Govt Seeking Ways To Cut Industrial Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The government has announced that it is now looking for the best ways to cut industrial greenhouse gas emissions, with the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) set to help those businesses with high power use to cut their bills and emissions through investment in efficiency measures.

This will see industrial emissions reduced by approximately two million tonnes between 2028 and 2032, which is the same as taking almost 200,000 cars off our roads each year. The new government consultation is now calling for views on how this fund will work.

Last month (November), the government revealed plans to improve the energy efficiency of commercial sites, with companies benefiting from savings of up to £1 billion a year on energy bills by the year 2030.

In June, the UK became the first major economy to bring in legislation to end its contribution to climate change by 2050. In order to achieve this, industry emissions – which account for approximately a quarter of all emissions in this country – will have to be cut to almost zero. 

Kwasi Kwarteng, business, energy and clean growth minister, said: “The UK is already cutting emissions faster than any other major economy and we’re the first to legislate to end our contribution to climate change entirely.

“Eliminating emissions from industry is key to achieving this, but doing so does not have to mean compromising our business success. That’s why we’re bolstering our investment in clean growth.”

Ministers are now looking to fund proven low-carbon industrial processes, as well as investigating new options to ensure that our industries remain agile in the future.

There are numerous technologies that the IETF could support to see industry become more energy efficient and facilitate the move to net zero. Waste heat recovery could be one way in which this is achieved, providing valuable energy sources and driving down total energy consumption.

Waste heat comes from various sources, whether it’s boiler flue gases, ventilation system extracts, air compressors, refrigeration plants, hot liquid effluents or process plant cooling systems. These sources present opportunities to invest in a cost-effective heat recovery programme.

The refining sector, for example, could replace heat exchangers with more efficient ones, as well as looking into air pre-heat and electricity generation from steam let down. And the iron and steel sector could investigate waste heat recovery and process optimisation (such as bringing in exhaust emissions feedback systems).

Looking for fuel oil companies at the moment? Get in touch with us today.

How To Keep Oil Safe During Winter

Now that winter has us firmly in its grip, companies making use of industrial heating oil on a regular basis need to ensure that their oil tanks are full and leak-free – or it could quickly become quite costly for both you and the environment.

It would be wise to keep an eye on your tanks regularly throughout the year so you can keep on top of any potential problems. Oil Care has a useful page on its website to help you monitor your oil situation, advising businesses to check tanks over at least once a month and each time they place an order to ensure it isn’t damaged or leaking.

When inspecting your tank, look for anything on or around it that could be a sign that you have a leak and that oil isn’t being lost to the environment. Check the base over for cracking or subsidence and ensure that the tank isn’t becoming overgrown with vegetation, as this could mask its true condition.

Make sure the tank has a working contents gauge and have a look at all visible pipework, filters and valves for signs of leaks like dampness or staining around the joints.

On metal tanks, look out for signs of pitting, rust and blistering of paint, as well as oil dampness on welds and seams. If you have a plastic tank, look for bulging or deformation and any whitening, cracking or splits in the material.

Something else to bear in mind is if you suddenly see a spike in your oil usage as this could be a sign that you have a leak. Check the tank and pipework immediately for any leaks and consider investing in a tank monitoring device as this can give you early warning of a quick drop in your oil level.

Remember that if any heating oil is spilled, it can cause very real problems, particularly for both soil and water, polluting rivers, contaminating both ground and drinking water, and even harming wildlife. Because clean-up costs can be astronomical, prevention will always be better than cure so keep regular maintenance of oil tanks at the forefront of your mind.

After an oil delivery, if you find that your tank starts leaking immediately turn off the valves to stop the flow of oil and do what you can to stop the oil from going down drains or soaking into the ground. You should then get in touch with your oil delivery company to arrange for the spills to be cleaned up.

Call your insurance company to alert them to the situation and always make sure that you never buy more oil than you can safely store.

If you’d like any further help or advice, get in touch with us at Re:Group today.

We’re supporting Hull 6th formers in exciting climb!

We are happy to support our local sixth-form college, Wyke, for their trip to Tanzania next year, when a group of students will climb Mount Kilimanjaro, followed by a two-day safari.

While Kilimanjaro (the world’s tallest free-standing mountain) is relatively easy to ascend as no great technical skills are required, a large percentage of hikers don’t reach the summit often due to the altitude becoming a problem. It’s a very long ascent too, so the right type of training is essential.

RE:Group has sponsored some of their apparel (hoodies, caps and travel bags) and we wish them all the best in their preparation for this exciting event.