On-site generation: The path to net-zero

2050 marks a very important year for the world. It’s when we’re set to meet a target of zero carbon emissions worldwide, known as net-zero. The UK Government recently announced a more aggressive target for net-zero, stating that the UK would meet a 78% reduction in emissions compared to 1990 levels by 2035.

This means there is an increase in pressure for businesses to step up their carbon reduction game, so lots of businesses are looking for other ways to generate their own energy from renewable sources to rely less on the grid and reduce costs.

Moving away from fossil fuels, especially in relation to heating systems, and instead opting for more electric options can be expensive as electricity costs more than gas or oil. A good way to counteract this is to generate your own electricity.

On-site generation has been something businesses have been investing in for a while now, with many more investing after the recent 2035 target announcement. Implementing on-site generation can help support your businesses carbon reduction goals as well as help reduce your energy bill.

Here are a few different ways you can implement on-site generation to support your net-zero goals.

Solar

Solar PV (Photovoltaics) have been more widely adopted in recent years as it is one of the fastest growing sources of renewable energy. It’s also one of the cleanest ways to generate electricity with a very small carbon footprint.

CCHP

CCHP (Combined Cooling, Heat & Power) also known as Trigeneration is another way businesses can utilise their heat and capture it as a by-product of the electricity generation process. Usually, this energy would be wasted but with CCHP the energy generated can also be used to produce cooling as well as heat and electricity.

EV Charging

Electric vehicle (EV) use is rising within the general population, as they become more easily available with nearly 300,000 EV cars on UK roads as of May 2021. If you have office buildings, there any many benefits to having EV charging on-site.

Battery storage

Having on-site generation is a great asset to any business but being able to utilise the energy generated will help reduce bills and carbon emissions. Battery storage enable the energy generated from a renewable source like solar or wind to be stored and then used later.

This allows your business to use stored energy to power your building with green energy from renewable sources if you have them, for example at peak times, lessening your reliance on the Grid.