The Facts About CRC

Worried about CRC (carbon reduction commitment)? If you are a SME there’s no need to be yet. The scheme, which is due to start in April 2010, is so far only going to be rolled out to larger organisations in the UK.

Basically, its a scheme to reduce the impact of climate change by encouraging better energy efficiency, and in the process the companies involved will save money. The government estimates that ‘the benefit to participants will be around £1 billion by 2020’. The performance of these companies will be monitored and ranked accordingly in a ‘league table’. Their position on the table will result in possible bonuses or penalties being paid.

The aim is for these organisations to help the government reach its national targets for cutting greenhouse emissions – about 25% on 1990 levels by 2020, and 80% by 2050.

You fall under the scheme if: a) your company has at least one compulsory half hourly electricity meter (HHM), or b) your company has a total HHM electricity consumption across all sites of at least 6,000 megawatt hours per year.

For further details see: www.decc.gov.uk