INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Green Technology
Aggreko echoes calls for
pragmatic action on
emission reduction
Following growing public demand for more eco-friendly policy
and the publication of a Committee on Climate Change (CCC)
report into the UK’s Net Zero progress, the country’s data
centre sector should consider pragmatic and decisive action to lower
its carbon footprint.
Recent Climate Assembly UK polling has highlighted that an
overwhelming majority of Britons see the lockdown as an opportunity
to tackle climate change, with 93% stating that the government
and employers should encourage emission-cutting lifestyle changes
post-pandemic. According to Aggreko, these attitudes show how
sustainability will be a vital national priority
in the future and follows findings from the company’s own
industry research.
Specifically, Aggreko surveyed over 200 energy professionals across
a wide variety of industries, finding that a resounding 96% of
respondents said their company’s environmental impact was a
‘medium-to high-priority.’ However, though 82% of those surveyed
confirmed they had used alternative fuels to improve sustainability,
85% still identified diesel as their fuel of choice for powering on-site
equipment, showing a disconnect between thought and action.
Citing these findings and the publication of a new report by the
Committee on Climate Change calling for Net Zero to be at the
forefront of any post-COVID economic recovery plan, Aggreko is
suggesting how the data centre sector could begin to take further
steps towards lower emissions.
“Both public and policymaker opinion is coalescing behind Net
Zero and it is clear the drive to reduce emissions will only grow in
prominence as time goes on,” said Chris Rason, Managing Director
at Aggreko. “Yet, even though the government has set 2050 as
a deadline to reach this goal, it can still seem an intimidating
prospect for businesses. This can be seen in our own research, which
shows that while industry’s heart is very much in the
right place on Net Zero, further efforts are required to improve
overall sustainability.
“However, by taking smaller initial steps and adopting more ecofriendly,
sustainable technologies in the short term, organisations
can set themselves on the best possible path to hit this ambitious
target. Energy generation, more specifically reducing reliance on
fossil fuels, represents one of the most promising areas where
pronounced emissions savings can be realised.”
A number of sustainable technologies are already available for
organisations looking to inch towards Net Zero. These solutions,
which are identified in Aggreko’s new report, Bridging the Gap to Net
Zero: Solutions towards the net zero challenge, include hydrotreated
vegetable oil (HVO), gas-to-liquid (GTL), combined heat and power
(CHP), battery and raising the efficiency of existing technologies.
Rason concluded: “Ever since the government passed the legislation
to put Net Zero into law in June 2019, the question has gone from
if we reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to how and when we do it.
And while the Coronavirus has led to disruption on an unprecedented
scale, the country’s ambitions to lower emissions and reduce global
warming remains undimmed.
“Achieving Net Zero will doubtlessly be difficult and an incremental,
sustained approach is vital if we are to achieve success. We hope our
report, which explores the possible options for businesses looking to
improve the sustainability of their operations, has a role to play in
hitting these lofty targets.” •
THE DRIVE TO REDUCE
EMISSIONS WILL ONLY GROW
IN PROMINENCE AS TIME
GOES ON.
www.intelligentcio.com INTELLIGENTCIO 71