Develop your organisations carbon strategy with Solanity
There are 2 aspects to climate change that companies need to prepare for. Firstly, the risks associated with the physical effects that come with extreme weather such as flooding and heat waves. Secondly, companies also need to have a strategy to meet the 'carbon risk' associated with government policy changes that will have an associated cost penalty.
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Organisations can attempt to go for Net Carbon Zero from the outset or may wish to take a multi step process and first become 'carbon mindful', followed by carbon neutrality on your journey to Net Carbon Zero.
Solanity can assist your organisation in developing strategic plans as we know solar energy is only 1 aspect of your carbon strategy. As a guide we follow the British Standards Institute PAS 2060 model of measure, reduce, offset and documentation. However, we add our experience in strategic planning and change management to assist you in achieving your carbon goals.
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Carbon Strategy
1. Measure. Calculate your organisations carbon emissions over the last 12 months
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2. DEC Assessment. Carry out a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) assessment on your premises if required. All buildings at least partially occupied by a public authority (such as state schools and colleges), greater than 250m2 and frequently visited by the public are obligated to carry out this assessment.
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3. Gap Analysis. Carry out a gap analysis to understand where you want to be in 5 years, in comparison to where you will be if nothing changes. From this analysis you will be able to set your strategic goals.
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4. Set Objectives. In order to achieve your strategic goals set realistic objectives to start reducing your carbon emissions. This may be to completely offset the previous 12 months carbon emission amount of a percentage and your move towards carbon neutrality. There are many ways to reduce and offset carbon, listed below.
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5. Reduction and offset. Using suitable measures, some listed below, reduce and offset your carbon emissions.
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6. Manage the process. Solanity is an experienced programme management company that can manage the processes throughout. We will assist in every aspect, including outlining the benefits each site requires to tracking all risks and issues. Importantly, a key aspect of programme management is to have a quality and assurance plan, including annual audits, to maximise the benefits and guarantee strategic success.
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7. Documentation. Solanity can work on your behalf to obtain PAS 2060 verification. This process involves a declaration that standards have been met, supported by a set of statements known as “Qualifying Explanatory Statements” (QES). For complete transparency all documentation that supports your claim must be publicly disclosed. There are 3 levels of validation; self-validation, validation from another party and independent validation by third parties.
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Reduction Methods
1. Solar Energy. By far the largest reduction in CO2 will come from using renewable energy, utilising the roof space at your organisation.
2. Be energy smart. It's one thing to go renewable, the next step is to be energy smart. Turn off lights and appliances when a room is not in use and turn the heating down a degree. Other methods are to use energy saving lightbulbs and installing low flow shower heads.
3. Carbon Clever Travelling. Carpooling is an effective method to reduce CO2 emissions. Another good method is to ensure people stick to the speed limit. The faster a car travels the more CO2 it creates.
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4. Seasonal eating. Try to create in house menu's, if your organisation has a canteen, that use seasonally fresh produce. This will reduce the amount of CO2 created during transportation. You could go further and source local produce, or even grow some vegetables yourself. Furthermore, source organic food as it works with nature not against it. You can also reduce the meat in the menu and make sure the meat comes from sustainably produced sources.
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5. Reduce, reuse and recycle. Try to reduce the amount of single source items used; plastic bags for lunch meals. Instead use reusable means of packaging or packaging that can be recycled. Make sure you maximise the ability to recycle goods.
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6. Educate. By introducing the next generation to all the measures that can be made to reduce CO2 will allow them to be an active part of the reduction of CO2, as well as take that message home. Solanity provide a monitor that shows the CO2 offset from the Solar Panels and this can be modified to include CO2 savings made in other areas of your organisation.
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Offset Methods
To offset your carbon requires, under PAS 2060, the total amount of residual carbon emissions be offset by high quality certified carbon credits and that they meet strict criteria:
1. They are within one of the schemes approved by PAS 2060 (Clean Development Mechanisms or Voluntary Carbon Standard).
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2. They have additionality (carbon reductions that would not have occurred were it not for the project being financed).
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3. They are verified by an independent third party to ensure that emissions reductions are permanent, avoid double counting and prevent leakage (emissions are not increased in another area as a result of a project activity).
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4. Credits are retired from a public record within 12 months.
Difference between Net Carbon Zero and Carbon Neutrality
In order to calculate the carbon emissions your organisation produces requires an analysis of the emissions from different 'scopes', as defined by the Green House Gas Protocol 2001. The scopes are:
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1. Scope 1 Emissions. These are the emissions an organisation directly make including fuel combustion on site (gas boiler), fleet vehicles and air conditioning.
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2. Scope 2 Emissions. Indirect emissions generated through the purchase of energy.
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3. Scope 3 Emissions. Indirect emissions including goods and services purchased, business travel, employee commuting, waste disposal, transportation and distribution, leased assets and the use of products an organisation has sold.
To achieve carbon neutrality requires an organisation to account for Scope 1 and 2, whereas to achieve Net Carbon Zero requires the inclusion of Scope 3. Solanity recommend a 3 step process to Net Carbon Zero: Becoming Carbon Mindful, Carbon Neutral and finally Net Carbon Zero.
