The government’s Climate Change Levy (CCL) reduction scheme, run by the BPIF for the print industry, sets energy efficiency targets (currently 12% energy reduction by 2020) for those enrolled on it and discounts on electricity and gas consumption levies for those successfully meeting those targets.
Registration on the scheme also exempts businesses from the government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment which requires companies to purchase CO2 allowances from the government for each tonne of CO2 they emit.
The CCL scheme has been closed to new companies since 2009 but the government has announced a window until 17 August for companies wanting to register on to a new version of the scheme which will be launched in April 2013.
Discount on both electricity and gas for participants in the earlier scheme, which runs until March 2013, was 65% but under the revised scheme, which extends the discount until 2023, CCL reduction on electricity will increase to 90% with discount on gas remaining at 65%.
The charges will increase slightly to 0.524 pence per kWh for electricity and 0.182 pence per kWh for gas.
So the potential savings for a company using 1m kWh of electricity would be £4,716 a year for the life of the scheme, and for one using 1m kWh of gas the saving would equate to £1,183 a year.
The scheme is available to printing companies that operate a printing process that uses organic solvents. Participants need provide data, on energy usage and production measured in square metres of paper printed upon, for 2008 and every two years from January 2013 to 2023.
Around 220 print companies are currently enrolled on the scheme, saving the industry about £5.5m per year, and the BPIF is encouraging others to consider whether it would be of benefit to them.
Steve Walker, who manages the BPIF's CCL reduction scheme said: "It’s a call for anyone who thinks they should be on this scheme and who hasn’t been able to get on it as it’s been closed since 2009. If you think you can save enough or if the CRC will really clobber you, then get on this scheme.
"Anyone can call me and I can talk them through where the levy is on their bills, how much they could save and whether it’s worthwhile for them or not."
