Every day we wake up and hear more news on the climate, energy efficiency changes, deadlines to achieve a reduction in something, but how do we achieve this and how can it benefit the North East
A recent survey showed that to achieve genuine change and get to Zero emissions would take a 41% change in technology, a 16% change in pure behavioural change and a 43% shift in both behaviour and technology combined. I have written before that change often has to be combined with incentives and grants; so that the average house owner is encouraged to use greater insulation, PV panels or more efficient boilers like air source heating.
The government’s latest scheme is worth looking at – the Green Homes Grant 2020 – which will pay two third of the costs up to £5000 on various home improvements. However, like many headlining grants, it sounds great but is a disappointment on the options and forces you to use contractors from a prescribed list. My own son got quotes for insulating his house gable that were 25% higher through this grant than if he were to pay direct.
We have also seen the recent announcement of cars being all electric from 2030, which is an ambitious target from central government as we have nearly 40 million cars in the UK alone. All electric cars are still expensive, their range often limited and the infrastructure to charge them frequently does not work – I reckon one in three chargers does not work. So, am I being negative? No. I believe that we have a direction, but it needs more incentives, more encouragement from central and local government. New industries and technologies will be needed, some we know about and others yet to be developed. The region should be putting itself forward as the perfect location to develop the products and technologies we need to achieve the zero carbon targets. We have recently seen the announcement about Britishvolt constructing a lithium battery plant in Blyth, the biggest new factory in the Northeast since Nissan in 1984. The factory will even use renewable energy generated in Norway to power it. This factory will hopefully generate a huge number of direct and indirect jobs in the North East. This region is well placed to be in the new high-tech industrial revolution. The manufacture of wind turbine factories has grown in this area, as we are strategically placed with our ports, industrial heritage, and geographical location to take advantage of this energy source. We have recently been commissioned at HL on a massive industrial complex for building specialist equipment for the green energy sector – one of our biggest ever commissions. We are positive about our practice and the job opportunities that are coming along from the net carbon targets. We also need the skills and workforce to be supplied to these new industries. So, our region needs the education facilities, houses, and infrastructure to support people living and working in the area. These new green technologies can therefore become the fuel for the North East to achieve a green zero carbon economy. Neil Turner, director, Howarth Litchfield can be contacted on 0191 3849470 or email n.turner@hlpuk.com www.howarthlitchfield.com
