Raising the roof to save electricity

This follows a £183,000 purchase of equipment to cut losses on the power transformation required for industrial equipment such as computer-controlled lathes from 5.1 per cent to less than one per cent.

AESSEAL’s announcement that it was “greening’” its factory roof to reduce electricity consumption by 22pc came during a visit by a group of Green Party councillors following the party’s power-sharing partnership with Labour to run Sheffield City Council.

The company is pushing for businesses to adopt an investment policy to combat global warming as part of the Betterworld.Solutions project which is gaining increasing support from local and international businesses.

CEO Chris Rea said: “Betterworld is a best practice sharing community and I would like to thank Hugh Facey and Ed Stubbs of Gripple Ltd for sharing best practice on solar panels.

“At first we did not believe our roof was strong enough to take the weight, but their inspiration persuaded us to strengthen part of the roof so the first solar panels will be installed in September 2021.”

AESSEAL is one of the first major engineering businesses in South Yorkshire to achieve net zero for its stage 1 and stage 2 emissions in UK business. It has gone beyond net zero for 2021, with proven net savings generated as a result of the adoption of its water management systems by global industry.

While the £750,000 total investment in environmental improvements in the two latest projects — including the purchase of energy-saving amorphous core transformers — will not generate any CO2e emission savings for the AESSEAL plc net zero calculation, it will reduce the amount of green energy that the company consumes in future and make more green energy available for others.

Mr Rea said the business had a very strong plan to ensure it met the target of net zero for the global group by 2029, including an investment policy for electric vehicles and the creation of an innovative nature walk.

Last week’s meeting with the Green councillors concluded with an agreement that environmental solutions were important for the future of the planet, and that responsible action by businesses played a vital role.

The councillors said they were particularly pleased that both AESSEAL orders were placed with businesses in the Sheffield City Region.

Cllr Douglas Johnson said he admired the way in which AESSEAL had “made significant steps to address the climate crisis that affects us all” and added: “We are particularly impressed by the Betterworld initiative to encourage other businesses to follow this lead.”

AESSEAL’s Investment Policy to Prevent Global Warming can be read at https://www.aesseal.com/en/resources/industry-guides/policy-prevent-global-warming