68 NET ZERO CONFERENCE
LOOKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Expert providers in the sector came together in a panel discussion to discuss their work to move the net zero agenda forward and what is driving the decision making of businesses
Lucy Boulton, Thompsons Solar
With a keen interest in sustainability, Lucy has been involved in the renewable energy industry for the past 15 years
We see companies come to us saying, ‘we want to do something’ and we work to deliver solutions to help people on the road to net zero.
Lucy Boulton
When businesses first contact us about renewables, the trigger is usually financial and it is about making savings. They are looking to reduce their outgoings on energy, which means they are reducing their overheads.
When it comes to solar and generating electricity, the first thing businesses have to look at is how they are using power and what savings they can make.
The size of the financial investment depends on the size of the installation. There’s a lot of factors that have to be considered.
The next logical step is storage, to help you make the most of the solar power you are producing. That can help with EV charging, it can all work together as a system.
We need to educate businesses and individuals about the benefits of renewable energy, so they understand the technology. It is surprising how many clients we talk to who don’t know how their solar is benefiting them.
Jane Gaston, board member of the North West Net Zero Cluster project
Jane has 20-plus years’ experience in strategic business planning for infrastructure projects centred on energy generation and industrial decarbonisation
There are a number of triggers when it comes to investment. The main one is that, as a business, you want to be commercially successful. You want to make sure you are agile for the opportunities that are out there.
Businesses are increasingly embracing ESG priorities and making sure they are living and breathing those principles in the way that they carry out their business.
Jane Gaston Mick Ramsden, Essential Sourcing
Mick founded his business more than two decades ago to help businesses procure more effectively
Our mission in life is to create procurement entrepreneurs, or what we call ‘procureneurs’. We try to generate an environment where we end up with procurement leaders, dealing with supply chains and suppliers. From a procurement view, when it comes to net zero you have to do something. Generally, it is our job in procurement to get costs down. The opportunity is there to use this for cost savings if you can.
But the trigger is to get ahead of the curve. If you are not doing this or even thinking about it you are going to be way, way behind and your brand is going to suffer. People come to us wanting to do something because it is the right thing. The question they ask us is ‘what do we do?’ There is a skills shortage in procurement and a need to invest in people.
Mick Ramsden
Subsidies can certainly help but we need a stable policy framework that allows businesses to make investment decisions. We need that long-term policy certainty,
David Rothwell David Rothwell, Nelson and Colne College Group
David is deputy principal and is dedicated to ensuring the college moves to a more sustainable future
Net zero is at the core of our business operation individually and also as part of a wider collaborative system. We work very closely with Lancashire colleges and our Higher Education partners.
We are looking to support the skills agenda generally and to create that next generation of skilled professionals and technically equipped people that will drive this agenda going forward.
Colleges are large businesses in their own right, we have a footprint and we have a very exciting campus decarbonisation strategy, harnessing some great technologies.
The most important role for us as a sector is in civic leadership and raising awareness for the next generation.
When it comes to the skills agenda Lancashire is on a journey but it is absolutely not there yet. But I would say the progress that has been made over the last five years has been remarkable.
We have invested, with some considerable government support and working closely with the business community, in new facilities and equipment and critically in staff training.
We are working with employers so we have a better understanding of the skills system and their needs and demands now and in the future.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
