On-site generation

Solar PV

When the sun shines, the photovoltaic (PV) cells in a solar panel absorb the sunlight, which creates an electric current. Using electricity generated by your solar PV panels can help to reduce your Scope 2 emissions.

PV panels can be installed on your roof or on the ground, depending on space – typically, one square meter of solar panel provides around 175W of power (in ideal conditions).

Roof installations <1MW do not require planning permission but ground installations do and may require an Environmental Impact Assessment.

Air/ground source heat pumps

Air source heat pumps absorb heat from outside air and pass it over tubes containing refrigerant to produce heat, while ground source heat pumps use pipes to extract heat from the ground.

In ideal conditions, air source heat pumps can be incredibly efficient – for every one unit of energy they use to extract air from outside, they can produce up to three units of heat energy to provide your business with both heat and hot water.

Combined heat and power (CHP)

Combined heat and power units capture and use the heat that is a by-product of the electricity generation process, so heat and power can be generated simultaneously.

With a CHP system on-site, you can typically save around 20% of your energy costs and reduce carbon emissions by up to 30%. CHP systems can produce up to three or even more units of heat. This typically makes them many times more efficient than conventional heaters such as gas boilers. Furthermore, if they are powered by renewables then they have zero emissions once installed.

If your unit qualifies for the CHP Quality Assurance programme, you can access a range of benefits, such as exemption from the Climate Change Levy, Enhanced Capital Allowances and preferential business rates.

Wind turbines

Wind is a free, renewable source of energy, so you can significantly reduce your electricity bills whilst contributing to your net-zero journey.

With proper maintenance, wind turbines should last 20 years or longer but your site needs to have a high average annual wind speed (>7 metres per second) to make a turbine worthwhile.

You will require planning permission, plenty of space and a good grid connection.