UK business has saved £1 billion in energy costs

The Carbon Trust has helped UK businesses save £1 billion in energy costs and cut carbon emissions by 17 million tonnes since its inception in 2001. Businesses working with the Carbon Trust cut their carbon footprint by approximately two million tonnes last year - an increase of around half a million tonnes compared to the previous year. An important part of this milestone has been the Carbon Trust’s support for smaller businesses. In 2007/08, the organisation provided £40 million of support to small and medium sized businesses. Since 2005, the Carbon Trust has helped these businesses to save almost one million tonnes of carbon and implement more than £100 million of direct cost savings. The Carbon Trust is also playing an important role in helping the UK hit its renewable energy targets. The organisation’s work in financing low carbon enterprises and developing low carbon technology is expected to deliver carbon savings of between 16.2 – 23.3 million tonnes of carbon over the next few decades. The Carbon Trust, an independent company set up by government to drive the low carbon economy in the UK, is also expanding its work internationally. The organisation has been approached by a wide range of countries keen to harness its expertise in the low carbon sector. It is currently working on partnerships in China and the US to share its experience in carbon footprinting and low carbon technology innovation.Dr Neil Bentley, Director of Business Environment at the CBI, said: ‘The Carbon Trust provides important practical advice to businesses of all sizes looking to lower their carbon emissions. The carbon and cost savings achieved by the companies the Trust has worked with demonstrate that environmental efficiency can also equate to financial efficiency in today's global marketplace. To succeed in creating a low-carbon Britain, we need to build on this work and the CBI will continue to work closely with the Carbon Trust over the coming year to help that happen’Tom Delay, Chief Executive, of the Carbon Trust said: ‘We fundamentally believe that a move to a low carbon world represents a vast commercial opportunity for businesses. In the short-term, with energy prices continuing to rise, the need for business to become ‘carbon literate’ is ever greater. ‘Going forward, the companies that prepare now for the move to a low carbon economy will be the ones best placed to realise the vast commercial opportunities that a low carbon world will bring. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far, and look forward to continuing to help businesses in the UK and further afield understand the business risks - and embrace the business opportunities - presented by climate change.’ For more information on the Carbon Trust call the Advice Line on 0800 085 2005 or see:
Carbon Trust

source Environment Agency

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