British firms wasting energy

UK firms are wasting their profits on paying excessive energy bills because they have failed to help the environment by cutting their carbon emissions, a British government watchdog warned yesterday.

The Carbon Trust, a government-funded environmental group, warned that UK businesses currently spend more than £6 billion ($15 billion) a year on energy bills - but that £1 billion is spent on energy that is wasted.

The group yesterday called on British business leaders to do more to stop energy wastage arguing that tackling the problem would both boost their profits and improve the environment.

Simple measures such as lowering the office temperature by one degree would reduce the typical business's heating bill by up to eight per cent a year, it said.

Meanwhile, turning off unnecessary office lights could reduce lighting bills by up to 19 per cent.

If each worker switched off their computer and monitor every night they would save enough energy to make more than 21,000 cups of coffee over a year, the watchdog calculated.

Hugh Jones of the Carbon Trust said: "The New Year is traditionally a time to take stock of excess - and energy use is one area where businesses are really over-doing it.

"From our work with thousands of UK companies, we know that long-term energy bill savings of up to 30 per cent can be achieved in most sectors - savings that go straight to the bottom line.

"Simple steps like switching off unnecessary lights and turning down heating by just one degree need not cost businesses a penny - but can save pounds if maintained over the course of a year.

"We urge as many companies as possible to make 2006 the year they take control of their energy bills."

Businesses were also urged to replace old inefficient fluorescent lighting tubes with new slim line tubes.

In a typical small office this would save the equivalent in carbon emissions as three average adult men, the trust estimated.

Even switching standard bulbs for low energy replacements would save £6.50 a year per bulb in lighting costs - creating potentially huge savings for firms, it added.

The Carbon Trust is an independent company funded by Government which works with UK businesses and the public sector to cut carbon emissions and develop commercial low carbon technologies.

The 2003 Government Energy White Paper set an aspiration for the UK to reduce carbon emissions by 60 per cent and create a low carbon economy by 2050.

Businesses are responsible for around one half of UK carbon emissions.

- INDEPENDENT