14/07/10...Advice for businesses as energy scheme deadline looms -
Status: Press release - OXDORDSHIRE County Council is urging local businesses to seek advice about a national energy saving scheme being rolled out later this year.
From September, all businesses using more than 3,000 mega watt hours of electricity per year will have to register for the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme - aimed at providing a financial incentive for businesses to save energy.
With the sign-up deadline looming, businesses can visit www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/crcsos to find out how the CRC will affect them and use the council’s online carbon calculator www.carbonaccounting.org.uk to work out their carbon footprint.
Permits
Under the scheme, businesses and organisations will have to buy Government permits or allowances to cover the CO2 they produce. Over time the number of allowances available will be reduced, and their price will rise, making it cheaper for businesses to reduce the amount of CO2 they produce than to buy allowances.
The starting price for allowances will be £12 per tonne of CO2, so businesses that are energy intensive face big costs, although the best performing businesses will receive their money back through recycling payments.
Although only larger businesses will have to participate in the scheme immediately, smaller businesses that are not covered by the scheme but supply energy intensive products may find sales harder to come by as their customers seek low carbon alternatives. Conversely there are opportunities for businesses that can supply low carbon alternatives to conventional products.
Get up to date
Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure Ian Hudspeth said: "I would encourage all Oxfordshire businesses to visit oxfordshire.gov.uk/crcsos and get up to date with the Carbon Reduction Commitment which, one way or another will affect all Oxfordshire businesses.
"Businesses with large carbon footprints will find their costs dramatically increasing if they are unprepared for the new carbon counting regime. However, there are significant opportunities for businesses – with bonus payments being made to the top performers."
He added: "The county council has run a long standing programme of resource efficiency advice for businesses so we know we’ve got some of the country’s top environmental performers. We’d like to see all Oxfordshire businesses seize the opportunities of the burgeoning green economy."
