Your Carbon Roadmap Questions Answered

We are heavily focused on helping our public sector customers tackle their zero carbon challenges and have actions in place to achieve their targets. On 8th February, the LASER Zero Carbon team hosted a webinar for local authorities focused on best practice when creating a zero-carbon roadmap.

During the webinar we opened the floor for questions from our attendees and we received some really great questions. We wanted to share those in this blog article along with the answers that we gave in case they may help with some questions you may have on your mind when it comes to a zero carbon pathway and what to do.

How do you calculate your footprint? Do you use a specific tool or do have your own calculation system? Plus, what tool do you use to calculate high level financials?

We have developed our own tool in house through our work with our public sector customers. This tool allows us to reliably calculate carbon footprints, forecast emissions into the future and build in the impact of current and potential projects. We have also built the high level financial profiling into this model as well to show indicative financials for the proposed sets of actions.

We are in the process of developing an app to automate large parts of this process and this may also be available to customers in the future.

We would like to find out in the coming months if there is a consensus around what the scope of reporting should be for best practice. Could this be in a forum, where we could share views?<.h3>
LASER Energy would be keen to act as a conduit to agree best practice around scope as we are seeing a lot of variety in this area. LASER will consider how to best gather this consensus and respond.

Is there another round of PSDS4?

This is rumoured to be in the pipeline, possibly for April 22 but details are yet to be confirmed. The best advice is to be prepared and ready to bid.

As a high Cetane fuel, is there any MPG advantage with HVO please?

Anecdotally there is an advantage as the cetane levels are higher than road diesel however LASER’s study focussed on the viability of use. This MPG advantage would actually improve the case for HVO.

What are the biggest challenges to bringing HVO into widespread use at present?

Currently this is a developing technology and market and, as mentioned in the presentation, there is testing being carried out by a number of public sector bodies. The early indications are that the results of this are extremely positive. LASER would anticipate that once this proof of concept is concluded, demand for the fuel will increase substantially for the reasons outlined in the webinar.

Do the team have advice on how to measure carbon reduction through design on new build schemes?

New build is not an area that we specialise in in-house however we have a Consult, Design and Install DPS through which public bodies are able to procure specialist consultancy to look at issues like this.

Does anyone have experience of Salary Sacrifice schemes for electric vehicles for staff?

Similarly to the question around scope, LASER think this is a great idea and would be happy to act as a conduit for these discussions. LASER will consider how to best gather this consensus and respond.

Do you think the PSDS could be acceptable along with levelling up funding?

We don’t have an answer for this one, there has been a clause in some prior PSDS contracts preventing matching with other grant funding but we don’t have details.

Having heard about possible underspend occurring with PSDS, could be related to delivery timescales… we are struggling with cash for feasibility and business cases and had a bid for the skills fund refused – makes us unable to apply for PSDS.

All valid points. LASER have gathered customer experiences and opinion of PSDS from a large number of public bodies and composed a letter to Government, which we believe influenced their decision to extend deadlines.

LASER will be continuing to monitor funding opportunities and helping our customers prepare to access this funding. Preparation is key to ensure that you are ready to bid as soon funding becomes available and LASER are happy to discuss this.