One in four UK firms see renewable energy as a ‘fad’

Over a quarter of UK businesses think renewable energy is just a passing trend, with the number rising to two-fifths within the financial services sector, a new survey has found.

After questioning 1,000 energy decision-makers, Haven Power found that cost is seen as the biggest barrier to adopting renewables, followed by a lack of government support.

The next biggest obstacle is uncertainty about how to discuss the issue with senior management, with 80% of the respondents believing it is up to energy providers to explain the benefits.

“It’s clear more needs to be done to demonstrate the wider opportunities and benefits of renewable energy for businesses,” Haven Power COO, Paul Sheffield, said.

“It’s concerning to see the proportion of businesses that still view renewable energy as a passing trend, despite evidence showing that a move to cleaner energy is essential for the environment.”

Despite many still being sceptical, the research also found that 59% of firms believe green energy is key to a cleaner future, with three in five keen to produce their own.

When asked which sector was most responsible for saving carbon emissions, 59% of manufacturing companies thought they were most liable, compared with 48% of energy suppliers.

On the other end of the scale, businesses in the hospitality and entertainment industry don’t think cutting emissions is a priority for their customers, and are unlikely to make sustainable changes.

The agricultural industry leads all others in both awareness of renewable energy and taking action to procure it.

Sheffield said he was surprised that hospitality and entertainment businesses were ignoring renewable energy considering they employ a large number of environmentally-conscious young people.

“Organisations must recognise that it’s more than just customers who deliver business success, and they may be impacting their ability to attract and retain the best talent,” he continued.

“It’s imperative that organisations of all sizes work together with their energy provider to ensure the future of British business is low-carbon.”

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