One in four businesses see renewable energy as a passing fad according to new research, which also found that a majority see energy suppliers as responsible for lowering carbon emissions and educating the market of the different types of energy available.
The study was conducted on behalf of Haven Power, a business energy supplier within the Drax Group, and surveyed 1,000 utility ‘decision makers’. It found that a quarter (27%) of those British businesses asked think renewable energy is just a passing trend, a figure that reaches 40% within the financial services sector.
It found that the biggest barrier to taking up a renewable energy green tariff remains cost (37%), with the lack of government support rated second (24%). Such issues mean that almost a quarter (23%) of respondents are uncertain as to how to discuss a switch to clean energy supply with senior management.
Paul Sheffield, chief operating officer at Haven Power, said: “It’s concerning to see the proportion of businesses that still view renewable energy as a passing trend, despite evidence showing that a move to cleaner energy is essential for the environment. It’s clear more needs to be done to demonstrate the wider opportunities and benefits of renewable energy for businesses.”
More than 80% of respondents see this as the responsibility of energy providers, who they say should educate decision makers on the different types of energy available. A smaller number (58%) also see it as suppliers’ responsibility to lower carbon emissions, more so than government (47%) or manufacturers (46%).
This varies within the sector, with 59% of businesses in the manufacturing industry stating it is they who are responsible for saving carbon emissions versus their energy suppliers at 48%.
Meanwhile, businesses in the hospitality and entertainment industry aren’t likely to make sustainable changes as they don’t believe it’s a priority to their customers.
Despite these findings, a large number still see renewables as key to a cleaner future, with three in five keen to start producing their own energy.
