Climate: Opportunity for Energy Growth

Environment continued

Climate: Opportunity for Energy Growth

Growing electricity’s share of the energy market has been a longstanding priority for the business. Today, it is crucial to helping Jersey achieve its carbon neutrality ambitions and play its part in the global fight on climate change. Director of Commercial Services Peter Cadiou updates on progress and future plans.

Around 70% of the world’s economy is now committed to reaching netzero. Jersey’s Government declared a climate emergency in 2019 and with it, the ambition for the Island to become carbon neutral by 2030. It’s Carbon Neutral Roadmap will set out how the Island will achieve this. We believe that although this is an immensely challenging target, it could be done faster and more cost effectively than many other countries by displacing the use of fossil fuels, particularly as used in the high emitting sectors of heating and road transport, with lowcarbon electricity.

We are prepared for the challenge. We have long been committed to switching customers from gas and oilfired heating systems to low-carbon electric. Our Energy Solutions team, dedicated to load growth and fuel switching, has doubled our rate of conversion in the past five years. This year, the team achieved its highest target ever of 316 fuel switches and, following the double-digit rise in Jersey gas prices, we expect more to follow. We are now developing new

solutions to address new challenges and to make it easier for others to switch from fossil fuels.

The future of electricity

We have increased the team and restructured as we develop and build out our skills in the exciting space of energy and service innovation. We see the creation of more intelligent, electrifi ed, and carbon-neutral energy systems through new products and propositions that join power, heat, and transport together as part of an integrated future of electricity. For example, combining solar, battery storage, heat pumps, smart digital platforms and electric vehicles.

Innovative options

We have created a New Product and Proposition team to focus on innovative and commercially viable solutions for customers with cash constraints and with ambitious carbon reduction targets. A new Sales and Delivery team will deliver these innovative propositions into market. We are building relationships with public and private stakeholders to devise bespoke funding models to make it easier for businesses and public sector consumers such as the Parishes, which own large community buildings and housing stock, to convert from fossil fuels. Low carbon capital projects can be repaid via innovative subscription or fi nancing options, which simplify the customer experience, removing risk and shorter-term cash pressures. The teams are working hard to develop new propositions, including more subscription-based service off erings, which will be launched in the year ahead.

As the complexity of fuel switches increases, particularly in the area of heat pump installations, we are training and recruiting to provide the necessary expertise. JEBS, our Building Services arm, which undertakes the works, has now been aligned with Solutions’ corporate objectives and strategies.