Evaluating mitigation options

Identifying Opportunities

Building upon the priorities identified through the net carbon status calculation, we are evaluating options for emissions mitigation, protecting carbon stocks and increasing sequestration in four key areas: Buildings, Transport, Land and Assets, and Procurement.

Buildings

• Electricity supply - Switching our organisation's electricity supply to a 100% renewable tariff/supplier
  
  
• Building efficiency - Evaluating the potential for energy efficiency and renewable energy generation in our buildings. LED and solar PV installed in NRW buildings audited could save 94 tonnes CO₂e, with further buildings also showing potential

Transport

• Strategic fleet carbon review - Undertaking a review of our current fleet and identifying opportunities to reduce diesel reliance and associated emissions, whilst providing value for money. This could include: low emission vehicles (eg electric vehicles), fuelling options (eg biofuel) and software solutions (eg telematics). We could save up to 27% emissions from our fleet and deliver a 5% cost saving through the use of existing low emission technologies
  
  
• Sustainable transport planning - Developing a sustainable transport plan, expanding and building upon the best practice currently seen in the organisation to reduce emissions from business travel and commuting, including promoting active travel

Land and assets

• Renewable energy generation - Assessing the renewable energy generation potential (ie small / medium scale hydro, wind and solar energy) of our estate as a means of reducing our organisation's dependency on electricity from the grid, which can reduce both our emissions and costs
  
  
• Retrofitting assets - Reducing the emissions associated with operating our assets (eg pumping stations, gauging stations), including options for energy efficient pumps, solar power and CCTV. These measures could reduce our electricity consumption, generate power and reduce staff time in managing assets, whilst retaining key functions (eg flood risk management). Retrofitting a pumping station with an energy efficient pump and solar PV can reduce emissions by over 50%
  
  
• Protecting and enhancing the land that we own or manage - Maintaining and expanding habitats (eg peatland and woodland) on the estate to protect and enhance carbon stored

Procurement

• Procurement of goods and services - Exploring what measures can be integrated into procurement policy to improve the carbon credentials of the goods and services we procure, including how our staff can better consider carbon impact when drafting specifications. For example, other organisations and their contractors have seen over 40% emissions reductions through civil engineering frameworks through using the carbon planning tool now being trialled in NRW

Evidence

Providing a robust evidence base for options has been key. We have worked with industry experts including Carbon Trust, Cenex and Regen to better understand our options for energy efficiency and behavioural change, low emission technologies for our fleet and potential renewable energy generation.

Evaluation and Prioritisation

We have evaluated the mitigation options available to NRW and understood the costs, carbon savings, wider benefits and feasibility (eg scale of uptake possible across the organisation). We will look to use this information to prioritise options for delivery.

Programming Delivery

The options identified will be built into a programme delivery for NRW moving forward. See Embedding Carbon Positive in NRW for more information.