Businesses in the United Kingdom are making strides towards more sustainable practices.  In the region that is the world’s eighth greatest in emitting carbon dioxide, governments are providing incentives to encourage industry to build green. Here are examples of how alternative energy practices are saving money and promoting the environment in various UK industries.

The Largest Wind Turbine to Power a UK Hospital

Antrim Area, a Northern Ireland hospital, installed a wind turbine to provide 1.2 million units of electricity per year. It’s the largest turbine to power a hospital in the UK and it’s estimated to save Antrim £110,000($188,550) per year in energy costs.  The Government Central Energy Improvement Fund covered 80% of the £497,000 ($815,600) cost to build the tower, proving the government’s proactive stance in helping corporations help the environment. Besides the financial benefits, the turbine is lowering the waste that normally comes from power generation, has no effect on biodiversity, and helps to lower air pollution.

Waste Reduction

Marley Roofing in Staffordshire, England created a program where it crushes and reuses its concrete waste as building material. This results in saving 15,000 tons a year in new aggregate. The reuse of material reduced the amount of hazardous waste the company sends to landfills by 50% and saves them £25,000 pounds ($41,000) per year. Marley Roofing also eliminated the need to have a bulk waste storage facility, lowering costs again. The company was awarded the first Building Research Establishment Certified Environmental Profiles certificate for its efforts.

Europe’s Largest Solar Paneled Tower

The CIS Tower in Manchester, England is the largest solar paneled tower in Europe. It generates enough electricity to brew 9 million cups of tea per year. The 400-foot tower is covered with 7,000 photovoltaic panels, creating 180,000 units of renewable energy and saving 77 tons of carbon dioxide per year. CIS received over £1 million ($1.6 million) in private and government grants to cover the £5.5 million ($9 million) cost. The project helps Manchester move towards the goal of having 10% of its electricity come from renewable sources by 2010.  Governments across the UK have pledged over £40 million ($65.5 million) to support solar energy projects throughout the region.

UK – Contributing to a More Sustainable Europe

All these efforts have shown measurable results. According to the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, both greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions have been on a continued downward trend, with levels at 17% of where they were in 1990. The percentage of renewable energy as a source of electricity has risen from 1.8% in 1990 to 4.6% in 2007, the most recent year figures are available. In 2006, 78 million tons of waste were disposed in UK landfills, a 16% reduction from 1998 figures of 93 million tons.

The United Kingdom stacks up favorably against the other countries in the Europe Union. Greenhouse gas emissions in the entire EU have fallen by approximately 3% since 1990, according to the 2007 report Measuring Progress Towards a More Sustainable Europe.  Total renewable energy sources for Europe is at 4.1%, putting the UK slightly ahead of the curve. And waste going to EU landfills has gone down 12% from 2000 to 2005.

The UK’s commitment to renewable energy and waste reduction and its successful partnerships between public and private sectors, make the United Kingdom an excellent example for sustainable progress in Europe.

By Danielle Bullen