In the current dynamic landscape, where environmental issues are a focal point, businesses in every sector are being urged to take action and contribute to combating climate change. The agriculture and horticulture industry, being a significant player in the emissions game, holds a unique responsibility to play its part. This is where the Climate Change Levy scheme can step in – a compliance service that helps businesses within the Horticulture, and other sectors register and comply with their Climate Change Agreement (CCA) – a scheme whereby businesses receive a discount on CCL in return for reducing their energy consumption and carbon emissions.
NFU Energy administers the scheme and can help you save. Join us as we delve into the top six reasons why you should consider becoming a part of the NFU CCL Scheme:
1. Demonstrating Environmental Responsibility – Joining the CCL scheme demonstrates your commitment to reducing your business’s carbon footprint and contributing to the fight against climate change. As the agriculture and horticulture sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, taking steps to minimise your impact can help protect the environment.
2. Unlocking incentives – The scheme brings you exclusive access to discounts on the Climate Change Levy – a tax on energy consumption. By partaking in the scheme and demonstrate your commitment to energy efficiency, you can tap into these incentives and save up to 92% on your energy bills!
3. Reducing your costs – Incorporating energy-efficient practices into your operations isn’t just good for the environment – it’s great for your finances too. The scheme extends financial incentives to businesses that effectively curb their energy usage. Through this, you will also experience considerable reduction in energy bills over time.
4. Improving efficiency – Participating in the scheme often requires you to assess your current energy usage and implement energy-saving measures. This process can lead to improved operational efficiency, reduced waste, and optimised resource management.
5. Reduces the burden of administering the CCA scheme yourself – You keep all the necessary records and NFU Energy provide the process, system, regular communications, and ongoing support to make all the reporting and admin as easy as possible for you.
6. Access to resources and on-going support – Navigating the path to energy efficiency can be daunting, especially within the ever-evolving landscape of the agriculture and horticulture sector. The NFU CCL scheme has friendly, down-to-earth advisers who provide a wealth of resources, expert guidance, and tailored best practices to help you understand exactly what you need to do.
It’s worth noting that the exact benefits and requirements of the NFU CCL scheme may differ based on your location and the program’s specifics at the time. Therefore, thorough research is essential before diving in. It’s recommended to comprehend the eligibility criteria, align the scheme with your business objectives, and ensure it resonates with your values.
Please note: The window for new eligible applicants onto the Climate Change Agreement scheme is open for a very short period until 30 September 2023. We’re encouraging businesses to get their application in NFU Energy ASAP, or at least by mid-September to ensure we have enough time to process it.
Contact the NFU Energy team on 024 7669 6512 or visit their website to find further details – NFU CCL Scheme.
Authored by Steve Leil, Compliance Scheme Manager
