Healthcare sector overspending on energy by £93m a year
Analysis reveals potential for health trusts to curb carbon emissions and save money
New analysis from the Energy Efficiency Financing (EEF) scheme has revealed that the healthcare sector is overspending on energy to the tune of over £93m a year.
The analysis, based on official sources and proprietary EEF data, examined a number of sectors to calculate the amount that these industries were overpaying on their energy bills because of inefficient technology, equipment and controls.
The EEF scheme, which provides business finance for the acquisition of energy-efficient equipment, regularly highlights the difficulties organisations have raising finance for energy-efficiency investments in the current economic climate. The squeeze on access to credit is revealed in regular reports from the Bank of England, with no indication that this situation is likely to alleviate significantly in the near future.
Darren Riva, head of green financing for the EEF scheme, said: “Our analysis has shown that there is a huge market potential for energy savings from business investment in energy-efficient equipment, amounting to over £3.7billion per year across the country, and more than £93m in the healthcare sector alone. That potential energy saving covers heating, lighting, cooling and ventilation, among others.
“In the current credit squeeze, a major problem for firms has been access to affordable finance to enable business to make those green investments. That is why EEF was created – a joint financing initiative between the Carbon Trust and Siemens – to make finance more accessible and affordable for companies, especially SMEs.
The EEF scheme matches monthly payments to real monthly energy cost savings, which means that firms effectively end up paying no extra for their new equipment investment. These investments improve business competitiveness, cut carbon and boost the green growth.”
Myles McCarthy, managing director of Carbon Trust Implementation Services, added: "These figures demonstrate the huge opportunity businesses have to save energy and cost. Wise businesses which ensure their operations are using energy efficiently in these difficult economic times will reap huge benefits.
We're seeing increasing demand among businesses for us to help them get to grips with energy efficiency and capture the associated cost savings.
“Often organisations struggle to determine the most-appropriate solutions for their business, and therefore do not have the confidence to progress and unlock these great opportunities. The Carbon Trust has already helped more than 35,000 customers introduce £1.6billion worth of energy-efficient equipment, resulting in a £4.5billion reduction in energy costs.”
To help health trusts raise finance for energy-efficient investments, the EEF scheme covers technologies including low-energy lighting, energy-efficient motors, low-carbon air conditioning and biomass heating.
