By golly, it’s been a windy and bitterly cold week in the North East of England but thankfully, Blumilk’s Client Director, Lauren St Hilaire was toasty warm over the water in Gateshead thanks to a scheme from the government’s Hy4Heat Innovation Programme.
The UK’s first hydrogen-fuelled home
Located in Low Thornely, Gateshead, this incredible project, affectionately named ‘Hy Grove’ has seen two residential semi-detached homes being fuelled exclusively by Hydrogen; from boilers to hobs, cookers to fires, all of which release no carbon emissions whatsoever.
1 Hy Grove is the first hydrogen fuelled home and offers a glimpse into a zero-carbon home of the future demonstrating the potential to aid the Government in its ambitions to eliminate the UK’s contribution to climate change by 2050.
The project secured a £250k grant from the Government’s Hy4Heat Innovation Programme and is being run by gas company Northern Gas Networks and Cadent Gas, who have both also invested £250k of funding each respectively.
Chief Executive Officer of Northern Gas Networks, Mark Horsely, said: ‘We’re delighted to be working with NEIS and Cadent on this unique demonstration, which gives energy customers a first glimpse at hydrogen technology in the home.
‘Just like natural gas, hydrogen can heat homes in exactly the same way, meaning minimal change for customers in terms of how they use gas for heating or cooking.
‘The houses bring to life the potential of this green gas for keeping UK homes warm while minimising the impact on the environment.’
Chief Executive Officer of Cadent Gas, Steve Fraser, said: ‘We are proud to be part of this project where we will be able to show customers what their future gas appliances look like. A familiar sight to them, with one difference, they will be powered by hydrogen.
‘These projects are so important to demonstrate a decarbonised energy solution in homes now.’
This project forms the basis of a much larger scheme set out in the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan which also includes some exciting plans to establish a Hydrogen Neighbourhood and possibly even a Hydrogen-powered town before this decade is out.
Unlike natural gas which currently powers more than 23 million homes in the UK and is responsible for more than 30% of the UK’s carbon emissions, hydrogen uses no carbon at the point of use with the only by-product being water.
Not only is this a massively positive step for our environment, but the scheme is also set to create more than 8000 jobs nationwide by 2030, with that figure rising to 100,000 by 2050.
Energy Minister, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said: ‘From running a hot bath and cooking our evening meals to turning on the heating, most of us use natural gas every day. However, to tackle climate change, we need to find alternatives to fossil fuels and move towards making clean energy the norm.
‘While these new houses in Gateshead will look like any other, they will showcase how low carbon hydrogen can transform the way we power our homes and offer a glimpse of what the future holds as we build back greener.’
To say Lauren and Kim were impressed is an understatement with the race to net zero firmly on Blumilk’s agenda and also that of each of their clients they support with their decarbonisation plans every day.
To find out more on how Blumilk can assist you in the Race to Zero, get in touch with us today at info@blumilk.com.
Blumilk are attending the 2021 Net Zero and Energy Management Expo (EMEX) at the London ExCel and are incredibly excited to get the chance to engage with like-minded exhibitors and visitors to talk about all things sustainability.
Attended by professionals from the energy, environment, sustainability and climate action fields, the two day event follows on from the historic COP26 and, alongside its jam-packed agenda of thoroughly thought-provoking and inspiring talks and discussions, it’s set to be the most successful EMEX conference to date.
Blumilk has the lowdown on what to expect together with our recommended ‘not-to-be-missed’ highlights to ensure you get the very best out of the event.
Day One
COP26 ROUNDUP 09.40 GMT
Panelists weigh the promise and the shortfalls of the COP26 conference deal and address the role of businesses and professionals in fighting climate change.
If COP26 has not solved the problem, we have to assume that we’re all part of the solution!
BUILDING SKILLS, CREATING A NET ZERO READY WORKFORCE 11.50 GMT
Alongside the transition to a low-carbon economy, there are powerful trends at play that will reshape the skills needed for businesses today and create labour shortage in the very near future. There is also a need to involve every single part of your business to transition together.
This means that converting an organisation’s climate strategy into an engaging ambition that colleagues choose to support is also becoming vital to your success. And yet, HR’s role in the climate transformation remains curiously undefined.’
-What skills are needed today and tomorrow to reach net zero by 2050?
-How to identify skills gaps and potential labour shortage in organisations?
-What are the upside of addressing workforce planning sooner rather than later?
-What role HR can play to integrate climate action into how we all do business?
-What are the key organisational changes required to drive the net Zero agenda (Exec incentives, employees -participation & benefits)?
Harness The Power Of Big Data & IoT: Accelerate to Net-Zero 13.00 GMT
ClearVUE’s advanced energy monitoring solution helps businesses cut out energy waste and optimise their energy consumption, leading to improved green credentials, improved customer engagement and improved operational efficiencies.
The headlines will not be new to most people— climate change is happening, it’s caused by humans and it’s serious.
This rise in temperature will come with increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, causing devastating impacts to people and ecosystems as well as business continuity.
While business efforts to date have focused on mitigation – and rightly so – corporate adaptation and resilience strategies will become increasingly commonplace and increasingly vital.
How current business models can respond with robust adaptation strategies to score a competitive advantage?
Why companies’ adaptation and resilience strategy should go beyond business operations and consider the broader impacts on society?
David will talk about the scientific evidence on climate change, the extent of the problem and the urgency for action.
Sarah will be talking about the impacts of climate change in the Construction industry and how new designs and retrofits are including climate change adaptation strategies along with financial impacts.
Sue will be talking about the impact of climate change on land and agriculture, land use decision making challenges, agro-ecology as part of the climate change adaptation strategy and the need to choose our adaptation path carefully.
The Carbon Cost of Water in Reaching Net Zero 11.00 GMT
Whilst the role of water efficiency in helping us adapt to climate change and changes to water availability is relatively well understood, the contribution that reducing water consumption can make to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, mitigating further climate change and reaching Net Zero is often overlooked.
Do you know how much carbon emissions are associated with your water consumption?
Climate will increasingly be a strategic factor in business decision-making processes based on risk and opportunity analysis. Corporate disclosure of climate-related risks is gaining momentum and importance in corporate financial, CSR and other reporting and disclosure obligations.
This session will give you practical guidance and key recommendations on how to:
-Chart Transitional Risks for business.
-Use TCFD reporting to raise the agenda on Board Fiduciary Duty.
Net Zero, Business Leaders and Consumer Trends 14.00 GMT
Jim Needell to discuss
-Is climate change an important issue for consumers and business leaders?
-Reaching net zero – awareness, attitudes and tensions?
-How can professionals activate behaviour change within but also outside their organisation?
-Attitudes, trends and tensions – views from the public and business leaders on sustainability and the gap between what people say and what they do, including ethnographic footage to explore blind spots and applications of behavioural science to improve sustainability.
Lucy Shea to discuss
-how to articulate complex communication internally and externally with 8 principles.
-psychographics and rules of engagement depending on your audience boards, stakeholders, consumers (bricks, golds and greens)
-how sustainability and energy managers can become agents of change.
The UK, together with their partners Italy, are currently hosting COP26 in Glasgow where Net Zero will be discussed and plans laid bare.
The United Nations have been bringing together world leaders from nearly every country on planet earth for more than three decades to discuss and reach an agreement on how to tackle climate change once and for all.
The race to Net Zero, Blumilk believes, is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you’re a global organisation or Sandra at number 22 you must ‘do your bit’ to lower your carbon footprint and leave a healthier world for future generations and the nature with which they’ll share our world.
What is the Paris Agreement?
At COP21 held in Paris in 2015, an historic agreement between every country involved was made to fight global warming together to achieve well below 2 degrees, aiming for 1.5.
It was at this summit that the Paris Agreement was born.
(Video credit: United Nations)
Under this agreement, each and every country involved made a commitment to bring forward national plans on how they will play their part in reducing emissions. These are known as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
These NDCs are set to be presented at the summit with countries clarifying their plans to reduce their emissions.
Sadly, the Paris Agreement has not made enough necessary changes to limit global warming so now is the time for the world to pull up its socks and take action now before it’s too late.
COP26 Goals
Yes, the commitments laid out in the Paris Agreement are ambitious with reducing global warming by 1.5 degrees by 2050, however, by following the steps below, we can still aim for this crucial result:
Accelerate the phase-out of coal
By making the transition to zero coal burning, an incredibly damaging fossil fuel and most carbon-intensive will play a huge role in keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees.
Curtail deforestation
The lungs of the world, forests are crucial in the fight against global warming by absorbing the damaging carbon dioxide from the air. Crucially, when forests are cleared or disturbed, that carbon is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
Speed up the switch to electric vehicles
Electric vehicles emit far fewer greenhouse gases and air pollutants than their petrol or diesel counterparts. ‘Battery solutions are the catalyst that will drive our society to an electrified, zero-emissions future. It is the next industrial revolution; some call it the green revolution. The next decade will see unprecedented change’ (Orral Nafjari, Britishvolt CEO & Founder)
Encourage investment in renewables
Aside from the economic benefits of using renewable energy, the environmental impact is enormous. Generating energy using methods that produce zero greenhouse gasses will significantly reduce air pollution.
(UN Climate Change Conference UK 2021)
Adapt our efforts to protect communities and natural habitats
Some argue that global warming began with the Industrial Revolution as early as the 1830s with the last seven years being the warmest on record.
More than a million species are at risk of extinction by climate change (earthday.org).
Climate change can’t be ignored and COP26 is encouraging countries to adapt their ways to ‘protect and restore ecosystems while building defences, warning systems and resilient infrastructure to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods and even lives.’ (www.ukcop26.org)
How much will the fight to net-zero cost?
OK, we know what needs to be done but how will the world afford it? In order for countries to follow through with their commitments, at least $100bn in climate finance must be mobilised.
International financial institutions are receiving pressure to unleash trillions in private and public sector finance required to meet the global net-zero targets.
We must work together to deliver on our net-zero promise.
For organisations, lowering your carbon footprint can sometimes feel like a minefield but Blumilk is on hand to simplify your efforts and make sure that not only do your actions stack up but your branding, communications and campaigns do, too.
Due to launch Blumilk’s ‘Your Net Zero’ campaign is a first of its kind solution to assist organisations in their zero-carbon efforts through concise, truthful and impactful communications using a range of mediums including animation, digital content and collaboration to assist your plan ‘for better.’
From sustainability pledges to energy and carbon reporting to your CDP climate change disclosure and annual director’s reports and a whole host of other elements that will allow your organisation to be perceived as leaders in the race to zero.
Blumilk has worked alongside some of the UK’s most ambitious start-ups, SMEs and national organisations on their sustainability brands.
We will also work with specialist carbon offsetting consultants who are able to work with you on your approach and SBTi targets so that’s another area Blumilk have covered.
You can register your interest and we’ll be in touch as soon as we launch or if you have a question or would like to know more about other Blumilk services, you can contact colin@blumilk.com
