LONDON, Sept. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The public
sector could unlock more than £375m in cost savings every year by
adopting modern energy technology, according to new research
released by Centrica Business Solutions today.
The saving, which amounts to over £5.6bn over a typical 15 year
energy contract, is identified in a new study that aims to assess
the economic opportunity of the healthcare, universities and
defence estate adopting green technology such as solar panels and
combined heat and power units. Investment in this area would also
drive an additional positive impact for the UK economy, supporting
25,000 jobs.
The Powering Britain's
Public Sector report found that if just half of public sector
organisations within these three sectors updated their energy
infrastructure, they would reduce emissions by eight per cent and
save 660,000 tonnes of carbon each year - the equivalent of taking
over 435,000 cars off the road. The carbon reduction savings could
be doubled with the injection of around 20% green gas – a type of
gas created from biodegradable material – into the fuel mix.
The NHS has the lion's share of potential savings, with a total
annual savings opportunity of £187m, enough to pay the salaries of
more than 5,800 nurses.
Combined, the three public sector estates are responsible for
more than 7.8million tonnes of carbon emissions each year and have
been challenged by the Government to reduce emissions by 30% by
2020/21 and hit net zero by 2050.
Iain Conn, Centrica Group
Chief Executive, said: "Government bodies have two very
clear challenges, to operate more cost effectively and more
sustainably. New energy technologies, adopted aggressively, have
the potential to unlock both.
"Over the last four years, Centrica has been building the
capabilities in energy services and solutions to satisfy the
changing needs of our customers, and to enable their transition to
a lower carbon future. This report sets out how we can help
our customers in these critical sectors of the UK economy."
Richard Hookway, Chief
Executive of Centrica Business, said: "The Government has
announced £1.8bn of extra capital funding for the NHS. Investing a
fraction of this in distributed energy technology would not only
improve the resilience of trusts but would create long term savings
that could be redirected towards new nurses, new infrastructure and
protecting vital front-line services.
"What's needed now is for government and public sector leaders
to work together on making this opportunity a reality. Centrica has
committed to helping the public sector deliver £300m in energy
efficiency savings by 2030 as part of our responsible business
ambitions, so we are ready to support."
To enable the public sector to push forward these changes,
Centrica makes four recommendations to Government, including the
simplification of procurement frameworks and a stable and long term
regulatory environment.
To read the report in full, click here.
Case study: Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
(RD&E)
The Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust (RD&E) is
set to reduce its energy costs by £800,000 a year, following a £7
million investment in sustainable energy measures.
The project, delivered by Centrica Business Solutions, will
see state-of-the-art energy technology installed at five sites
across Exeter, helping the
RD&E to cut its energy costs by 17 per cent.
Design and construction is set to be completed by the end of
April 2020. It includes the
installation of a new 1.5MW combined heat and power unit that will
generate power onsite at Wonford Hospital, as well as roof mounted
solar panels at Wonford and Heavitree Hospitals and Mardon
Neuro-Rehabilitation Centre in Exeter.
Wonford and Heavitree Hospitals will also benefit from new LED
light fittings and improvements to the air conditioning systems,
while Mardon Neuro-Rehabilitation Centre will profit from the
installation of new energy-efficient boilers.
Once complete, it will reduce annual emissions by more than
2,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide – the equivalent to taking more than
1,450 cars off the road.
Notes to editors:
- Centrica Business Solution's Powering the Public Sector report
analysed key sectors; healthcare, defence and higher education.
Combined, these sectors spend more than a third of the UK's GDP,
and employ over five million people – one in six UK workers.
The report found that if just half of the organisations
within these sectors invested in energy saving solutions, they
could reduce annual energy costs by £375m.
- Centrica's purpose, set out in 2015, remains unchanged. We are
focused on satisfying the changing needs of our customers but are
now increasing the emphasis on enabling the transition to a lower
carbon future. Helping our customers run their world in ever more
sustainable ways.
- We have made commitments with clear targets in line with the
Paris accord built around three
pillars. To help our customers reduce their emissions, to enable a
decarbonised energy system and to reduce our own emissions. We will
report our progress against this framework on an annual basis. We
are one of the few companies prepared to commit to improving their
scope three emissions, i.e. those associated with their
customers.
For further detail on the report, visit:
https://www.centrica.com/media/3665/powering_britains_public_sector_web_final.pdf
About Centrica:
Centrica is a leading international energy services
and solutions provider, founded on a 200-year heritage of serving
people. Through our two customer-facing divisions, Centrica
Consumer and Centrica Business, we supply energy, services and
solutions to over 26 million customer accounts. We serve customers
across the UK, Ireland,
North America and Continental
Europe through strong brands such as British Gas, supported by
around 13,000 highly trained engineers and technicians. We are
focused on satisfying the changing needs of our customers, enabling
them to transition to a lower carbon future. Our aim is to reduce
emissions in line with Paris goals
by 2030 and develop a path to net zero by 2050.
Photo:
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