Of the six big power companies in the UK, ScottishPower is doing the most and EDF Energy the least to respond to the challenge of climate change, according to a report from environmental pressure group the WWF.
The ‘Generating Climate Change’ report ranks the UK’s six largest power companies according to their performance on greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency and renewable energy.
The companies analyzed in the survey were ScottishPower, E.ON UK, Scottish and Southern Energy, RWE npower, Centrica and EDF Energy. Scottish Power and Centrica were identified as leaders on renewable energy investments, the energy efficiency ranking was topped by EDF Energy and ScottishPower showed the best reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
ScottishPower deserves praise for doing the most overall to adapt their business to the challenge of climate change, says Matthew Davis, climate change campaign director at WWF in the UK.
However, this report shows that overall the power sector is doing little beyond trying to meet government targets – many of which are not tough enough to justify the government’s self-styled international leadership on climate change.
EDF Energy’s poor overall performance is also striking. It suggests that the company’s strong roots in nuclear power, and efforts to convince the government to back new nuclear power stations in the UK, have distracted it from the real task of dealing with climate change, Mr Davis adds.