Bristol businesses cut carbon and ‘green up’ city with Bristol Energy

'Local businesses’ carbon saving is the equivalent of taking 8,000 cars off the road'

Bristol businesses and organisations are cutting the same amount of carbon as taking 8,000 cars off the road after switching to 100% green electricity and lower carbon gas company Bristol Energy.

With a combined carbon offset of over 12,000 tonnes, Bristol Energy’s city power partners’ carbon offset also equates to the absorption of carbon from over 6 million full-grown trees for one year.

Businesses and organisations helping ‘green up’ the city with Bristol Energy include Bristol City Council, Bristol Waste Company, Avon Fire & Rescue Service, Bristol Zoo Gardens and We The Curious.

On its journey to becoming a wholly green supplier, Bristol Energy only offers 100% renewable electricity and lower carbon gas to new and renewing residential and B2B customers. Through its green tariffs, the Bristol-born company is cutting local businesses’ carbon footprints as the city works towards becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

Bristol Waste and Avon Fire & Rescue Service are now supplied by 100% green electricity and 100% green gas, having renewed their energy contracts with Bristol Energy.

Bristol Zoo Gardens and We The Curious are also on full supply with 100% green electricity and lower carbon gas, and Bristol City Council future contracts have all been secured on 100% green electricity and lower carbon gas.

Amy Harrison, Head of B2B at Bristol Energy, said: “We’re extremely pleased to see our commercial portfolio continue to grow, and more businesses committing to being green. Changing to a green energy supplier is one of the simplest changes businesses and individuals can make, but one of the most effective for reducing their carbon footprint.

“With Bristol’s plans to become carbon neutral by 2030, now is the time for businesses to reflect on their carbon impact and take action. Switching to an energy supplier that provides renewable energy, like Bristol Energy, is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint.”

Councillor Kye Dudd, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Energy at Bristol City Council, said: “We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and empowering businesses and households across Bristol to do the same.

“Our partnership with Bristol Energy is powering innovative energy projects across the city, such as new electric car charging hubs, our City Hall Battery Project and solar battery trials in social housing. We are exploring every option available as we work towards our goal of becoming a carbon neutral city by 2030.”

Tony Lawless, Managing Director at Bristol Waste Company, said: “The environment and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do. Over the last 18 months our successful Slim My Waste campaign has diverted enough food from general waste to save 3626 tonnes CO2e - that’s the same as taking 771 cars off the road for a year.

“We’ve helped our residents recycle more and waste less making us the number one core city in England for recycling and we have updated our fleet and introduced electric vehicles and bikes to reduce out carbon footprint. We’re proud that the energy used to power our operations and those vehicles is now 100% green, and that we are supporting the local economy by choosing our local supplier.”

Annabel Harford, Environmental Manager at Avon Fire & Rescue Service, said: “We have made great progress to reduce our carbon footprint by nearly 60% since 2008. The latest step has been to secure 100% renewable electricity and biogas supplies from Bristol Energy, alongside an on-going energy efficiency programme on all our sites. The biogas we use is produced at the anaerobic digestion plant based in Avonmouth where we send our fire stations’ food waste – a great example of the circular economy.”

Elinor Kershaw, Sustainability and Projects Co-ordinator at Bristol Zoo Gardens, said: “Energy management at the zoo is vital for the welfare of our 10k+ animals, with many needing specialist lighting and heating. To meet these needs whilst also being environmentally responsible, it is important to source our energy sustainably, and we are pleased to be working with Bristol Energy to supply both Bristol Zoo Gardens and our sister attraction Wild Place Project with 100% renewable electricity.”

Simon Ridge, Head of Estates for We The Curious, said: “As the first science centre in the world to have declared a climate emergency across our large and diverse estate, utility procurement plays a huge part in our sustainable focus. Having Bristol Energy as our sole supplier across the estate with fully 100% renewable tariffs helps us greatly in achieving our goals which include further reduction of energy consumption and complete removal of gas supplies by 2030.

“In recent years we’ve reduced our energy consumption by 28% through a mixture of behavioural and technological changes, and through future work with Bristol Energy we look forward to furthering our energy efficiencies and reduction of our carbon footprint, whilst working alongside a local supplier with strong community values.”

Bristol Energy provides 100% renewable electricity and lower carbon gas to new customers, including residential and businesses.

Find out more about their green tariffs here.