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The future looks green for the NHS
NHS Property Services has switched to renewable electricity for its entire property portfolio...
that’s 3,500 buildings!
NHS Property Services has switched to renewable electricity for its entire property portfolio...
that’s 3,500 buildings!
According to the World Health Organisation, climate change is the greatest threat to global health in the 21st Century. Reason enough for healthcare organisations like the NHS to tackle it.
But why focus on sustainability? And why should we care whether the NHS is sustainable or not?
A vital contribution
A vital contribution
Turns out the NHS is the UK’s biggest public greenhouse gas emitter and is currently responsible for around 4-5% of the UK’s carbon footprint. It means when it comes to reducing carbon emissions and working towards a more sustainable society, the NHS can make a pretty significant contribution.
Good news for everyone then that from April 2020 we started providing 100% renewable electricity to over 10% of the NHS estate. Why 10%? Well the NHS Property Services (NHSPS) is the driving force behind the transformation and they’re responsible for that amount of the total NHS estate.
Or to put it another way, the NHSPS has switched to renewable electricity for its entire property portfolio – that’s 3,500 buildings (covering mostly hospitals, health centres and GP surgeries). No mean feat, but by making these sites more environmentally friendly, NHSPS will reduce CO2 by over 40,000 tonnes per year.
What we have done
The times they are a-changin’
The move comes at a time of major change and increasing demand for the NHS. In September 2019, Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England, said the NHS would be accelerating its efforts to tackle climate change with a series of co-ordinated measures to reduce its carbon output.
The NHSPS is certainly delivering on their side of things. Promoting sustainable practices in all its buildings is an unequivocal leap forward in the effort to tackle climate change. Not to mention reduce NHS operating and maintenance costs.
But more than that, the new measures will also help the NHS improve the wellbeing of its people and patients. With a more fit for purpose estate, the NHS can generate vital funds that can be reinvested back into the system to support improvements in frontline patient care. All while paving the way towards a more sustainable health service.
British Gas Solutions
Switching to a renewable electricity tariff is one of the simplest yet most effective measures any organisation can take towards reducing emissions and meeting the government’s net zero targets.
We can help you with a 100% renewable electricity product that’s independently certified by the Carbon Trust. We’re one of only two energy suppliers and the largest to receive this assurance.
Contact our energy experts to find out more.
Balancing planet and profit during unprecedented market volatility
Wholesale energy prices have experienced unprecedented levels of volatility since the end of summer 2021, with both day ahead/spot and future contracts surging to all-time highs. In the last couple of months, prices have decreased but still remain high compared to a year ago. This period of high energy prices is expected to continue for the foreseeable future (see next section). Energy prices have surged for a number of reasons: A global increase in gas demand following the ease or end of Covid-related restrictions throughout 2021. After the pandemic, economies across the world started to recover. Asian countries like China saw their imports of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) increase. This resulted in lower LNG shipments to the UK and Europe. On the supply side, the Covid-19 lockdowns pushed some maintenance work from 2020 into 2021 at a time when demand was recovering. In 2021, gas production hit a record low of 363TWh, 47TWh below the previous record low in 2013. Low production was the result of an extensive summer maintenance schedule which saw shutdowns at several major terminals, as well as the Forties Pipeline System which serves a significant proportion of UK gas and oil production. A lack of wind in the summer resulted in higher demand for conventional power. European gas storage in 2021 and Q1’22 remained far below previous years and it’s unclear how these are going to be replenished in the summer given the concerns around supply including the potential suspension of Russian gas flows due to sanctions. The 1,234km offshore Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which was designed to double the flow of gas between Russia and Germany (and by extension the rest of Europe) has been abandoned following the invasion of Ukraine. Gas storage in the UK is extremely minimal with capacity at less than 2% of the UK’s annual demand, compared with 22% for other European countries. Whilst the UK is not heavily reliant on gas coming from Russia, it sources almost half it’s gas supply from Europe. Hence, wholesale gas and power prices in the UK are now subject to knock-on-effects from the conflict in Ukraine.
Amidst rising energy costs, digitalisation, growing pressure from stakeholders and increasing regulation, organisations may struggle to define their pathway to a low-carbon future. What can you do to protect your business’ net zero plans from the challenges of volatility? Disruption and volatility are putting organisations under pressure. Digitalisation and new technology developments continue to challenge existing business models. Its increasing dependence on energy and encouraging businesses to drive change to secure competitive advantage. And as customers, employees and shareholders look to engage with companies who understand the importance of decarbonisation, pressure is mounting to prioritise sustainability.
