As we all know, climate change poses a significant challenge to the environment at all levels, and impacts businesses natural systems and communities.

As a company running multiple business centres, we commissioned a carbon emissions assessment report for Hethel Innovation Ltd as a whole in 2022, and have since then been taking measures to reduce our emissions.

The report looked at three areas, direct emissions (like fossil fuel heating), indirect emissions (like electricity use) and encapsulated carbon (contained within used materials).

Where we are

As a company, the report showed that our biggest source of carbon emissions is the use of electricity on our sites Hethel Engineering Centre and Scottow Enterprise Park. Following that, the second and third biggest sources are the use of fossil fuel heating, such as oil boilers at Hethel Engineering Centre, and also waste disposal.

With the use of heating and electricity at our centres being unavoidable, we looked to ways in which we could reduce emissions.

In April 2023, we moved Hethel Engineering Centre to a 100% renewable energy tariff, and from October 2023 Scottow Enterprise Park also moved to a 100% renewable energy tariff. This means that since 2022, we have reduced our carbon emissions by 64%!

What’s next

• Our main goal moving forward is to replace some of the heating systems at Scottow Enterprise Park with Air Source Heat Pumps.
• At Hethel Engineering Centre, we’re looking at feasible alternative solutions for the oil boilers.
• There is also the desire to install more solar on site at Hethel Engineering Centre, making better use of the roof space. This is something the Estates Team are working on at the moment.
• We also have plans to revisit our recycling solutions at both hubs.

We would like to also mention Broadland Food Innovation Centre, which is managed by Hethel Innovation on behalf of Broadland District Council, which was not included in the report when written.