Earlier this year, we hosted an industry event, Our Collective Role in Powering a Sustainable Energy Future, where we sat down with a range of industry experts to discuss the changes we’re seeing in the energy industry, and the considerations and opportunities these bring to organisations.

We’re excited to share our brand-new report, which brings together the key findings and takeaways from across the sessions and panel discussions on the day. In this report, we provide insights on a range of topics, including changes in government policy and infrastructure, evolving carbon reporting standards, and the role of demand flexibility and low-carbon technologies in a net zero future.

To learn more about the topics discussed on the day, read our in-depth report, here.

Our Bryt by Nature 2025 mid-year report is now available!  

Bryt by Nature is our programme for being a better business, and each year we publish our Sustainable Business Report to share our progress toward becoming a truly sustainable and responsible business. With all of us impacted by the actions of interconnected value chains, we know how important it is to be open about our carbon footprint and wider sustainability journey, and to ensure that the information our customers need is readily available to access. That’s why we’ve released the results of our carbon footprint for 2024 at an earlier date, in our Bryt by Nature 2025 mid-year report. 

In this edition, we cover high-level updates about our progress in the first half of 2025. We also explore the trends in our carbon footprint for 2024, and spotlight our recent office move, which will support the wellbeing of our team and our long-term sustainability ambitions. 

Below, you can find some key progress updates from our mid-year report: 

OUR 2024 CARBON FOOTPRINT

We’ve set near term science-based emissions reduction targets with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and we report our carbon footprint each year to track our progress in meeting our goals.

In our 2024 carbon footprint, we’ve seen the following trends:

  • An increase in our Scope 1 emissions, which was due to an unfortunate refrigerant leak that occurred as a result of a fault with the cooling system at our previous office building.
  • Our Scope 2 emissions remained zero, as we continue to be supplied by 100% renewable electricity, and this will remain a key priority for us going forward.
  • The largest part of our emissions, 77%, was a result of Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6) leaks, which is used by National Grid in the transportation and distribution of the electricity we supply to our customers. SF6  is one of the most potent greenhouse gases, and the National Grid is currently developing alternatives.
  • While the physical intensity of our Scope 3 emissions has reduced by 20.4% since our baseline year of 2020, it has increased by 5.79% in the last year. This is a short-term emission increase due to two key projects: refurbishing and moving into our new office, and a series of core system upgrades and improvements. Both of these investments, we believe, are essential to help us improve our business capabilities and reduce our emissions in the long term.

For us, the increase in our Scope 1 emissions and the impact of SF6  leaks highlights the responsibilities we have as a business to fully understand our impact, the interdependencies of our supply chains, and the importance of collectively moving towards more sustainable practices.

OUR NEW HOME

At the beginning of the year, we moved to our new office at Cornerblock in Snow Hill, Birmingham, to better support our growing team and help us reach our future sustainability goals.

Sustainability

We felt it was essential that our new office aligns with our values and sustainability ambitions, and we are proud to announce that, as a result of the choices made in designing, fitting out and furnishing our new space, we have achieved a Silver SKA rating. SKA assesses good practice measures across every aspect of the project, including energy, CO2, waste, water, pollution, transport, materials and wellbeing.

Employee wellbeing

We would not be able to deliver our purpose without our incredible team, and their wellbeing and needs were at the forefront of our mind during the process of designing and fitting out our new office. We’ve worked to ensure that our new workspace is inclusive and enables choice within ways of working, with more spaces for collaboration and connection.

CUSTOMERS AT THE HEART

Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re committed to providing them with an excellent customer experience. To continue to improve in this area, we‘re progressing through the Institute of Customer Service’s accreditation program, with a company-wide launch event and a new group of Customer Champions to support us along the way. 

Collaborating to reach a sustainable energy future

Outside of our own sustainability journey, we know how important it is that we use our role as an electricity supplier to encourage discussion, as we learn and work together to shape the energy industry for the better. In June, we hosted an event with our energy consultant partners. It was an inspiring and engaging day, where expert speakers shared their insights on the evolving energy landscape and the opportunities this may present for businesses.

Alongside our event, we have been collaborating with customers, energy consultants, technology developers and optimisers to develop new products fit for the net zero energy transition. We have also continued to offer flexibility optimisation services, which we know have an important role to play in supporting a grid that’s powered by renewables.

Read our Mid-year update, now

We’re proud of the progress we’ve made in the first half of the year and look forward to advancing further in our sustainability journey in the latter half of 2025.

You can find out more about our key business updates in 2025’s mid-year Bryt by Nature report, here.

We recently hosted an event for our energy consultant partners on ‘Our Collective Role in Powering a Sustainable Energy Future’! It was an inspiring and engaging day, in which we saw key figures in the energy industry come together to discuss the changes that we’ve been seeing in the energy landscape, and the considerations and opportunities this may present for businesses.

It’s important to us that we help to encourage discussion around the energy transition with thought-leading experts, as we learn and work together to shape our industry for the better. Similarly, we know that our energy consultant partners want to be well-equipped to support their customers in building a holistic energy strategy as they navigate the energy transition, through the use of various low-carbon technologies and supply contracts. In bringing together experts on the energy transition and our energy consultant partners, we hope that we are empowering consumers to make meaningful change on their sustainability journey.

Nine industry experts shared their unique input throughout the day in three different sessions, with each session followed by a panel discussion. You can read about some key themes and takeaways from the day, below.

What is needed to achieve a net zero, sustainable energy future?

In our first session, our speakers addressed the big question of how we can achieve a net zero, sustainable energy future. Our three speakers focused on the changes we’ve been seeing in the energy industry, and those which still need to be implemented in order to reach net zero. They highlighted the ways that we can learn from each other so that we all can reap the benefits of a decarbonised energy system.

  • Duncan Dale, Vice President of Customers Facing Business at Statkraft, discussed the big changes we are seeing in the energy market and how they are affecting product development. We can see this through the establishment of Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPAs), rooftop solar panels, and green hydrogen. His talk highlighted the interconnected nature of the energy transition and the ability of nations and businesses alike to pivot towards renewable solutions.
  • National Grid’s UK Sustainability Manager, Steve Thompson, focused on the major changes seen in energy infrastructure, showcasing the progress that has been made so far in decarbonising Great Britain’s grid, and underscoring the ways that everyone’s sustainability efforts affect each other.
  • Rachel Cary, Head of Industrial Strategy at Energy UK, covered the changes that we’ve seen in policy in the UK’s recent political landscape, as well as the need for further reform and policy updates to better limit the price of electricity.
What does an evolving energy landscape mean for the future of renewable electricity supply?

Our second session discussed the future of carbon reporting and energy procurement for businesses. Our three speakers addressed some considerations and changes that businesses may be seeing in our rapidly evolving energy landscape.

  • Independent Consultant Mike Shirley took us through the future of carbon reporting for electricity, as standards continue to evolve and new ways to demonstrate sustainability efforts emerge.
  • Robert Buckley, Head of Strategic Accounts at Cornwall Insight, explored the trends we are seeing in business energy procurement and supply – especially regarding the changing role and value of Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs) certificates – and highlighted the various routes businesses can take in their procurement strategy.
  • Alongside these discussions, we heard an example of a customer’s sustainability journey from Pip Squire, Head of Sustainability at Ark Data Centres. As a provider of data centres, Ark Data Centres uses a significant amount of electricity, so it was interesting to hear from Pip about how their decarbonisation strategy has evolved through efficiencies and innovative solutions.
What are the impacts and opportunities for flexibility and technology in the energy transition?

Session three focused on the importance of demand flexibility and low-carbon technologies in supporting the energy transition and enhancing businesses’ energy strategy.

  • National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) Engagement Lead, James Kerr, explained the essential need for demand flexibility to help balance a grid that’s powered by renewables, without major infrastructure changes.
  • Jon Ferris, Head of Flexibility at LCP Delta, explored the role that low-carbon technology – such as solar panels, heat pumps, and batteries – can play in assisting the UK to achieve this balance, whilst also offering businesses opportunities to save money and access new revenue streams.
  • Rob Moore, Chief Business Development Officer at Connected Energy, then explained how we can use these low-carbon technologies within a holistic energy strategy, using them in tandem with each other to maximise the value that organisations can receive.

These were important and serious topics to cover, but we also wanted to bring some levity to a positive and productive day. Climate comedian Stuart Goldsmith tackled the subject of climate change, using humour to energise the room and provide a fresh perspective on our journey towards becoming more sustainable individuals. We also called in the talents of Scriberia to bring the day’s discussions to life, live, through an engaging and informative piece of art. You can take a look at it below:

Through the discussion from our brilliant speakers, it was clear that, although much progress has been made in our journey towards a sustainable energy future, there’s more we can all do. The responsibility for powering change is on all of us – across nations, governments, industries, and businesses – because what we do affects us all. Both energy consultants and suppliers have a key role to play in driving progress, by guiding businesses and helping them navigate their decarbonisation journey. This also means that we can all take lessons from each other and learn to pivot, which will be essential in adapting to such a rapidly changing landscape. We know that there are benefits to those jumping headfirst into the energy transition, both financial and otherwise, and we encourage everyone to grab those opportunities wherever they can.

We hope that everyone who attended got as much from the day as we did, and that they will continue to push these conversations in new directions in the future. Thank you to everyone who took the time to join us! We will be releasing more content about our event in the future, so keep an eye out for more. In the meantime, if you’d like to read more about the changing energy landscape and how you can get involved, visit here.

We are proud to announce that Bryt Energy has been accredited as a Silver Carbon Literate Organisation, making us the first renewable electricity supplier globally to become Carbon Literate. This milestone demonstrates our commitment towards tackling climate change, reducing our organisational carbon footprint, and empowering our team with the knowledge to create positive change. The energy sector continues to be a major contributor to the UK’s carbon emissions, so it’s essential for us to take a leading position in driving forward change in this industry.

As a supplier of zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity*, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We are always looking for more ways to embed our sustainability values in every corner of our business, which is why we engaged with Carbon Literacy in 2024. Carbon Literacy training provided a course for our team that covered the causes and impacts of climate change, the key role of renewable energy in decarbonisation, and the actions we can all take to reduce carbon emissions. We were able to customise the course to include how our purpose and sustainability strategy fit within the broader approach to tackling climate change, and the important part our industry has in driving change.

The Carbon Literacy programme has four tiers of accreditation – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. We achieved our Silver accreditation by having a significant portion of our workforce certified as Carbon Literate and have committed to embedding our learnings across the business by continuing to train our employees and advocate for climate education, inside and outside our organisation. So far, we have trained over 100 of our employees across 18 teams – and in total 60% of our employees are now certified as Carbon Literate.

This is one of the many steps we have taken as part of our wider commitment to being a truly sustainable and responsible business, as outlined in our Bryt by Nature framework. Our sustainable business report, Bryt by Nature, documents our progress in our sustainability journey, year-on-year. Carbon Literacy training is just one part of our wider employee engagement strategy for sustainability, which also includes benefits such as our Climate Perks scheme, Cycle to Work scheme, Electric Vehicle (EV) Salary Sacrifice scheme, and our partnership with National Express – all of which encourage low carbon, sustainable travel.

We feel that Carbon Literacy training has given our employees the chance to become even more connected to our purpose, and to fully understand the importance of our sustainability strategy. We hope the training will continue to inspire climate action and encourage them to share their knowledge with others.

“We are passionate about making sure our employees have the resources to create long-lasting change and carry forward our purpose, as every one of us has agency and a role to play in tackling the climate crisis. We look forward to continuing our Carbon Literacy journey into the future.” – David Taylor, Sales and Marketing Director

Dave Coleman, Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Carbon Literacy Project, said:

“By becoming a Silver accredited Carbon Literate Organisation, Bryt Energy has demonstrated its commitment to genuine climate action and the building of a low carbon future for us all. With the energy supply sector currently remaining one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions in the UK, it is encouraging to see Bryt Energy delivering such a positive example of sustainability leadership.”

 

To find out more about our experience in delivering Carbon Literacy training to our team, read our blog, here.

 

*Please visit https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/100-renewable-electricity/ for more information on our products and services.

Notes to Editors

[1] Carbon Literacy:

Carbon Literacy (CL) is “An awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.”

It is delivered by testing and certifying successful individuals as Carbon Literate after they have participated in a day’s worth of learning and action.

 

[2] Bryt Energy:

Part of the Statkraft Group, Bryt Energy provides British businesses with zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity*, sourced solely from Solar, Wind and Hydro power.

Through pioneering products and services, they empower businesses to create value from their electricity usage by optimising their consumption and challenging the way they interact with the electricity system.

Website: brytenergy.co.uk

Phone number: 0330 053 8620

Email address: heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk

 

[3] The Carbon Literacy Project:

The Carbon Literacy Project (CLP) was created and founded in 2011 and launched publicly in November 2012.

Website: carbonliteracy.com

Phone number: 0161 298 1782

Email address: media@carbonliteracy.com

 

Note: ‘Carbon Literacy’ and the ‘Carbon Literacy Project’ logo (including the use of text, the speech bubble and the style of imagery including people) are registered trademarks®.

In general usage and specifically within copy, the term Carbon Literacy is correctly capitalised as a noun: It is therefore “Carbon Literacy” not “carbon literacy”.

The Project’s Brand Guidelines covering usage of Carbon Literacy terminology and imagery are available at https://carbonliteracy.com/our-brand-guidelines/

 

[4] The Carbon Literacy Trust:

In 2013, The Carbon Literacy Trust (registered charity number: 1156722) was established and took on all Carbon Literacy Project assets, so that the charity’s trustees could oversee the dissemination of Carbon Literacy across the UK and beyond, for the public good.

As a zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity* supplier, sustainability has always been at the heart of what we do. Within our Bryt by Nature framework, we’re working to become a better, truly sustainable business, and this wouldn’t be possible without our team, who help us to deliver our company purpose.  

With the impacts of climate change being felt across the world and the deadline to reach net zero drawing closer, we felt it was an important time to deliver training to our team that would help them feel confident to discuss and implement actions to reduce carbon emissions, at home, at work and in the community. 

Carbon Literacy offers just this. So, if you’re looking into sustainability training for your organisation and want to know more about our own experience, take a read below.

What is Carbon Literacy and why did we choose this course?

Carbon Literacy is a one-day course set up by the Carbon Literacy Project in 2013 and is defined as “an awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis”1.

Speaking on why we chose this course, our Sales & Marketing Director, David Taylor, said: “We chose this course as we were able to customise it to cover how Bryt Energy’s purpose and sustainability strategy, along with our parent company Statkraft, fits within the broader approach to tackling climate change. In particular, we tailored the course to tackle specific aspects of the net zero energy transition, and the important role the energy sector has in driving change and the ways that Bryt Energy and its customers can contribute.”

After completing the course, participants can become certified as Carbon Literate by committing to two climate actions, joining over 100,000 others across 26 nations all over the world2. On top of this, research estimates that Carbon Literate individuals can achieve annual carbon savings of 5-15% per person3. Crucially, this training course is designed to encourage learners to discuss and share knowledge with peers, friends and family, and advocate for sustainable practices across their wider sphere of influence.

Developing our Carbon Literacy course

In 2024, our senior leadership team set a new objective to develop and implement an employee engagement programme on climate change and sustainability. Carbon Literacy training became a key part of achieving this, and a priority for the sustainability team. Our first focus was finding certified Carbon Literacy Trainers who we could collaborate with to create and deliver a bespoke course, tailored to our core purpose.

We worked together with Susanne Bearblock who specialises in circularity and behaviour change (key aspects of the core training), and Dr Helen Rodgers, MEng, Ph.D. who works as a consultant within the renewable energy sector. Both certified Carbon Literacy Trainers had the expertise and passion we were looking for to help us create the 8 hours’ worth of tailored content needed to deliver to over 100 members of staff.

Susanne Bearblock, Carbon Literacy Trainer, commented: “Carbon Literacy gives participants the opportunity to understand the bigger picture of how and why our world is changing, and encourages us to think about our role in the climate emergency. The light bulb moments I see throughout the day when participants start to realise the steps they can take to create positive changes that will lead to a better world – this is one of my favourite parts of the day.”

What does the training cover?

The Carbon Literacy training covers the causes and impacts of climate change, as well as the vulnerabilities faced by different communities. We also learn what makes up a carbon footprint, with special attention to our own footprint as a business and what employees can do to help reduce it.

Whilst the science behind climate change is stark at times, focus is also given to the solutions, and the action being taken to tackle climate-related risks at a local, national and global level. We included how our own industry is changing in the transition to net zero, and the key role renewables such as solar, wind and hydro power have in decarbonising the grid. Lastly, to continue momentum after the sessions, employees have been encouraged to commit to carbon reduction actions within their roles at work.

Our Sustainability Specialist, Georgina Kilburn, said: “It has been great to work with such passionate trainers who really care about educating people on climate change, and how we can feel encouraged to use this learning to create real and substantial carbon reduction. I think everyone at Bryt Energy has taken a lot from the course and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s ambitious actions come to life.”

Susanne Bearblock added: “What a privilege it’s been for me to be involved in delivering training to five cohorts of engaged staff who have every intention of rippling their knowledge, actions and determination for change out into society. I look forward to seeing the participants truly develop their “carbon sense” and to start taking meaningful climate action.”

Continuing our sustainability journey

As a result of the Carbon Literacy training, we feel our team has become more connected to our purpose and has a deeper understanding of how our sustainability strategy – and that of our parent company, Statkraft – fit within global solutions to climate change. 90% of employees who took part in the course would recommend the training to others4, and we hope it has inspired them to have meaningful conversations that encourages even more people to take action on climate change. We’re looking forward to continuing our Carbon Literacy journey into the future.

You can read more about our progress to becoming a sustainable business in our mid-year Bryt by Nature report. And if you are interested in Carbon Literacy training for your own organisation, you can find out more information here: https://carbonliteracy.com/

Sources
  1. https://carbonliteracy.com/what-on-earth-is-carbon-literacy/ 
  2. https://carbonliteracy.com/
  3. https://carbonliteracy.com/organisation/
  4. 90% of surveyed employees said they would recommend the training to others, based on 33 respondents.

*visit www.brytenergy.co.uk for more information on our products and services.

When businesses choose a renewable electricity contract, they usually do so because they are sustainability-minded, and they want their organisation to play their part in driving forward solutions to tackling the climate crisis.

That’s why at Bryt Energy, we’re passionate about our fuel mix – we only supply zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity*, sourced solely from solar, wind and hydro power. Our fuel mix is audited and verified by an independent third party, SE Advisory Services (formerly EcoAct), every year and allows our customers to report their Scope 2 electricity consumption as zero carbon, under the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol market-based method.

Like the weather, our fuel mix ratio changes year-on-year, but you can always be sure that we only ever source our electricity from solar, wind and hydro power. Unlike fossil fuels, these sources are all zero carbon and 100% renewable forms of electricity at the point of generation*, meaning they don’t create any carbon emissions or harmful air pollution, and are naturally replenishing.

All sources of electricity generation have their own unique considerations when it comes to their impact. We want to be totally transparent about why we’ve chosen our fuel mix and acknowledge that constructing, operating, and generating electricity comes with the need to manage sustainability challenges. Like all electricity generation, there are considerations such as human rights, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the embodied carbon of concrete that are crucial to manage and improve. We’re proud that our parent company, Statkraft, the largest renewable energy generator in Europe, has a long history of working to reduce the impact of different renewable electricity generation projects.

We have created this blog to take a deeper look into our fuel mix, to explain the benefits and considerations, and reiterate that by choosing solar, wind and hydro, we can help lead Britain towards a net zero, sustainable energy future.

SOLAR

Solar panels, also known as photovoltaics (PV), capture energy from the Sun and convert its light into electricity. So, at the point of generation, solar power produces zero emissions and is 100% renewable (for as long as the Sun keeps shining!).

In addition to being a zero carbon source of electricity, solar technology has seen consistent year-on-year improvements in efficiency. Since 2010, solar PV has become nearly 60% more efficient, meaning the size of panels can be kept the same, with higher capacity for electricity generation1. Well-managed solar farms have also been found to support biodiversity and bird species that are in decline2. In fact, Statkraft is developing a solar site in Cambridgeshire that will include measures to enhance biodiversity at the site by 141%3.

To reach net zero emissions, the UK Government announced targets to increase the capacity of solar generation from the 15 gigawatts (GW) currently installed4, to 70GW by 20355. Whilst increasing the deployment of solar power has led to debates in political circles around land use, research has shown that upscaling solar in line with net zero targets would only take up roughly half of the space currently used for golf courses6. Despite this, it remains important to optimise the area used for solar generation – with a recent study finding that utilising rooftops and car parks has the potential to provide at least 40GW of electricity generation capacity in England by 20357.

Looking at the lifecycle of solar panels, there is still a challenge with global supply chains, due to the ethical considerations of manufacturing being located in areas where there are significant human rights concerns8. There is a global consensus that if the supply chains of solar PV are concentrated in one area, then the industry could become vulnerable. The IEA suggests that diversifying the supply capacity would reduce the associated risks and potentially lead to economic and environmental benefits. Additionally, industry initiatives to improve the end-of-life recycling of solar panels will also reduce the environmental pressure that is placed on raw material demand, encouraging circular solutions9.

For the UK to achieve net zero, solar power will need to rapidly increase its contribution to the UK’s energy mix – a big challenge, but one we believe, together with our customers and the wider energy industry, is achievable.

WIND

Wind turbines, which sees rotating blades connected to a generator, harness energy from the wind by converting the kinetic energy into electricity. Wind energy makes up a significant proportion of our fuel mix and is particularly abundant in the UK, due to naturally windy conditions and the national ambition to be world leaders in wind generation10.

In the first quarter of 2023, wind farms in the UK generated more electricity than gas for the first time11, with record breaking wind generation set to continue as more capacity is installed. Whilst wind turbine infrastructure has presented challenges when it comes to end-of-life recycling12, a recent breakthrough in chemical technology means that it is possible for new epoxy-based blades to be broken down, reused and crucially, avoid landfill.

Some concerns have also been raised over the impacts of wind turbines on wildlife. However, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) stated that it supports the growth in offshore and onshore wind projects, with the knowledge that continued research on placement can minimise impacts on bird migration13. Moreover, some studies have shown offshore wind turbines can positively affect biodiversity, with algae, mussels and oysters growing on the foundation, providing them, and other marine species, with protected habitats14.

Both wind and solar are referred to as “intermittent” renewable energies, they cannot be turned on like traditional fossil fuel generation when there is demand. However, these energy sources can be co-located alongside battery storage to ensure renewable electricity is stored for when it’s needed, regardless of the weather. The reliability of wind generation here in the UK also hits its peak out at sea, where offshore wind farms are exposed to higher and almost constant wind speeds – ideal conditions for electricity generation.

Statkraft has ambitions to “accelerate growth in solar, onshore wind, and battery storage…reaching an annual development rate of 4GW by 2030”15. This rapid upscaling in renewable energy capabilities will support the UK’s target of increasing wind generation capacity and decarbonising the power system by 203516.

HYDRO

Hydro power stations take advantage of water flows by harnessing its kinetic energy and turning it into electricity. Despite being only a small part of the UK’s electricity mix17, hydro power is a mature technology with a history of more than 2,000 years, and globally, produces more electricity than all other renewable sources combined18. Hydro power stations can also be multipurpose, providing clean water and irrigation for agriculture, as well as providing flood and drought protection in some areas19. Research suggests the use of this technology in the last 50 years alone has helped to avoid more than 100 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) that would have been released from fossil fuel combustion20.

However, the development of hydro power can lead to socio-economic and environmental impacts during both the construction and the ongoing operation of projects. For example, hydro power developments have been criticised for displacing local communities, disrupting the surrounding water flows, and impacting local natural habitats21. Statkraft, the largest producer of hydro power in Europe, ensure they conduct impact assessments of new projects and work to mitigate the impacts22. At several of their sites, including at Rheidol hydro power station in Wales, Statkraft control water flow and install fish ladders to create better conditions for fish, protecting biodiversity23.

Hydro power is a reliable source of electricity, as water flow is predictable and controllable. This means hydro power stations have the ability to be turned on and off quickly, providing a stable source of generation during periods of fluctuating electricity demand, when the sun doesn’t shine, or the wind doesn’t blow. Hydro power is expected to remain the largest source of renewable electricity generation globally into the 2030s, providing much needed system flexibility24.

BIOMASS AND NUCLEAR

Both biomass and nuclear energy have been considered important sources of low carbon electricity generation that will help the UK transition to a net zero energy system. This is due to biomass being dispatchable on demand, while nuclear can provide a continuous stable baseload. Whilst we are strongly in favour of moving away from fossil fuels and the energy sector using all tools available to do this, we believe it is still important to critically assess all sources of electricity generation.

Biomass is derived from recently living organic materials (typically wood pellets in the UK) that is combusted to generate electricity. Although it is abundant and naturally replenishing, biomass does create carbon emissions when burned. There can, therefore, be a discrepancy between the CO2 released when combusted, and the time it takes for the same amount of carbon to be absorbed again by new biomass25. Because of this, there are ongoing debates whether biomass can be classed as a source of zero carbon electricity.

Nuclear energy creates electricity by splitting atoms apart, which creates heat. This heat is then turned into electricity by transforming water into steam, which spins a turbine26. Although nuclear can be classed as ‘zero carbon’ at the point of generation, it cannot be classed as renewable. This is because it requires uranium, a finite radioactive resource. Nuclear power is also controversial due to the environmental and health risks27 associated with the use of uranium and the accompanying radioactive waste it creates.

At Bryt Energy, we therefore chose to only supply our customers with zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity* sourced solely from solar, wind and hydro.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR CUSTOMERS?

Here at Bryt Energy, we’re passionate about the sources we have chosen to include in our fuel mix and the reasons why. While solar, wind and hydro power each have their own unique benefits and considerations, we believe that, together, they offer a resilient fuel mix that powers British businesses and leads the way towards a net zero, sustainable energy future.

So, if you’re a Bryt Energy customer, you can benefit from total peace of mind that our fuel mix has been comprehensively thought out to accommodate our sustainability values. You can also be assured that our fuel mix is matched with renewable energy guarantees of origin certificates (REGOs) which have been audited and verified by an independent third party, SE Advisory Services (formerly EcoAct). This means our customers can report zero carbon emissions on their Scope 2 under the GHG Protocol market-based method. For more information about our fuel mix and what you can report, read our thorough FAQs here.

By choosing zero carbon, renewable electricity* from Bryt Energy, you are also indirectly supporting renewable generation because we are part of the Statkraft Group. Statkraft has invested over £1.3 billion in the UK’s renewable energy infrastructure since 2006, and with their vision to “renew the way the world is powered”, we’re working to deliver this, together.

Join Bryt Energy today:

If you’re interested in securing zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity* for your business, find out more about becoming a Bryt Energy customer today by calling us on 0330 053 8620 or email heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk.

Or if your business is looking to take the next step on its sustainable energy journey, you can access our series of guides on ‘Navigating the net zero energy transition’, here: https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/navigating-the-energy-transition/.

 

*Please visit https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/100-renewable-electricity/ for more information on our products and services.

Sources
  1. https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pv-global-supply-chains/executive-summary
  2. https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/national_survey_finds_that_well_managed_solar_farms_can_address_loss_of_bio
  3. https://www.statkraft.co.uk/about-statkraft-uk/where-we-operate/Locations/stargoosesolar/
  4. https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/government_figures_show_a_6.7_increase_in_the_uks_solar_capacity_in_last_ye
  5. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-net-zero-government-response/responding-to-the-independent-review-of-net-zeros-recommendations
  6. https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-is-solar-power-a-threat-to-uk-farmland/
  7. https://www.cpre.org.uk/news/rooftops-can-provide-over-half-our-solar-energy-targets-report-shows/
  8. https://www.statkraft.co.uk/lowemissions/
  9. https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pv-global-supply-chains/executive-summary
  10. https://www.ukri.org/news-and-events/responding-to-climate-change/topical-stories/harnessing-offshore-wind/
  11. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/british-wind-power-overtakes-gas-first-time-q1-2023-report-2023-05-10/
  12. https://www.vestas.com/en/media/company-news/2023/vestas-unveils-circularity-solution-to-end-landfill-for-c3710818
  13. https://community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/science/posts/the-rspb-and-offshore-wind
  14. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44183-022-00003-5
  15. https://www.statkraft.co.uk/about-statkraft-uk/strategy/
  16. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/powering-up-britain/powering-up-britain
  17. https://www.congletonhydro.co.uk/about-dane-valley-community-energy-dvce-benefit-society/hydroelectricenergy/#:~:text=Hydroelectric%20Power%20in%20the%20UK,1.8%25%20of%20our%20national%20capacity
  18. https://www.irena.org/Publications/2023/Feb/The-changing-role-of-hydropower-Challenges-and-opportunities
  19. https://www.hydropower.org/iha/discover-facts-about-hydropower
  20. https://www.hydropower.org/factsheets/greenhouse-gas-emissions#:~:text=Independent%20research%20suggests%20that%20use,United%20States%20for%2020%20years
  21. https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/environmental-impacts-hydroelectric-power#:~:text=Flooding%20land%20for%20a%20hydroelectric,way%20for%20reservoirs%20%5B3%5D
  22. https://www.statkraft.co.uk/sustainability/our-commitments/environment/
  23. https://www.statkraft.co.uk/about-statkraft-uk/where-we-operate/Locations/rheidol-hydropower-plant/
  24. https://www.iea.org/energy-system/renewables/hydroelectricity
  25. https://community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/nature-s-advocates/posts/biomass–_2d00_–a-burning-issue
  26. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/nuclear-energy/
  27. https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/explainers/role-nuclear-power-energy-mix-reducing-greenhouse-gas-emissions/ 

As a zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity* supplier, we have always believed that acting sustainably is quite simply the right thing to do. That’s why we launched our Bryt by Nature programme in 2020, practicing what we preach by fully documenting our journey to becoming a truly sustainable business.

We know that being sustainable is about more than just our environmental impact, so our Bryt by Nature programme consists of four key areas aligned with the values our business holds of being Sustainable, Passionate, Trusted and Pioneering by nature. These values shape all of our company objectives – from how we construct our products to how we influence our wider communities – and help us to deliver our purpose.

With the release of our 2023 Bryt by Nature report, take a look below at the progress we’ve made on our sustainability journey over the past year.

Our progress

This year, we’re proud to announce that, after a robust validation process, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved our near-term science-based emissions reduction targets. We’ve joined over 4,000 companies that have set targets with clearly defined pathways to reduce emissions in line with the latest climate science.

We’ve also continued to invest in our sustainable growth – we are thrilled to be celebrating another milestone in our journey by hiring our 100th employee and becoming the 10th largest British I&C (Industrial and Commercial) electricity supplier in 2023**. This is a huge testament to the growth in businesses looking for renewable electricity from conscious partners and marks an exciting development in our ability to deliver our purpose.

Through our collaboration with key technology partners, we’re proud to have helped our customers to use electricity more intelligently and sustainably– providing 10.6MW*** of flexibility to the grid and supporting the transition to a net zero energy system. To this aim, we’ve also empowered our customers to take greater control of their energy usage, doubling our yearly target for smart meter installations set for us by Ofgem.

What we’ve learnt this year

This year, our journey has continued to teach us that embedding our sustainability values, policies, and initiatives across our team is essential to achieving our goals. We’ve focused on employee engagement, celebrating various sustainability awareness days and reminding colleagues of the employee benefits on offer to help them make sustainable choices.

A key learning this year has been the importance of collaboration. More than ever, we’ve understood that working in isolation is no longer a viable option in the face of intricate supply chains. We’ve recognised a need to engage more with both external stakeholders and the teams across our business and to gain greater insight into our carbon footprint, enabling us to create a holistic plan to reduce it. We’ve also understood that if the UK is to achieve net zero, organisations will also need to increase collaboration efforts with each other; innovating and evolving our product offerings will be crucial in navigating the complexities of a changing energy landscape, and collectively moving forwards to a net zero, sustainable energy future.

We know we have a long way to go on our sustainability journey but, by sharing best practice and working together, we feel we can create real change, faster. We will continue to be transparent and share what we’ve learnt, in the hope that by doing so we can help others to have a smoother path.

For more details, you can read our 2023 Bryt by Nature report by clicking here: https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/who-we-are/sustainability/.

Sources

*Please visit https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/100-renewable-electricity/ for more information on our products and services.

**Cornwall Insight’s biannual ‘Business Market Share (Electricity)’ reports – Q2 & Q4 2023 – Q2 supply volumes adjusted by Cornwall Insight as part of Q4 2023 report.

*** www.brytenergy.co.uk/bryt-energy-wattstor-partner-for-launch-of-marketshield/

We’re proud to announce the launch of our partnership with Wattstor, the pioneer in intelligent energy management systems, and our new combined offering: MarketShield.

With a shared commitment to sustainability and a dedication to driving progress in sectors that haven’t typically had access to innovative transitional energy technologies, together we’re poised to revolutionise the way businesses generate, store, consume and trade their electricity.

Our partnership has resulted in the launch of our collaborative offering, ‘MarketShield’. MarketShield combines our zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity* supply and unique access to electricity market revenue streams, with Wattstor’s pioneering optimisation technology, to enable industrial and commercial end-users to take advantage of the electricity market volatility, whilst maintaining supply cost certainty. Whether businesses have batteries, solar, electric vehicles or other assets, they can be rewarded for adjusting their consumption in line with system needs.

This offering is aimed at mid-size industrial and commercial businesses, whether on fixed or flexible contracts, that have been left out of the energy picture due to their size, yet have much to contribute to the net zero energy transition and much to gain from the savings opportunities.

We have had several clients sign up since our beta launch in Summer 2022, all of which have seen significant savings. One client, a hospitality setting in the UK, has seen a reduction in their energy bill of 70%, an equivalent to £248 per kW per year.

Stuart Taylor, our Head of Energy Transition, commented, “The net zero energy transition is only achievable if we embrace technology and find new solutions. Flexibility is no longer just for large, industrial businesses in ancillary markets – it should and needs to be accessible to all. That’s why we’re excited to announce our partnership offering with Wattstor.

If your business has technologies such as solar, batteries, electric vehicles, HVAC or refrigeration, you could be sitting on untapped sources of flexibility that could be optimised to save you money, earn revenue, and play your part in the net zero energy transition.”

Stephan Marty, CEO at Wattstor, commented, “We are thrilled to have forged this strategic partnership with Bryt Energy. Business end-user needs are evolving. The energy crisis has delivered catastrophic blows to mid-market I&C businesses, a sector that is often left behind when it comes to participating in energy initiatives. We are delighted to offer a solution that will help these businesses to reach both their environmental and financial goals.”

He continued, “Many businesses don’t realise the scale of the opportunity in the energy markets. Our customers don’t want complex contracts, or technology that requires their input and maintenance. That’s why MarketShield works so seamlessly, everything is automated. This approach showcases that market access need not carry risk, and that sophisticated technologies such as Wattstor’s are very much accessible.”

For more information on how this pioneering combination of technology and contract could work for your business, get in touch with our team here, or contact Wattstor.

About Wattstor

Wattstor empowers energy freedom. Businesses and communities are pushing for their energy to be more sustainable, less costly, and better optimised towards markets. Simple-yet-sophisticated flexible energy management technology is the key, Wattstor is the partner.

Wattstor is a pioneer in energy management systems. Their automated technology enables electricity end-users to harness the power of renewables, storage, load and EV charging to deliver carbon-reduction and cost savings. They do this through intelligent control of onsite distributed energy resources, ensuring the best ROI within grid constraints, and maximising participation in electricity markets, all without risk.

About Bryt Energy

Part of the Statkraft group, we provide British businesses with zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity*, sourced solely from Solar, Wind and Hydro.

Through our pioneering products and services, we empower businesses to create value from their electricity usage by optimising their consumption and challenging the way they interact with the electricity system.

*Please visit https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/100-renewable-electricity/ for more information on our products and services.

1. Since launching Bryt by Nature, are there any changes you have made in the last year that were particularly challenging to implement?
2. How important do you think it is for businesses to have dedicated sustainability roles?
3. Have you got any tips for boosting staff engagement around sustainability?
4. With remote working more common, how are you measuring Bryt Energy’s work-from-home carbon emissions and helping staff make reductions?
5. Now that we’ve achieved carbon neutral supplier status*, what is next big milestone for Bryt Energy?

Please note that Bryt Energy is no longer a carbon neutral organisation. Instead we have decided to focus on robust carbon emissions reduction targets, which have been validated by the globally recognised Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). By setting our targets using the most up-to-date climate science, we are ensuring we are playing our part in global action to tackle climate change and are accountable for reducing our emissions alongside a verifiable pathway. To learn more about our targets, you can visit page 16 of our 2023 Bryt by Nature report, here.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Following the launch of our latest Bryt by Nature report, we spoke to our Sustainability Manager, Jos Mister, about her involvement with all things sustainability, including the progress we’ve made on our journey so far. Her answers might help you think about how your own business can make progress along a similar path – if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

1. Since launching Bryt by Nature, are there any changes you have made in the last year that were particularly challenging to implement?

Reflecting on the recent launch of 2021’s Bryt by Nature report, are there any changes you have made in the last year that were particularly challenging to implement? Do you have any advice for people who might be trying to get similar changes across the line?

Our Bryt By Nature programme has got off to a great start, and we’ve already implemented a number of changes since the start of the year – but they haven’t all been easy!

 

One thing we’ve learned is that it’s so important to discuss any changes we’re thinking about making with everyone involved. You need support from your senior stakeholders, as they will be able to give you the time and resources you need to deliver your ambitions. But it’s also important to understand how your sustainability measures might impact other members of the wider team. For example, I spent a lot of time researching a new travel initiative that I thought would be brilliant for Bryt Energy, and gained the support of senior stakeholders to go ahead. But it wasn’t until I spoke to other departments that I realised it just wouldn’t be practical for us to implement at the moment for various technical reasons. In hindsight, I could have saved a lot of time if I’d had those conversations with the right people at the start.

 

I’ve also been discovering that sustainability is about so much more than your organisation’s carbon footprint. It’s also about providing social value and having a positive impact on the communities your business is operating in. So we recommend incorporating social value into your sustainability strategy too, such as by championing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

Another challenge – which is also a huge opportunity, really – is that we’re never short on ideas for further sustainability initiatives! We invite our entire team to suggest new ideas, and we’re all passionate about sustainability at Bryt Energy, so we receive plenty. It’s brilliant to be constantly thinking of next steps, but make sure you put a plan in place to put all of your ideas into action – like our Bryt by Nature programme.

 

2. How important do you think it is for businesses to have dedicated sustainability roles?

Your appointment as Sustainability Manager has itself been a key element of Bryt Energy’s sustainability journey. How important do you think it is for businesses to have people in similar dedicated roles?

If you’re putting a sustainability plan in place, it’s vital to ensure that someone is responsible for delivering it. Appointing a dedicated Sustainability Manager shows our customers that we’re committed to improving the organisation’s impact on the environment and the communities we operate in. It also demonstrates our sustainability commitment to our team, and gives them someone they can go to with any ideas or questions they have about sustainability.

 

It also means that I can really push the sustainability agenda forwards and put the knowledge and expertise I have into creating a practical plan, as sustainability is my sole focus in my role. But I’m not the only person that’s responsible for sustainability at Bryt Energy – we have a Head of Marketing and Sustainability position, too. Sustainability shouldn’t exist in a silo, so by integrating sustainability into other roles, we ensure that it’s embedded throughout the business.

 

We also have a sustainability student with us on a placement from a local university. This is something we’re all really excited about because it allows us to gain a fresh perspective on our sustainability strategy, whilst helping to hopefully inspire and nurture the next generation of sustainability experts.

 

Of course, not every business will have the resources to appoint a dedicated sustainability manager. But if you can embed sustainability into certain roles, you’re likely to find it easier to give them the time and resources to push changes forward, and truly champion sustainability in your organisation. So look for any roles that could take on sustainability tasks – perhaps your Health & Safety team could take on sustainability responsibilities, for example.

 

3. Have you got any tips for boosting staff engagement around sustainability?

Has it been easy to get everyone at Bryt Energy on-board with sustainability? Have you got any tips for boosting staff engagement?

As a renewable electricity supplier, sustainability has always been a core part of Bryt Energy’s ethos, so we think it’s really important for all of our staff to be on board with our initiatives. That’s why we talk with all of our team members about our commitment to sustainability and the role they can play from their initial induction. We then continue to provide support and training to all of our staff to enable them to get involved with our initiatives, and we keep everyone updated with our progress in company-wide updates and meetings.

 

If you’re trying to encourage your employees to engage with your sustainability initiatives, you could consider establishing some employee sustainability champions across different departments. We use our Employee Champions to motivate others in their teams to get involved with our sustainability programme, and gather new ideas and feedback from across the business on the work we have done so far. They can be really helpful when it comes to understanding what everyone thinks about the measures we’re implementing and identifying what might be preventing them from engaging with our initiatives.

 

We would also recommend bringing sustainability into employee benefits and schemes to support their sustainability progress and engage them on your journey. We’ve recently introduced a new Climate Perks scheme that enables our employees to claim up to two paid ‘journey days’ per year if they choose to travel on holiday by train, coach or boat rather than flying. This means they can travel sustainably without using up their annual leave, and we’ve already had one team member take us up on it! We’ve also had lots of employees apply for our new electric vehicle (EV) salary sacrifice scheme. Think about how you can use benefits to make it easier for your employees to improve their own sustainability, as they’re much more likely to get involved if it’s simple for them to do so.

4. With remote working more common, how are you measuring Bryt Energy’s work-from-home carbon emissions and helping staff make reductions?

With so much of the Bryt Energy team working remotely at the moment, how are you measuring their work-from-home carbon emissions – and helping them make reductions?

It hasn’t been easy to gather all the data we needed to determine the carbon emissions our employees are creating while they’re working from home! We have been closely monitoring who is in the office and who is working remotely for health and safety reasons, but this data was also useful for identifying where our carbon emissions were coming from.

 

It was very interesting to see the results. Working from home reduced emissions in historically the biggest area of our carbon footprint – travel – because it significantly reduced the number of staff commuting to and from the office or travelling to business meetings. However, in the winter months, when everyone began to turn their central heating on, the emissions from heating were slightly higher than those we typically created from commuting.

 

In a Sustainability Manager’s ideal world, employees would work from home in the summer and then commute into the office in the winter, but that’s not going to happen! Instead, we’re encouraging our employees to switch to renewable tariffs at home where possible, by providing them with advice and incentives for doing so. An anonymous employee survey revealed that over 50% of our employees are already on a renewable tariff, so we’re heading in the right direction!

5. Now that we’ve achieved carbon neutral supplier status*, what is next big milestone for Bryt Energy?

Now that we’ve achieved carbon neutral supplier status*, what do you think the next big milestone will be for Bryt Energy?

Becoming carbon neutral* was a brilliant achievement and a key milestone in our sustainability journey – but we’re not stopping there. The next step for us is to aim towards net zero by 2025. This involves significantly reducing our carbon emissions across all our activities, then eliminating any emissions we can’t yet reduce via projects that remove or capture carbon emissions from the atmosphere, so that we are no longer a net contributor to climate change.

 

For any organisations that are looking for advice on their own sustainability journey, one of our key recommendations would be to start mapping out your Scope 3 emissions as soon as possible – these are indirect emissions in areas such as your supply chain and employees’ business travel and commuting. We are mapping out our Scope 3 emissions with a consultant, and I thought it would be a fairly simple process, but there is so much more to it than I realised! There are 15 categories under Scope 3, which means gathering a lot of data, but it’s vital to ensure that you have a clear view of your entire carbon footprint. Don’t panic if adding your Scope 3 data increases your carbon footprint – it’s better to be aware of where your emissions lie, as this will help you to identify where to focus your efforts going forward.

 

If your business is going to offset its emissions to reach a goal like carbon neutrality, we would also recommend ensuring that the project you choose aligns with your wider ethos and incorporates social value in some way. We chose the Bokhol Solar Project, for example, because it provides around 160,000 Senegalese people with access to renewable energy. This aligns with a number of our Sustainable Development Goals, as the Bokhol Solar Project is helping people to access clean energy at affordable prices, which enhances their wellbeing and also addresses climate change.

If you could give one piece of advice to a business just getting started on their sustainability journey, what would it be?

Just do it! It’s easy to feel daunted, but start somewhere. We’re all learning along the way.

 

If you’re interested in finding out more about our journey so far, check out our Bryt By Nature report – and if you’d like to find out how we can support you, get in touch on 0330 053 8620 or on heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk today.

 

*Carbon neutral is defined by Bryt Energy as Scope 1, 2 & 3 for the categories of gas, electricity, water, waste, business travel including hotel stays, employee commuting and working from home. The scope 1, 2 & 3 carbon emissions for 2020 were 43.8 tonnes and therefore 50 tonnes of carbon credits from Bokhol Solar project were retired on behalf of Bryt Energy by SE Advisory Services (formerly EcoAct), in August 2021.

Please note that Bryt Energy is no longer a carbon neutral organisation. Instead we have decided to focus on robust carbon emissions reduction targets, which have been validated by the globally recognised Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). By setting our targets using the most up-to-date climate science, we are ensuring we are playing our part in global action to tackle climate change and are accountable for reducing our emissions alongside a verifiable pathway. To learn more about our targets, you can visit page 16 of our 2023 Bryt by Nature report, here.

____________________________________________________________

 

With it being 5 years since we began our Bryt Energy journey last month, and just over half a year since we launched our Bryt by Nature programme, we thought that it would be an ideal time to reflect on the progress we’ve made on all things sustainability.

 

In 2020, we documented all of the actions we took to achieve our carbon neutral** status in our Bryt by Nature report. But that was just the beginning of our journey. We’re aiming to reach net zero by 2025, so we’re not wasting any time in making further progress.

 

Our Bryt by Nature programme for being a better business consists of four key elements, and we’re striving to make continual improvements in all of these areas. Here’s what we’ve done so far in 2021

SUSTAINABLE BY NATURE

We’ve always believed that businesses have a responsibility to minimise their impact on the environment, so we’re constantly working to reduce our emissions wherever possible. Due to the pandemic, most of our staff have been working from home since March 2020, which means our office-based emissions are likely to have fallen – but we know that we’re still responsible for the emissions our employees create while working from home. We’re documenting our employees’ working-from-home emissions (such as the energy they use to power their IT equipment and heat their homes) and are supporting more staff to switch to a renewable electricity supply at home, by providing them with advice and incentives.

 

Now that restrictions are easing, we’re also thinking about how we can address our Scope 3 emissions, which are indirect emissions in areas such as our supply chain and employees’ business travel. Business travel accounted for a significant part of our carbon footprint pre-pandemic, so we’ve been busy introducing new policies to encourage our staff to opt for low carbon travel when it’s safe to return to the office. Our employees can now take out an interest-free season ticket loan (we pay for the travel pass and they pay it back monthly), buy a bike through our tax efficient bike-to-work scheme, or switch to an electric vehicle through our new EV car salary sacrifice scheme.

 

We’ve also appointed a dedicated Sustainability Manager to help us drive our sustainability agenda forwards, as well as taking on a sustainability placement student from a local university, to support and inspire the next generation of sustainability experts.

PASSIONATE BY NATURE

Without our incredible team, we wouldn’t be able to deliver our purpose – so we’re always looking for new ways to make Bryt Energy a positive, diverse and inclusive place to work. Most recently, we’ve done this by becoming an accredited Living Wage employer, which means all our staff are paid at least the Living Wage. That’s currently £9.50 an hour in the UK, with a higher rate of £10.85 in London to reflect the higher costs of living in the capital. We’re also committed to ensuring that all of our third party contracted staff are paid the Living Wage by the end of 2021.

 

As well as this, we know that our employees share our commitment to sustainability, so we’ve recently added ‘Climate Perks’ to our staff benefits. This means that all of our staff members can take up to two paid ‘journey days’ per year if they choose to travel on holiday by train, coach or boat rather than flying – so they can travel sustainably without using up their annual leave.

TRUSTED BY NATURE

As part of our Bryt by Nature programme, we made a promise to our customers to be accurate, reliable, and there when they need us. So, despite the challenges of the pandemic in the past 18 months, our passionate team have continued to support both new and existing customers. In fact, during this time, our average customer satisfaction rating was 4.9/5+, showing that customers trust us to help them on their sustainability journeys.

 

Furthermore, with business decarbonisation critical to meeting the UK’s goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050, organisations are increasingly choosing us and our zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity* supply to help them meet their sustainability targets, resulting in us being the fastest growing business electricity supplier in Britain in 2020^.

PIONEERING BY NATURE

Alongside our own sustainability journey, we’re committed to helping our customers use electricity more intelligently and sustainably for us to reach Net Zero by 2050. As we transition to 100% renewable generation, and with EVs and heat pumps coming on board, balancing our energy system will become more challenging and consumers will need to play their part.

 

We want to empower businesses to be part of the solution, to practice good grid citizenship and to improve their energy efficiency, by providing flexibility to the system. That’s why we’ve developed pioneering optimisation solutions which are accessible to all types of businesses. By combining our expertise in renewables with industry leading technology providers, our solutions seamlessly integrate with customer’s assets and buildings. This enables them to unlock value from their operations and to be rewarded for supporting the clean energy transition – all without impacting their business activities. Find out more from our expert Chris Curry here and join us on the next step of the journey.

JOIN OUR JOURNEY

We’re determined to be totally transparent in our sustainability journey, and as we’re now working towards net zero emissions by 2025, we’ll regularly update you on our progress.

 

If you’re interested in our journey so far, check out our Bryt By Nature report – and if you’d like to join us on the road to net zero, find out how we can support you by calling 0330 053 8620 or emailing heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk today.

 

*Please visit https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/100-renewable-electricity/ for more information on our products and services.

** Carbon neutral is defined by Bryt Energy as Scope 1, 2 & 3 for the categories of gas, electricity, water, waste and business travel. The scope 1, 2 & 3 carbon emissions for 2016-2019 were 106.64 tonnes and therefore 110 tonnes of carbon credits from the Bokhol Solar project were retired on behalf of Bryt Energy by SE Advisory Services (formerly EcoAct), in August 2020. 

+based upon all customer responses to all routine satisfaction surveys undertaken by Bryt Energy between April 2020 – May 2021.

^Organic growth only, based on Bryt Energy’s 2020 share of national settled electricity volumes in Great Britain compared to 2019 share, versus other business-only suppliers.

Please note that Bryt Energy is no longer a carbon neutral organisation. Instead we have decided to focus on robust carbon emissions reduction targets, which have been validated by the globally recognised Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). By setting our targets using the most up-to-date climate science, we are ensuring we are playing our part in global action to tackle climate change and are accountable for reducing our emissions alongside a verifiable pathway. To learn more about our targets, you can visit page 16 of our 2023 Bryt by Nature report, here.

_________________________________________________

Here at Bryt Energy, we’re proud to announce that we were the fastest growing business electricity supplier in Britain in 2020*! 

We saw impressive organic growth in electricity volume in 2020 compared to 2019*, suggesting that carbon reduction remains a priority for businesses, despite recent COVID challenges. This is an encouraging sign that businesses are getting behind the UK’s commitment to a green recovery.   

BUSINESSES COMMITTED TO DECARBONISATION 

With business decarbonisation critical to meeting the UK’s goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050, organisations are increasingly choosing energy partners that can help them to meet their carbon reduction targets.   

 

Our Managing Director, Ian Brothwell, said: “Making the switch to renewable electricity is now seen as the first step for businesses looking to reduce their carbon footprint, and Bryt Energy’s growth demonstrates the increasing demand for electricity from zero carbon, 100% renewable** sources, such as solar, wind and hydro power. At a time when many businesses are facing increased pressure due to COVID-19, supporting their sustainability claims with credible action (such as making the switch to a renewable supply) demonstrates a clear commitment to a low carbon future.  

 

“It’s been a challenging year and I’m proud of how the Bryt Energy Team has adapted to working from home to achieve such a fantastic result. Our growth over the last 12 months has really been a testament to the passion of the Team, who have gone above and beyond to support both new and existing customers throughout the pandemic. This is reflected by our average customer satisfaction rating of 4.9/5 during this time+.”  

SUSTAINABLE BY NATURE 

As part of our own sustainability plans, we became a carbon neutral^ business in 2020 and have committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2025 through our ‘Bryt By Nature’ programme. We’ve also committed to several of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of this.   

 

Ian Brothwell continues: “We pride ourselves on practicing what we preach – we know that sustainability is about more than just the environment – it’s about ensuring a positive impact on our whole sphere of influence. With the government setting ambitious targets for UK generation of renewable electricity, this year will be a crucial one for businesses to put in place strong sustainability strategies. That is why we are looking forward to working with more like-minded customers to help turn their ambitions into actions.”  

GET SUPPORT WITH YOUR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY 

If you’d like to talk with one of our friendly experts about your own sustainability journey, please call us on 0330 053 8620 or email  heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk.

 

*Organic growth only, based on Bryt Energy’s 2020 share of national settled electricity volumes in Great Britain compared to 2019 share, versus other business-only suppliers.

 

**Please visit https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/100-renewable-electricity/ for more information on our products and services.

 

+based upon all customer responses to all routine satisfaction surveys undertaken by Bryt Energy between April 2020 – May 2021. 

 

^Carbon neutral is defined by Bryt Energy as Scope 1, 2 & 3 for the categories of gas, electricity, water, waste and business travel. The scope 1, 2 & 3 carbon emissions for 2016-2019 were 106.64 tonnes and therefore 110 tonnes of carbon credits from the Bokhol Solar project were retired on behalf of Bryt Energy by SE Advisory Services (formerly EcoAct) in August 2020.  

Here at Bryt Energy, we’re proud to announce that we have now received our accreditation as a Living Wage Employer.

This means that we’ve joined over 7,000 other UK businesses in committing to pay every employee at least the current Living Wage. This is one of several employee benefits that we provide as part of our commitment to being a responsible and ethical business, the framework for which is outlined in our Bryt by Nature sustainability report.

What is the Living Wage?

The Living Wage is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay published by the Living Wage Foundation that aims to cover a realistic cost of living. This is higher than the government’s minimum, National Living Wage. It is currently £9.50 in the UK, with a higher rate of £10.85 for London, reflecting the higher costs of living in the capital.

 

The West Midlands has one of the highest proportions of non-Living Wage jobs in the country (21%), with around 442,000 jobs paying less than the real Living Wage. Our voluntary commitment means each of our employees will be paid a minimum of the Living Wage’s calculated rate.

 

Laura Gardiner, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that Bryt Energy has joined the movement of over 7,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on. They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Bryt Energy, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”

 

Our Director of Customer Service & Operations, Heidi Wilbor, said: “The Living Wage is a great initiative, so I’m delighted to say this has been implemented and all employees are now being paid at least the Living Wage. Being Passionate by Nature, we’re also committed to ensuring all our third party contracted staff are paid the real Living Wage too, by the end of 2021.”

WHY WE’RE VOLUNTARILY REPORTING UNDER SECR

Bryt Energy isn’t one of the almost 12,000 companies legally required to report under the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) scheme – but we have just published a voluntary report anyway. And we think more businesses could benefit from voluntarily reporting, too.

 

When you’re working within a busy organisation, choosing to report under an energy reporting scheme like SECR when you’re not required to may seem like extra work. But if your organisation is serious about improving its sustainability, voluntary reporting can help you to get the most out of your efforts.

 

If you’re looking at reporting under SECR, here’s what you need to know:

WHAT IS SECR?

The Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting scheme, also known as SECR, is a relatively new energy efficiency reporting scheme that first came into force in April 2019. It was designed to replace the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme, which many businesses found complex, with a simpler reporting process. SECR also extends energy reporting obligations to far more businesses than the CRC did – around 11,900 businesses must now report under SECR, whereas only 4,000 reported under the CRC.

 

By expanding the number of businesses required to comply with SECR, the Government is striving to encourage more companies to calculate their carbon footprint. Companies must submit their SECR report within their annual Director’s Report, which means that their sustainability progress can be analysed by their stakeholders, staff and customers. This is intended to encourage them to not only understand their carbon emissions, but also take action to reduce them.

WHO’S AFFECTED BY SECR?

SECR applies to all UK quoted companies, as well as UK registered businesses that meet two or more* of the following criteria within the financial year that they are reporting:

 

a) 250 employees or more

b) £36m turnover or more

c) Balance sheet total of £18m or more

 

*There are some exemptions to this, and you can read the full government guidance, here.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Every company must report their Scope 1 and 2 emissions, whilst unquoted companies are also required to report on their emissions from business travel in Scope 3. These are:

 

Scope 1 – includes emissions from activities owned or controlled by your company that directly release emissions into the atmosphere, e.g. the gas used to heat your building.

 

Scope 2 – covers your indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity.

 

Scope 3 – includes emissions which you do not have direct control over, but that you can influence, for instance through your supply chain or the stakeholders you work with. An example of Scope 3 would be the emissions associated with your employees commuting to work.

 

Your SECR report must also include commentary on the energy efficiency measures you have implemented within the reporting period, as well as your methodology for calculating your emissions.

CHOOSING AN INTENSITY RATIO

You will also need to provide at least one intensity ratio, which expresses your annual emissions in relation to a standard business metric, such as your turnover or number of full time employees. At Bryt, we chose four intensity ratios to track our performance as we grow, and we’ve explained why below. We report in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent emitted per year (kgCO2e):

  • GWh of electricity supplied to our customers – an industry specific measure that is most relevant to our business output.
  • M2 of office space that we occupy – allows us to compare our performance to other companies in the service sector.
  • Million pounds of turnover – will show how we’re decoupling our carbon emissions from our economic growth; a key principle of decarbonising our economy.
  • Full Time Employees – allows us to compare our performance with a wider number of companies beyond the energy sector.
BENEFITS OF REPORTING

By reporting under SECR, your company could benefit in the following ways:

1. Identify areas for improvement

If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. You can only begin to effectively reduce your emissions once you are accurately tracking your carbon emissions. At Bryt, for example, we learnt that Scope 3 business travel is our largest area of emissions – and now we’re taking actions to address that.

 

2. Focus on energy efficiency

SECR compliance requires you to report on the actions your organisation has taken to improve its energy efficiency, year-on-year. This should encourage you to take action to ensure you’re making continual progress towards greater sustainability.

 

3. Engage your team in your sustainability efforts

Your SECR report must include an intensity ratio that’s appropriate for your industry – this makes your report much easier for stakeholders, staff and customers to understand and engage with, and creates benchmarks to compare to other businesses’ efforts to reduce their carbon emissions.

WHY WE’RE LEADING THE WAY

While SECR gives companies a simpler approach to energy reporting, it still involves time and resources, so you might be wondering why Bryt has chosen to undertake this additional work voluntarily?

 

Well, we want to be more than just a supplier – we want to be able to help our customers along their sustainability journeys. It wasn’t easy for us to produce our SECR report. For example, it was difficult for us to get some of the key data we needed because we share our offices with other businesses. But by going through the exercise of producing and publishing our report voluntarily, we can better understand the challenges involved and provide better support to our customers that are required to report under SECR.

 

We’re also producing our report because we simply believe it’s the right thing to do. SECR provides businesses of all shapes, sizes and sectors with a universal template for transparently reporting their progress, making it easier to compare organisations’ efforts to reduce their carbon emissions.

 

As this is our first SECR report, we have used the template provided by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). We’re keen to learn along the way, so we’re looking forward to seeing more companies’ reports and getting to grips with what best practice will look like.

READ OUR SECR REPORT

Interested in reporting under SECR, or just curious about what’s involved? We’ve already done all the hard work – and now our report is complete! So if you’re wondering what a final SECR report looks like, you can check out our first one here.

 

We always welcome feedback, so if you have any thoughts on our first SECR report, get in touch with us at marketing@brytenergy.co.uk.

Sources

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-reporting-guidelines-including-mandatory-greenhouse-gas-emissions-reporting-guidance

Health and beauty giant, A.S. Watson, owner of Superdrug, The Perfume Shop and Savers, have recently confirmed they will be extending their zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity* supply contract by 12 months, after celebrating a year and a half since switching to us.

Since 1st April 2019, all 1400 retail sites nationwide have been supplied with zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity*, sourced solely from solar, wind and hydro power. In the first 12 months on supply, A.S. Watson saved over 19,000 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of filling Wembley Stadium with CO2 almost three times! In addition, the 12-month contract extension strengthens our growing partnership with A.S. Watson.

 

A.S. Watson had been looking to gain an understanding of their energy usage across their retail portfolio, as well as reduce their carbon footprint as part of their sustainability and corporate social responsibility programme. Offering them a unique package of renewable electricity, with the opportunity to install solar and storage technology, optimisation controls and smart data portfolio analytics, we became the ideal choice of partner. Having the trust in our ability to take on and manage the entire site portfolio in a complex and dynamic market was a key factor in the final decision making for A.S. Watson.

 

Our Managing Director, Ian Brothwell, said: “We are continuing to develop a long-term partnership with A.S. Watson to provide retail portfolio solutions that allow them to understand, monitor and reduce their consumption, work more sustainably and future-proof their energy supply. The switch demonstrates their confidence in Bryt Energy and, more broadly, the market’s move to purchasing from renewable sources.”

 

Nigel Duxbury, Property Director at A.S. Watson UK, said: “Being a responsible retailer is vitally important for us and our customers, and we are pleased to use renewable energy in our stores. This is a change which has a positive impact on the environment, being made across our business to be more sustainable.”

 

 

For more information on how we can support your business on its sustainability journey, get in touch at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk or on 0330 053 8620. You can also follow us at:

 

*Please visit https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/100-renewable-electricity/ for more information on our products and services.

The University of Sheffield has recently made the switch to our zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity*!

The signed contracts will ensure the entire University’s estate will be supplied with our zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity*, sourced solely from solar, wind and hydro power. This covers all the University’s buildings, including their central campus, accommodation, and all other facilities.

 

With electricity being the largest component of the University’s on-campus carbon emissions, their switch to renewables will have a dramatic impact on their carbon footprint and shows the University’s commitment to sustainable development.

 

Our Managing Director, Ian Brothwell, said: “We are looking forward to developing a long-term partnership with The University of Sheffield to support them on their low carbon, sustainability journey. The switch highlights their confidence in Bryt Energy and sets a positive example to the rest of the higher education sector.”

 

Professor Koen Lamberts, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: “We are absolutely committed to addressing climate change via our research, our education and our institutional actions.
“Switching to a 100% renewable electricity contract is an important step in our sustainability work and follows our work to completely divest from fossil fuels and incorporate sustainable development into our education.

 

“We look forward to working closely with our students and staff on the next phase of our sustainable development.”

 

For more information on how we can support your business on its sustainability journey, get in touch at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk or on 0330 053 8620. You can also follow us at:

 

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/bryt-energy/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/BrytEnergy

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/brytenergy/

*Please visit https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/100-renewable-electricity/ for more information on our products and services.

at Bryt Energy, we have hit a milestone. We have now signed contracts to supply zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity* to British businesses to the value of £100m per annum.

It’s a milestone to be celebrated as we lead Britain to embrace a low carbon, sustainable energy future, working together to achieve the highest standards.   

 

Geoff Thomas, CEO of Bryt Energy commented: “We’re focused on delivering fantastic zero carbon electricity supply* and storage solutions for British business. We have assembled an expert team from the industry and diverse complementary backgrounds to provide a truly passionate, pioneering and trusted outcome for our customers.“

Our 120-year Nordic heritage

We’re part of the Statkraft Group, Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy and a leading international hydropower company.   

 

Their 120-year history, and being 100% Norwegian state owned, makes us a safe, secure and sustainable energy company.  

 

Statkraft also has cutting-edge expertise in physical and financial energy trading, which forms part of our supply, storage and generation proposition to our customers.  

 

Statkraft say: “This is great news for Bryt Energy. Bryt are looking to lead the market in offering zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity* to UK businesses, with fair pricing and a professional customer service. They are an important part of our strategy of growth in customer business.” – Duncan Dale, Director of Statkraft UK 

Bryt’s beginnings

Using Statkraft’s 120 years’ experience and MEA’s expertise in energy supply, Bryt Energy was set up in 2016. Based in Birmingham, we’ve expanded our team of experts to help even more businesses switch to renewable energy.   

Supplying £100m of 100% renewable, zero carbon electricity* is a step in the right direction.

To find out more about Bryt Energy, contact us at heretohelp@brytenergy.co.uk or at https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/contact/  

*Please visit https://www.brytenergy.co.uk/100-renewable-electricity/ for more information on our products and services.