Trend / Technology
Stop greenwashing! Start reducing pollution By Ben Fielden, Community Manager, EMSOL
T
he last few years have seen a massive growth in businesses prepared to lead the way in sustainability. Some 90% of the largest 500 companies by market cap
published sustainability reports in 2019. Tis is driven by a range of new trends, including legislation such as the UK Environmental Bill, Mandatory Climate Disclosures (which will require companies to report on their GHG emissions) and November’s COP26 – all hopefully creating a new sense of urgency. Tere is also pressure from within
companies, from shareholders and even employees. For example, Amazon employees joined the climate strike. Perhaps the biggest push is from B2B and B2C customers, who are becoming environmentally conscious buyers. Research shows 79% of customers say they are switching to vendors that promote social responsibility and sustainability. In response, many electronics
manufacturers are now promoting their products as “sustainable”, “environmentally- friendly” and other terms. Tis can help boost sales, but what happens when these claims are not backed by a real change, i.e., all talk, no action? Given that there is such a huge incentive for businesses to
present themselves as green and sustainable, it should come as no surprise that not all these claims are backed by actual evidence of improvement. Tis is referred to as “greenwashing” – misleading consumers about a product or brand’s environmental credentials. In fact, the problem has become so bad that the UK’s Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) recently released its anti- greenwashing code, called “Green Claims Code for Shoppers”, to tackle it. Te CMA found that 40% of green claims could be misleading. A similar effort is underway in Europe.
Te European Commission found that 42% of claims to be “green” were “exaggerated, false or deceptive, with 59% failing to provide evidence”. In 2021, releasing media statements about
environmental commitments is not enough, and consumers are fast catching on. Nearly 50% of consumers say they do not have any information to verify retailers’ sustainability claims and, worse yet, 44% say they do not trust such claims. Tere is also a range of issues in today’s
electronics space that creates cynicism such as planned obsolescence, making devices difficult to repair (cue in Apple products), and the upgrade cycle where technology becomes quickly outdated and devalued. Tese issues create doubt even towards bold
sustainability claims. Ultimately, making unfounded claims can actually damage a business, from its reputation to even falling foul of the CMA’s new anti-greenwashing code. Tis latest crackdown by the CMA and
similar efforts in Europe are encouraging. Tey will only benefit manufacturers who are taking steps to improve their circular economy, reduce waste, cut down on packaging and reduce emissions. So, how can a company ensure it delivers
on its sustainability promises? It is down to the evidence. Being able to scientifically prove and show a sustainable approach at all levels of the organisation is a way for businesses to meaningfully engage with their customers. Tis will create brand preference and even improve business efficiency and reduce costs. To achieve it, businesses need real-world evidence and data: logging improvements, testing new approaches, and establishing practices that work. “We have been working with some
amazing companies who are desperate to get their hands on scientific data so they can start making a real impact. We are giving businesses opportunities to reduce pollution, identify what product is causing it, and our customisable reports easily and scientifically show their progress,” said Freddie Talberg, CEO and founder of EMSOL.
Oxford University spin-off revolutionises battery life
Oxford University spin-off Brill Power just launched a new battery management system that promises to revolutionise the performance of stationary energy-storage systems. Te technology increases battery life by up to 60% and storage capacity by nearly 130%, increasing systems’ uptime and reducing operating costs of energy storage systems. Typically, energy storage solutions require
either passive balancing or more-costly active- balancing topologies for efficient and safe operation. Brill Power’s new system assesses the state of health and power capability of every parallel-connected cell block in the battery, then with its control circuitry regulates the current
accordingly. Stronger cell blocks are exposed to higher currents and weaker ones to lower currents, to ensure that each Joule of energy is extracted from each individual cell during every discharge cycle. As a result, no single cell limits the energy storage capacity, power capability or lifetime of the battery system. Tis way, battery life is extended, but also reliability and uptime are improved, since faulty battery cells and modules can be bypassed and replaced whilst the overall system remains fully operational. Also, with regulated battery output voltage,
the battery can be directly connected to other power sources or loads in the system, such as solar photovoltaic arrays or electric vehicle
04 November 2021
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
chargers, without using costly DC/DC converters or charge controllers. System safety is ensured through cell-level
protection that keeps currents within safe limits, and any cell approaching hazardous conditions can be isolated. BrillMS B62 Premium is the first in a series of
products from the spin-off intended to transform both the stationary energy storage market and the use of battery cells in electric vehicles. Te BrillMS B62 Premium is particularly suitable for applications where the battery is a mission- critical component, such as in uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), telecoms, medical and defence applications.
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