Power play W
With energy effi ciency an increasingly signifi cant area of opportunity for electrical contractors, we ask Stewart Gregory, director of power LV distribution at Schneider Electric, for his views on the green agenda
hile the electrical industry has had little time to absorb the impact on the renewables sector of recent government cuts in Feed-In Tariffs, the ongoing
carbon reduction agenda still presents a unique range of opportunities for electrical contractors – including, potentially, a leading role as trusted energy experts for both business and consumers. Stewart Gregory, Schneider Electric’s director of power
LV distribution, has been in the industry for more than 35 years, and is keenly aware of the diffi culties facing the sector in the current economic climate. However, in his role within Schneider Electric, he focuses on energy effi ciency in all areas of business, and he believes that the carbon reduction agenda plays to the strengths of the electrical sector. He is keen to highlight the opportunities that already exist – and are expected to grow – through implementing more energy effi cient systems and technologies as the momentum towards achieving the government’s ambitious targets for 2020 (and beyond) gather pace. While renewables still plays an important role, he
We hear from the government all about targets, but they are sometimes very diffi cult to translate into something meaningful for consumers and businesses
36 ECA Today January 2012
believes energy effi ciency and energy management solutions offer key opportunities for electrical contractors as we move to a low carbon future. Developing these skills will also be a way for businesses to differentiate themselves and diversify into new areas. ECA Today caught up with Stewart Gregory and asked
him to outline his views on the electrical industry and the potential impact of the green agenda on its prospects for the future.
ECA T oday: Do you think the UK government doing
enough to promote the green agenda. Is its message clear? Stewart Gregory: We hear from the government all about targets but they are sometimes very diffi cult to translate into something meaningful for consumers and businesses. The message is one of carbon emissions, but what does a tonne of CO2
look like? It’s not clear to a lot of people,
so the message then does not engage or translate simply into a business driver that will engage business or the consumer. We have seen some changes to the tax-based systems,
in the form of the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) energy effi ciency scheme and Feed-in Tariff scheme (FITs), and the recent reductions in FITS we’ve seen imposed seems to confl ict with the targets and the government ambition. However, there is, of course, the question of fi nancing these schemes in a very diffi cult economic environment. Energy effi ciency has a major impact on the economy
in terms of job creation, and targets to reduce energy consumption are not apparent in the core government communications on carbon reduction and the green agenda. We also need to encourage the public sector building stock to demonstrate investment in reducing energy consumption via investment in the infrastructure. The fashionable response has been to promote improved insulation, generation of power through renewables, and so on, and while that is admirable, a focus on the supply side of energy consumption would also be very effective. Grants and tax incentives, such as Enhanced Capital
Allowances (ECAs) are diffi cult to understand, are restrictive, and miss some of the really effective energy effi cient improvers such as power factor correction. Future national initiatives within the electrical industry could benefi t from more strategic direction to harness the objectives of supply and demand.
ECA T oday: Do you believe the Green Deal can be a
success? Stewart Gregory: I guess when we fully understand what it is, we will be in a better position to judge. However, it is a step in the right direction. With opportunities identifi ed by assessors, and then fi nanced under the scheme, it will certainly bring opportunities for electrical contractors within certain areas, including lighting, heating and building controls. The scheme will not kick in until the autumn of 2012, of course. The return on investment, and payback period will clearly play a major part in the success, as will the building performance certifi cate.
The building stock in the UK in general has been
around for some years, and much of it will be around by 2050, so the way it is upgraded and refurbished will have a major impact on achieving carbon emission targets. There will be signifi cant opportunities in refurbishment, for which the electrical contractor is well placed.
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