Carbon Trust steps up regional energy-saving initiative

The Carbon Trust has today launched the latest phase of an initiative designed to encourage regional small and medium-sized businesses to take advantage of its free energy auditing service.

The government-backed company has taken its Best Advice campaign to East Anglia, making it the seventh region to be offered subsidised energy efficiency advice as part of the initiative.

Under the scheme, businesses that spend between £50,000 and £3m on energy each year are eligible for an on-site energy audit undertaken by a Carbon Trust expert and a tailored energy-saving action plan that typically identifies potential savings that can cut energy bills by between 20 and 30 per cent.

A spokeswoman for the Carbon Trust told BusinessGreen.com that the campaign had already been launched in London, Yorkshire, the Midlands, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle and London.

"We found with previous campaigns that you need to get local media involved so that small and medium-sized businesses can see that these services are available on their doorstep," she explained.

She added that the region had been selected following a study that revealed those regions with the highest proportion of eligible businesses and the greatest concern about energy costs.

The online survey of 700 business leaders revealed that around half of respondents in East Anglia were concerned by rising energy prices and had designated energy efficiency as a top priority.

The latest phase of the regional campaign was launched today by Justin Adams, managing director of Greene King Brewing Company, which undertook a Carbon Trust energy survey in 2006 and subsequently cut its carbon emissions by nine per cent within two years.

"It makes good business sense to be smarter about the use of energy," he said. "It cuts costs, improves efficiency and enhances reputation with customers – at the same time as benefiting the environment."