Calor Business Energy Barometer Shows Potential for Renewable Energy Growth in Ireland

March 27th 2018.  Irish businesses have yet to make the switch to renewable energy but are looking for cleaner energy alternatives, according to new research from Calor. Just 11% of Irish businesses report that they are using renewable energy. Of the businesses not using renewable energy, 85% are open to switching to a renewable alternative.  The figures were revealed in the Calor Energy Barometer, a survey of energy users, released by Calor in advance of the launch of Ireland’s first renewable LPG option for domestic and business gas customers, BioLPG.

Calor, Ireland’s longest established supplier of gas to domestic and business customers off the natural gas network, will exclusively launch a new BioLPG solution in the coming weeks.  BioLPG is made from 100% renewable materials. These include recycled waste and residue materials and sustainably-sourced, renewable vegetable oils. 

Company size does not make a substantial difference in terms of renewable energy usage among SMEs, with similar take up rates regardless of the number of employees.  Similarly, location of a business has relatively little impact on adoption figures, with Dublin businesses only marginally more likely to have employed a renewable energy solution than businesses in other parts of the country. 

The survey of Irish businesses, carried out by Behaviour and Attitudes, shows that only 7% of Irish businesses surveyed have set targets for reducing their carbon emissions.  Targets are seen by many experts as being key to driving change within an organisation. Only 3% of businesses surveyed had taken advantage of State capital grants supporting energy-related spend.  

Money does not appear to be substantial hurdle, with nearly 40% of Irish SMEs surveyed willing to pay a premium for a renewable energy solution.   Of those, over 50% of businesses would be willing to pay a higher than 5% premium for a renewable energy option. 

In terms of motivation to make the change, pressure from customers does not appear to be a driver for many of the SMEs surveyed.  Only 10% of SMEs have encountered their customers raising sustainability or energy performance as an issue.   

For further information on BioLPG visit our website, http://www.calorgas.ie/about/biolpg/

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About Calor

For 80 years, Calor has been trusted to deliver energy to Irish consumers regardless of their location.  With the launch of BioLPG, Calor is making a firm statement of intent regarding the future direction of the brand.  Ireland is moving to renewable heat and Calor is leading that movement. 

About Bio LPG

BioLPG is an identical product to the traditional Calor LPG gas, with the same performance, properties and composition. Unlike conventional LPG which is a fossil fuel, BioLPG is made from 100% renewable raw materials. These include recycled waste and residue materials and sustainably-sourced renewable vegetable oils. 

LPG, the core Calor product, is one of the cleanest conventional fuels available, delivering carbon emission savings of circa 30% when compared to diesel.  Switching to BioLPG delivers even greater savings – up to 80%. These savings are obviously important for the environment, but they are also important for customers who want to play their part in advancing Ireland’s green agenda.   

About the Survey

Survey research was carried out in the Republic of Ireland by Behaviour and Attitudes and in Northern Ireland by Lucid Talk.