Renewable & Sustainable Energy: The Market
Energy costs in the UK are rising, driven by our insatiable demand and by dwindling reserves of fossil fuels (75% of the UK's electricity is generated from coal, oil and gas).
In an attempt to lessen our dependency on fossil fuels and reduce our overall carbon emissions, the UK Government is committed to increasing the amount of final energy consumption to come from renewable sources from 3.3% to 15% by 2020 (source – Department of Energy & Climate Change). This is in line with its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the UK by at least 80% by 2050, relative to 1990 levels. This will help to address increasingly important energy and environmental issues, including the security of energy supplies, climate change, resource depletion, and environmental pollution.
With a combination of market forces and government legislation, it is therefore clear that doing nothing is not an option for most businesses. Whether your agenda is to reduce carbon or reduce energy costs, the two are inextricably linked. This is why Bishop Fleming has created a dedicated Renewable & Sustainable Energy group, bringing together expertise from a number of areas in order to help clients maximise opportunities to reduce their energy cost base and consequently lower their carbon emissions.