As net zero specialists, partnering with public and private sector organisations to turn their own net zero goals into reality, we are often asked what we ourselves are doing to reduce our impact on the environment.
As you would expect, the Padd Energy team always has plenty of ideas to help us practise what we preach. We are continually analysing the carbon impact of our business and any changes to the way we operate. Working from home (WFH) is one example of the types of operational changes that warrant closer analysis before deciding whether they are the best choice for the planet. On the surface WFH appears to be a clear carbon reduction win. However, when you consider that each member of staff is burning natural gas in their boilers to warm their houses rather than working from an efficiently heated office space away from home, the calculation isn’t quite as straightforward as it first appears.
What are we doing now?
Meeting the objectives of the Paris Accord, the GHG Protocol and more recently the goals of COP26 requires action from all of us. One of the positive headlines from COP26 was that around 70% of the world’s economy is now committed to reaching net zero emissions. In our own day to day work we are inspired by the passion and vision of large organisations who want to achieve the goals they have set for themselves.
Optimism and action are necessary to achieve change and we are proud to have a team working for us who are engaged in decarbonisation and committed to doing what they can themselves to make net zero a reality. Some of our staff members ride to work including our MD Chris Paddey who has been riding an electric assist bike to work for the past 5 years and has racked up over 10,000 displaced car miles in the process. We have also invested in an electric company vehicle and all our electricity and gas is now purchased through 100% green energy contracts.
These are just a few of the changes we have made and there is always more that we can do. We have calculated our overall emissions for 2021 so that we can monitor, reduce and offset our indirect emissions going during 2022.
What steps can you take?
Our advice is to do something, however small, right away. Don’t wait until you have a full strategy in place. If you are looking for somewhere simple to start, we would suggest creating an employee forum to start pooling ideas.
Making net zero a reality does involve setting goals, although goals are only as good as a route map that you have in place to achieve them. This is where we add value to the organisations we work with, by developing a fully costed and tested plan of action.
We implement a sophisticated techno-economic modelling solution and this identifies the solutions that are most appropriate for each individual client. We can identify grants and funding to deliver the projects and we support clients on the full journey, from feasibility to delivery. One of the biggest challenges facing businesses as they embark on their net zero strategy planning is making sure they have the right information and data available to make informed decisions about investment and planning. This is where we can really help.
Looking ahead to 2022 and beyond
As we look ahead to 2022 and beyond, we will be challenging ourselves to do more to reduce our carbon emissions. We will be reaching out to more companies in the UK and globally to give them the technical and strategic support they need to achieve their net zero goals. We will also be looking at the work being done around the world by governments and corporations to collaborate, influence and drive forward change during what is undoubtedly a crucial decade for our planet.
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