 2020
Renewables will overtake fossil fuels in 2020 to become the "dominant" source of power in Great Britain, EnAppsSys has predicted in a new report.
UK revealed as EU champion of fossil fuel subsidies
The UK spends the most of any EU nation on subsidising fossil fuels, according to a new report by the European Commission, which also found that EU-wide payments have failed to decrease despite the bloc's commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Policy shake-up set to fast-track energy storage and renewables projects
The UK Government has launched a consultation to determine how best it can alter planning policy frameworks to support developers and businesses seeking to build energy storage facilities in England.
UK's first floating tidal stream turbine to be built in Scotland
The UK's first floating tidal stream turbine is set to be deployed off the coast of Scotland in 2020, after £7m of funding to build the device was secured earlier this month.
Solar households to be paid for excess power after Government U-turn
The UK Government has made a U-turn on its decision to end the solar "export tariff", confirming that households which install solar panels in the future will be paid for excess power they generate and send to the grid.
Centrica completes 49MW battery facility in Cumbria
Centrica has completed work on a 49MW battery storage facility on the former site of the Roosecote power station in Cumbria.
Bill Gates: Nuclear power 'ideal' for tackling climate challenges
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has argued that nuclear power is an ideal technology to decarbonise the global energy system, as it is less prone to volatility and variable outputs compared to renewables.
Shell set to double investment in green energy
Oil and gas giant Shell is exploring the feasibility of doubling its annual green energy investments to $4bn (£3.2bn), as it begins to transition away from fossil fuels and move into the low-carbon and renewables sectors.
UK power stations' electricity output lowest since 1994
The output of British power stations fell this year to levels last seen almost a quarter of a century ago, while renewables achieved a record share of the UK electricity supply.
AB InBev signs deal to source 100% renewable electricity in UK
The owner of Budweiser and Corona has secured a deal to purchase 100% renewable electricity for its UK operations.
Solar households expected to give away power to energy firms
The Government has said households that install solar panels in the future will be expected to give away unused clean power for free to energy firms earning multi-million-pound profits, provoking outrage from green campaigners.
Offshore wind capacity in 2018 'smashes' previous record
This year has seen a record-breaking amount of new UK offshore wind capacity installed, according to new figures from Renewable UK.
Plastics action, energy storage and climate warnings: The top sustainability stories of 2018
As 2018 draws to a close, the edie team reflects on the key stories which defined corporate sustainability and drove new levels of action in 2018.
Northumbrian Water set to power treatment works with battery storage technology
Water utility Northumbrian Water has unveiled plans to install battery storage systems made using end-of-life electric vehicle (EV) batteries at several of its water treatment works, in a move to store power generated using its onsite renewable arrays.
Large-scale solar costs expected to fall below £40/MWh by 2030
The cost of large-scale solar generation is expected to fall below £40/MWh by 2030, according to the latest assessment by the Solar Trade Association (STA).
Wind power breaks 100% threshold for Scotland's electricity demand
Wind farms in Scotland generated enough power to account for more than 100% of the country's electricity demand last month, according to new figures from WeatherEnergy.
Energy regulations: Coming to a home near you
The launch of the new version 10 of the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP10) means that energy regulations are changing. But what does this mean for our buildings?
Merlin Entertainments switches to 100% renewable electricity for UK attractions
Legoland, Sea Life and Madame Tussauds operator Merlin Entertainments is now sourcing 100% renewably-generated electricity across its UK attractions, after signing a supply deal with green power firm Ecotricity.
Wales pledges to phase-out fossil fuels in favour of renewables
The Welsh Government has committed to phase out the continued extraction and use of fossil fuels, including those obtained by fracking, as it strives to reduce national carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, against a 2011 baseline.
Wind generates record amount of electricity
Windfarms generated a record amount of electricity on Wednesday (28 November), according to National Grid.
BT 'within touching distance' of 100% renewables target
Telecoms giant BT has posted an update on its progress towards sourcing 100% renewable electricity by 2020, after signing two new clean power deals.
Former Npower boss Paul Massara: Business community will lead UK's energy transition
Amid sluggish policy changes and falling technology and renewables costs, the UK's business community is likely to lead the transition to a low-carbon, decentralised and democratised energy system, Npower's former chief executive Paul Massara has suggested.
Report: Renewables could meet half of UK's electricity demands by 2030, at price parity with fossil fuels
Wind and solar power - if distributed using smart, flexible power grids - could meet around 50% of the UK's electricity demands by 2030, at a price parity with coal, oil or gas generation.
Major businesses call for cost-effective European market for renewables
A host of major businesses have penned a declaration calling on governments to set enabling policies that incentivise and increase opportunities to source renewable electricity through onsite installations and power purchase agreements (PPAs).
BEIS signals policy shift on export tariff
Energy and clean growth minister Claire Perry has signalled a shift in policy when it comes to the closure of the Feed-in Tariff.
Volume-based renewable auctions needed to meet emissions targets
Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions must be reformed to fill a looming hole in the UK's carbon budgets, Cornwall Insight has argued in a new report.
Science-based targets and 'smart' mobility centres: The sustainability success stories of the week
As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
Businesses accelerate progress towards renewables in drive for 1.5C world
Last year marked a "dramatic upsurge" in corporate demand for renewable energy, according to new research by The Climate Group, which suggests that many big-name businesses are exploring alignment with a 1.5C trajectory.
Sustainability Leaders Awards 2019: Meet the finalists
After a record-breaking year of entries, the judges have convened, decisions have been made and edie is proud to unveil the well-deserved finalists for the 2019 Sustainability Leaders Awards. This report outlines the who's who of sustainability excellence.
EU approves more ambitious renewables target, commits to palm oil phase-out
The European Parliament has voted to approve a set of new clean energy laws for 2030, outlining plans to increase the bloc's use of renewable energy and ban the sale of high-emission biofuels made from palm and soybean oil.
Spain targets 100% renewable power by 2050
Spain's government has published a new climate plan that targets a 100% renewable energy electricity system by 2050, with goals that outstrip those adopted by the EU and a ban on new gas and oil exploration.
Report: G20 nations off track to meet Paris Agreement goals, despite clean energy promises
Of the energy provided to G20 nations during the past 10 years, 82% was generated using coal, oil or gas - despite the bloc's promises to transition to clean power.
Wind power delivered 98% of Scotland's electricity demand in October
Wind turbines across Scotland generated enough power to account for 98% of the country's electricity demand last month.
BNEF: Global energy storage investment to hit $1.2trn by 2040
Global investment into energy storage technologies including batteries is set to reach $1.2trn by 2040 as technology costs fall, according to new research by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF).
Former National Grid boss Steve Holliday: Britain is undergoing a chaotic energy revolution
Former National Grid boss Steve Holliday has championed the role that businesses and innovators have played in igniting a "chaotic revolution" in the energy sector, by accelerating demand for renewable energy and battery storage installations.
UK's renewables attractiveness drops amid no-deal Brexit fears
The UK has fallen in a ranking of the world's most attractive renewable energy markets for investors, with apprehensions around Brexit cited as a major reason for a year-on-year drop in investment.
UK renewable energy capacity surpasses fossil fuels for first time
The capacity of renewable energy has overtaken that of fossil fuels in the UK for the first time, in a milestone that experts said would have been unthinkable a few years ago.
UK's energy storage revolution happening faster than expected, study finds
Planning permission applications to install energy storage facilities in the UK have quadrupled since 2016, with a massive increase in capacity expected in the next few years.
Floating wind capacity could reach 20GW by 2050
Floating offshore windfarms could provide up to 20GW of generation capacity by the middle of the century, a study commissioned by the Crown Estate Scotland has found.
Perfume giant Firmenich unveils approved science-based targets
Perfume company Firmenich has had a goal to reduce Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 39% approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).
In action: EDF's renewable energy-based renovation of a listed building
Between 2012 and 2015, EDF Energy embarked on an ambitious project to bring a listed 12th Century building into the 21st Century by installing onsite renewable systems to generate low-carbon heat, cooling and electricity.
Autumn Budget preview: Five green policy predictions ahead of Philip Hammond's statement
A new levy on plastic packaging? A watered-down carbon price? An increase to the Climate Change Levy (CCL)? edie previews the green-related announcements likely to be included in the Autumn Budget on Monday (29 November).
Why an ex-Tesla VP has turned to storage, blockchain and Virtual Power Plants to 'save the planet'
Last month a UK start-up announced that ex-Tesla vice president Ben Hill was joining their team. Here, edie discovers why he has swapped the world of mobility to embark on a vision to transition the world to 100% renewable energy.
Floating solar farm to power water treatment works in Lancashire
Water company United Utilities has this week begun building a floating solar farm on the surface of a reservoir in Lancashire, in a move that will enable it to power one of its water treatment plants with 100% renewable power by early 2019.
Report: 46,000 new green jobs could be created in North of England by 2030
Around 46,000 new green economy jobs could be created in the North of England by 2030, a new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has concluded.
'Bad news' and 'despair': Global carbon emissions to hit new record in 2018, IEA says
Global carbon emissions will rise to a new record level in 2018, making the chances of reaching a target to keep temperature increases to 1.5 or 2°C "weaker and weaker every year, every month," the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has said.
Amazon pledges to install 20MW solar systems across UK fulfilment centres
Amazon has this week pledged to deploy 20MW of solar panels across its UK fulfilment centres, in a move that will slash its carbon footprint by 6,000 tonnes of CO2 each year.
Scottish Power shifts to 100% wind generation after £700m Drax sale
Scottish Power has ditched fossil fuels for electricity generation and switched to 100% wind power, by selling off its last remaining gas power stations to Drax for more than £700m.
BT pledges to become a net-zero-carbon business by 2045
As the UK Government announces plans to discuss a potential net-zero emissions strategy, technology giant BT has pledged to become a net-zero-carbon business by 2045.
Energy storage needs £6bn UK investment by 2030 to keep pace with renewables, research finds
More than £6bn will need to be invested in the UK's energy storage market by 2030 if the nation is to decarbonise at the rate necessary to meet legally-binding carbon targets.
IPCC 1.5C report: How can business drive the creation of a carbon-neutral world?
The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is celebrating its 30th birthday this year, and has done so by releasing a landmark report that acknowledges the severity of the challenge at hand. But how can business stop being part of the problem, and co-create the necessary solutions?
Britvic switches to 100% renewable electricity
Britvic has announced that every UK manufacturing site will be powered by 100% renewable electricity from October 2018.
Report: Global offshore wind industry to 'be worth £30bn per year by 2030'
British companies are among the most likely to reap the rewards from the growth of the global offshore wind sector, which is set to be worth more than £30bn annually by 2030.
The World Bank launches $1bn energy storage programme for developing nations
The World Bank has launched a first-of-its-kind $1bn funding programme to fast-track deployment of battery storage projects in developing countries, to 'close the gap' on efforts to transition to cleaner energy sources.
TCFD, SDGs and pop-up squads: What the future holds for sustainability reporting
Sustainability and corporate responsibility managers from a range of businesses recently gathered in London for an exclusive roundtable hosted by edie and reporting and assurance firm DNV GL to discuss how new standards, systems and stakeholder demands are together revolutionising sustainability reporting.
RE100 members outperforming peers on key financial indicators
Companies committed to sourcing 100% renewable electricity through the RE100 initiative are outperforming their peers in relation to net profit margins and earnings before tax, a new report from The Climate Group has found.
One foot in ‘today’, the other in ‘tomorrow’
The retail sector has done much in the last decade on sustainability, but it is increasingly apparent that all this has just been a dress rehearsal, a beginning not an end.
UK's wind generation capacity surpasses 20GW milestone
The UK's total wind generation capacity has reached 20GW for the first time, following the opening of the world's largest wind farm off the Cumbrian coast earlier this month.
Big-name businesses pledge to help make London world's 'greenest city'
A group of 11 businesses including Tesco, Siemens, Landsec and Sky have pledged to source 100% renewable power for their London facilities by 2020 in support of London Mayor Sadiq Khan's recently announced plans to make the capital the "greenest" city in the world by 2050.
Lyft offsetting all its emissions as it pushes for 100% renewable energy
Ridesharing firm Lyft has announced that it is a "fully carbon-neutral company", while also agreeing to meet its entire electricity demand through renewable sources.
Report: Fossil fuel demand to peak in the 2020s due to clean energy growth
The global transition to clean energy and low-carbon technologies is set to be much quicker than previously expected, with worldwide demand for fossil fuels set to peak in the 2020s.
Sony and RBS among latest RE100 pledges
Global electronics firm Sony, management consultants McKinsey & Company, office space company WeWork and the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) have all pledged to transition to 100% renewable energy through the Climate Group's RE100 initiative.
World's largest offshore windfarm opens off Cumbrian coast
The world's biggest offshore windfarm has officially opened in the Irish Sea, amid warnings that Brexit could increase costs for future projects.
Scottish clean energy projects to get increased investment
Clean energy has been promised a share of an extra £1.5 billion per annum pledged by Nicola Sturgeon for infrastructure in Scotland.
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