The three year contract, with an option for a further two year extension, was awarded following a competitive bidding process and is worth £1 million a year. In delivering this contract the Carbon Trust will work in operational partnership with Sinclair, Knight and Merz (SKM) who will provide specialist advice on energy efficient technologies.
The ETL is a qualifying list of class-leading energy efficient technologies, such as boilers, chillers, motors and lighting, which are eligible for Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECAs). These allow businesses to write off the capital cost of purchasing new plant or machinery against their taxable profits. The ECA scheme is a key part of the Government's programme to manage climate change, incentivising businesses to invest in new and more energy efficient equipment.
This contract will see the Carbon Trust continue to manage the ETL, as it has done since the creation of the list in 2001. Since the inception of the ECA scheme over 50,000 products have been assessed, with over 38,000 being listed on the ETL for a period of time. This has supported an estimated £7 billion worth of sales in industrial energy efficiency, delivering a net economic benefit of over £4 billion to date. Carbon savings over the last five years are approximately 10 MtCO2. The Carbon Trust has also conducted over 300 market studies into energy saving technologies that have the potential to be supported by the ECA scheme.
As part of the managed service the Carbon Trust together with SKM will:
- Provide advice on the ETL and ECA scheme;
- Process ETL Product Applications from manufacturers and sole suppliers;
- Maintain the online list of qualifying products on the ETL;
- Review the ETL listed technology markets to ensure that only top quartile energy saving products are included;
- Expand the list to continue to embrace additional energy saving technologies from across industry and commerce;
- Monitor and evaluate the impact the ETL is having on the UK industrial and commercial products marketplaces.
The Carbon Trust has now accumulated over ten years of specialist technical knowledge in industrial and commercial energy efficient products, and their related markets. We are delighted to be able to put this to good use by continuing to manage the ETL for the Government. "We look forward to working closely with SKM in delivering the service, who bring a wealth of in-depth technical capability across multiple sectors. Winning this contract gives us an opportunity to further build upon the reputation of the ETL, which is already widely respected by industry and commerce as a place to find high-quality, efficient equipment.
- Paul Huggins, ETL Programme Director at the Carbon Trust
Sinclair Knight Merz are delighted to be working with the Carbon Trust on this important project for DECC to support product innovation and stimulate the market for the most energy efficient products. We are very conscious that we are joining a programme that has been running successfully since 2001 and the need to maintain the high standards established so far by the Carbon Trust's stewardship on behalf of DECC. SKM are bringing a large and very experienced team to the project with expertise in product development, product standards, eco-design and policy and markets. We look forward to working with the Carbon Trust, DECC and applicants to the scheme during the years ahead.
- John Fifer, Technical Director at Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM)
