Energy & Environment

No business can afford to ignore environmental issues. The Black Country's energy intensive manufacturing base, record fuel prices and lack of security of energy supplies present particular challenges to the local business community. The Stern Review also plainly demonstrated the economic implications of climate change and it is clear that the private sector will have a central role to play in tackling these issues successfully.

Whilst energy and environmental concerns present threats to the local and regional economy, they also provide potentially significant opportunities for business in terms of developing innovative products and services, in which the Black Country is well-placed to lead the way.

The Government's energy policy, embodied in the Energy Bill and the Climate Change Bill, is focused on securing energy supplies and reducing carbon emissions. Policy proposals indicate that the Government is making difficult decisions on securing the UK's energy supplies. As a growing energy importer it is vital that a balanced long-term energy mix is provided.

The energy supply market for businesses is unfair and lacks transparency. The energy regulator has been investigating the electricity and gas markets, including the relationship between retail and wholesale energy prices, barriers to customers switching gas and electricity supplier, whether prices are competitive and whether new suppliers can enter the market easily, particularly in respect of the impact on small businesses. The lack of a single one-stop shop for businesses to obtain advice and guidance on environmental issues means that businesses are not accessing the support that is available to them. Business support in this area needs to improve and must be demand-led. Businesses are often encouraged to invest valuable time and money in energy efficiency without there being a quantifiable benefit to the company's bottom line.

The Chamber believes that Government should provide support for the development of environmental technologies in the Black Country, such as renewable energy, waste to energy, waste reclamation and remediation, or innovative uses for recycled materials. The Black Country also has expertise in developing manufacturing components for the energy market as a whole, including the nuclear energy sector.

The Chamber will lobby to ensure that the Black Country is at the forefront of the development of the environmental technology sector and that businesses are not competitively disadvantaged by Government policy.

To get involved in the Chamber's work on Energy & the Environment, charlotteritchie@blackcountrychamber.co.uk.