Solar panels play an important role in sustainable practices for businesses and in the home. Both he Republic of Ireland & the UK have net zero targets for 2050 but the UK’s net zero plan was ruled unclear in May 2024 and was given 12 months to re-amend the proposed plan of action as it was unclear. This article covers:
- What net zero is and is it really achievable by 2050? What systems such as solar panels and other renewable energy need to be adopted and are the trends moving towards this target?
- How you can decrease your carbon emissions for your business or in your home as well as other ways to reduce your carbon emissions and products/companies that are more sustainable.
- An assessment of individuals vs. large companies and the relevant impact of both moving towards net zero emissions. Individuals reducing their impact will all have a large impact, but large companies also need to make faster and larger moves to decrease global emissions. Key industries include mass manufacturing and the construction industry.
At Alternative Energy, we are the leading independent installer of solar panels in Belfast and the surrounding areas. We will work with you to install a solar panel PV system which we can combine to create a comprehensive system with battery bank technology. Get in touch to arrange for your free quote.
What is Net Zero and is it Possible to Reach This?
By definition, net zero is a target that is set for humans to negate the amount of greenhouse gasses that are sent into the atmosphere. This is achieved by reducing overall emissions and adopting technology to absorb greenhouse gas emissions. Some are optimistic that these targets can be reached but there are also skeptics who say that the world needs to do more to reach net zero. The major challenges facing the world are:
- Encouraging systems to be adopted such as solar panels and other renewable energy sources across the world. Grants, incentives and legal requirements to have these systems installed may be the future to continue to drive the adoption of this technology.
- Pressuring or supporting the largest polluters to reduce their overall emissions. Some countries need to adopt different practices whereas socio-economic factors impact others which causes methods of power to be used which are more polluting than others.
- Encouraging or pressuring large companies to reduce their emissions. It is not enough to reduce emissions in everyday life – the largest companies in the world need to move towards net zero targets.
Decreasing Your Carbon Emissions
Solar panels are a great way to reduce your environmental impact and save money on energy bills. The only bi-product of the generation of electricity is heat. There are other changes that you can adopt to reduce your environmental impact, such as:
- Reducing your dependency on your car and using public transport methods or other forms of travel more regularly.
- Recycle where possible and purchase products that use recyclable materials and packaging. Green credentials for companies are becoming more and more popular for consumers.
Companies & Their Role in the Goal for Net Zero
Large companies have understandably faced pressure to reduce their emissions and adopt new technologies. Several large companies have moved towards this with examples being McDonalds looking to reduce waste and remove plastics, Amazon being the largest purchaser of renewable energy last year and Vodaphone setting a very ambitious target of net zero by 2030.
Sceptics call into question the viability of net zero emissions goals because of the impacts of individuals and companies making up a huge amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Celebrities such as Taylor Swift for example came under fire for their use of private jets, clocking 178,000 miles & 1,200 tonnes of C02 emissions in 2023.
It’s important to be optimistic when looking to reach net zero targets but naive optimism will not allow us to reach this goal. Investing in solar panels is a great way to reduce your environmental impact on your business premises or at home. You also generate your own electricity and can combine your solar panels with other renewable energy systems.
It’s easy to see where sceptics are coming from in terms of a global perspective. We need to make active changes in everyday life but is this enough when large companies are also producing high levels of emissions into the atmosphere? Time will tell and government incentives and global implementation of policies will be a neccessity.
At Alternative Energy, we are the leading independent installer of solar panels in Belfast and the surrounding areas. Solar panels are a great way to reduce your environmental impact and save money on your energy bills. You are able to move away from dependency on the national grid and power your property with your own solar electricity. Get in touch to arrange for a free quote today.
