The basics

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas that is natural and harmless in small quantities. It’s also one of the most important gases on the earth as plants use if for photosynthesis. The largest producers of CO2 are Transport (29%), Electricity production (25%) and Industry (23%). The impact of these emissions is that CO2 is building up in our atmosphere. This has a warming effect that is changing the earth’s climate.

There are two ways to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. One is not to produce it in the first place. The other is to capture the CO2 in plants, the oceans or in the soil.

Why we need to address the issue

Climate change is already happening. It is worldwide, rapid, and intensifying. The latest IIPC Report points to the fact that the scale of recent changes across the climate system as a whole and the present state of many aspects of the climate system are unprecedented. Global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century. This is unless deep reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades.

Many changes due to past and future greenhouse gas emissions are irreversible for centuries, especially changes in the ocean, ice sheets and global sea level. That is why we need to address the issue now. A key objective is to limit human-induced global warming to less than 1.5%. This requires a large reduction in CO2 emissions, reaching at least net zero CO2 emissions, along with strong reductions in other greenhouse gas emissions.

What can businesses do?

It is all of our responsibility to contribute to the reduction in CO2 emissions. There are many ways that individuals can help and these can also result in financial savings. Businesses and decision makers must contribute too, and depending on the business there can be financial as well as environmental savings to be made. These can accumulate over the longer term in savings from carbon and other taxes as well as reduced energy costs.

There is a tax in Ireland of €26 cost per tonne of carbon which is paid to government in the country where it is used or produced and this is likely to increase this year and every year for the foreseeable future. Energy producers, heavy industry and airlines pay this tax and ultimately, we all pay it as a surcharge on our electricity bill. The figure for this carbon tax on domestic electricity in Ireland is currently €0.0606 cent per Kwh we use. The cost savings gained by reducing energy usage can be significant to a business.

This tax is traded, i.e. companies who generate lots of carbon can buy credits from people who generate carbon sinks. This means there is a cost to those who produce it and a value to those who can sell it.

How we can help your business

Solar AdTek’s LED lighting is specifically designed for use in OOH displays and will reduce your CO2 emissions by up to 80%. We currently save our clients over 12,143 Tonnes of CO2 per annum and this figure is growing daily.

For every 1 kWh of electricity that we can save our clients in energy, there is an added benefit of saving 255grm of carbon. This number for carbon emissions V energy production has gone down in the last few years as we move over to less coal and peat in the production of our electricity, but it is still quite a high number. See the chart below.

When you consider the number of advertising displays you have, and the carbon reduction that can be gained by converting to Solar AdTek lighting, you can see how you can make a real difference to carbon emissions. There are obviously energy savings but also a reduction in carbon taxes. In addition, cutting carbon emissions contributes to the reduction in global warming and has a massive impact on the society and world around us.

Find out out about our recent projects or get in touch to discuss your own.