As part of the research for our Directors’ Energy Report, we asked readers for their views on the review of green taxes and how government might decarbonise the economy at lowest cost. Here’s what some of them said:
The government is reviewing business energy taxes. What single action could it take to make the biggest improvement to your business’ competitiveness?
- Streamline and separate taxation and energy reporting. They do not need to be linked – one is for raising funds for the treasury and the other is about driving down usage. By doing so businesses would separate the focus too – director, energy services firm
- Retain the CCL exemption for renewable energy – director, consultancy
- Create one single energy tax and make it simple – purchasing director, large building materials firm
- Make them lower and simpler – water company energy director
- Increase balancing payments and implement an energy efficiency feed-in tariff – energy technology company director
- Subsidy for energy conservation measures identified through ESOS – sustainability manager at large chemical company
- Employing a more consistent and long term strategy – divisional managing director, large property group
- Remove Triads – director, industrial conglomerate
- Create financial incentives for battery storage systems – director, energy consultancy
- Nothing. My energy costs are 0.3% of my turnover – director renewable energy consultancy
What do you think would make the biggest impact on decarbonising the power generation sector at lowest cost while maintaining system security?
- Nuclear power plants – director, industrial conglomerate
- Re-instate subsidies for adoption of green energy technology for next three years whilst oil and gas prices are low – MD, building sustainability audit firm
- Long-term incentives for energy efficiency – divisional managing director, large property group
- Smart grids and allowing distribution network operators [local grid operators] to compete with National Grid on level playing field – director, energy technology company
- Auctioning support for onshore wind and solar. Consistent, sensible energy policy – director, energy consultancy
- Battery storage linked to renewable generation – sustainability manager at large chemical company
- Installing more renewables – director, renewable energy consultancy
- Greater investment, more tolerance to renewable generation and driving reductions in energy usage – director, energy services firm
- Providing adequate subsidy for renewable generation and less political interference into the approval of schemes – water company energy director
- A carbon tax on all goods and services – director, energy services co-operative
Free report
The report contains a reader survey which suggests that priority investments in 2016 are lighting, building controls and behaviour change, followed by investments in onsite generation, demand response/reduction and HVAC.
The report also outlines key energy risks and developments for the year ahead as well as expert views on how government could quickly and simply improve energy efficiency policy. Download it here, free of charge.
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Free report: Directors’ Energy Report 2016
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