Don’t Let Lack of Expertise Prevent You Saving Money on Energy
Has your business
started saving money by reducing energy
bills yet? With an estimated £3billion of
savings available for businesses along with
the numerous environmental benefits; it
might seem strange that more small and
medium sized businesses aren’t taking
action.
New research by the
Carbon Trust however, shows that although
63% of SME directors and senior managers
realised they could reduce carbon emissions
through low cost and free measures; only 7%
did so, with lack of expertise cited as the
key barrier.
Many businesses also
underestimated the potential saving they
could make on their energy bills.
Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) believed
their business could only save between 1 per
cent and 4 per cent on energy bills; when
the average figure is double that at 10 per
cent..
In response, the Carbon Trust is launching
an Energy Efficiency Loans campaign that
urges businesses to take action now and
apply for an interest free loan to replace
or upgrade existing equipment to more
energy-efficient versions.
Michael Rea, Carbon Trust Chief Operating
Officer said: “This new research highlights
the increasing awareness among SMEs of both
the need to take action on climate change
and the bottom line opportunities available
through making low cost changes to their
business.
“SMEs account for around 20 per cent of the
country’s overall emissions so it is
essential they are supported to act on
climate change. We are significantly
increasing our interest free loans pool to
help more businesses invest in new energy
efficient equipment, save money and cut
their carbon footprint. We have also
launched a range of new online tools
designed with SMEs in mind, to help them
reduce their carbon emissions and cut
costs.”
Energy Efficiency Loans are a cost effective
way for businesses to replace or upgrade
existing equipment with a more
energy-efficient version. SMEs in England
and Scotland, or all businesses in Wales
that have been trading for at least 12
months, could borrow from £5,000 to
£100,000. Businesses based in Northern
Ireland that have been trading for at least
12 months may be eligible to apply for an
unsecured interest free loan of up to
£400,000.
More information on
the Carbon Trust’s Energy Efficiency
interest free loans can be found here.
A range of online tools for SMEs to measure
and reduce their emissions can be found
here.
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