A NEW service has been launched to help Huddersfield businesses get greener.
CO2Sense Yorkshire has been set up to help firms cut carbon emissions, comply with legislation and save money – while making the most of the business opportunities created by the region’s carbon reduction commitments.
Chief executive Joanne Pollard said: “CO2Sense Yorkshire is a single centre of knowledge for business and industry looking to adapt and respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by climate change and Government policy changes.
“It will ensure the region continues to lead the way for commercial and industrial carbon emission reduction.”
Yorkshire is the highest carbon-emitting region in the country – partly due to it being a centre for heavy industry and power plants.
It accounts for 17% of all UK carbon emissions – and is second only to the Ruhr valley across Europe.
However, CO2Sense said Yorkshire’s expertise in engineering and energy could also be harnessed to develop technologies to educe emissions and make the most of the economic opportunities brought about by a new “low carbon economy”.
Tom Riordan, chief executive of Yorkshire Forward – which funds the new green group, said the region was well-placed to become a world leader of the low carbon agenda.
He said: “CO2Sense is a key component in helping businesses become more energy efficient and find new product, processes and markets.”
The development was also welcomed by Rosie Winterton, Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber.
She said funding initiatives such as CO2Sense demonstrated the Government’s commitment to tackling climate change and its effects and to ensuring security of energy supply.
The minister said: “CO2Sense will provide an invaluable resource for businesses across our region looking to reduce the threats from climate change and make the most of the opportunities brought by the transition to a low carbon world.”
CO2Sense Yorkshire will build on existing programmes such as Future Energy Yorkshire, Resource Efficiency Yorkshire and Carbon Action Yorkshire to provide a single contact point for companies – helping them meet the region’s objectives in renewable and low-carbon energy and increase companies’ competitiveness through greater recycling of materials.
