‘Simple’ energy efficiency measures could deliver £45m benefit for UK businesses

EDF Energy analysed the energy consumption at different sites

EDF Energy claimed that the average UK organisation could achieve annual energy savings totalling more than £46,000 by grasping the low-hanging fruit of energy management. Measures include installing energy efficient lighting like LEDs and turning the heating off more promptly when users leave a building.

EDF Energy’s director of energy solutions Vincent de Rul said: “Energy efficiency has been a UK-wide focus for a number of years, but our analysis of these sites shows that the majority of organisations can still make meaningful carbon reductions that result in significant savings – through very simple changes.

“Our data covers a relatively small proportion of the UK’s businesses and public sector organisations – imagine what the impact would be if all UK such organisations made even the simplest of changes, whether that be efficient lighting or occupancy sensors? As the UK has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050, we want to demonstrate that all businesses can achieve positive results one change at a time.”

Carbon savings

EDF Energy analysed the energy consumption at different sites, including schools, hospitals, hotels, offices and police stations. The results showed that 62% could generate cost savings through lighting improvements, while 61% could improve the heating schedule.

There are also carbon savings to be had. Across all sites, an emissions reduction of more than 147,671 tonnes of CO2 could be achieved annually – the same amount that could be offset by more than 3.6 million square metres of woodland, EDF noted.

On average, organisations could make annual savings of £10,800 per site by installing efficient lighting, reducing their carbon emissions by 24 tonnes per site, per year.

EDF Energy’s analysis comes after a survey of 502 UK businesses found that almost half are aiming to be carbon-neutral by 2030, with 8% claiming they had already reached this milestone.

Overall, 46% of respondents said their organisation had plans – either public or internally published – to become carbon-neutral by 2030. Just 5% said this milestone was feasible for their firm within the next year. Energy efficiency plays a huge role in enabling companies to reduce emissions.

As for heat, the installation of district heat networks could reduce the capital cost of the UK’s heat networks by up to 40%, according to research from the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI).

Matt Mace