First Thirty

Just completed another Net Zero Masterclass session with ten of Oxfordshires SME business community. It was a really enjoyable session with lively conversation and I hope some nuggets to take away and act on over the next few months. Thanks to OxLEP Business, Ant Parsons, and ALP Synergy for setting it all up, and I look forward to helping these and others along this important but sometimes confusing/overwhelming path. If you are a qualifying business, check out the OxLEP support tools available on the link, and join the community making changes for good. #netzero #sustainability #sustainablebusiness #carbononeutral

Launching into '24 with a revisit of some popular workshop material I will be using again to help small and medium companies work towards their net zero goals. The essence of the framework is: 1. Calculate your carbon footprint - tools are available 2. Set objectives and policies - the big picture goals 3. Prepare a reduction plan - pick a few things to do well 4. Engage staff - get the culture right Then justify and manage the change initiatives that may include: 5. Make buildings more efficient - suitability and usage 6. Energy supply - reduce demand and improve supply credentials 7. Transport - reduce travel and optimise methods 8. Waste and recycling - behaviours, procurement and engineering 9. Supply chain - feed and reward good behaviours up and down When you reach you minimum operational emissions: 10. Offset - carefully and with a view to your strategic goals This is part of the First Thirty business toolkit. More details are available on the website. A link to the full article is in the comments. #netzero #smebusiness #businesstoolkit

 The #EUParliament and #Council negotiators agreed last night (18 December) on updated guidelines for the Trans-European network for #transport (TEN-T). These will define and ensure completion of the main segments of the EU network for all modes of transport.    #H2Europe welcomes the agreement as another necessary step towards stimulating Europe’s #hydrogen end-uses in #mobility.     🏙 The TEN-T text confirms the new definition of #urbannode as having a population of 100,000 or more, thus increasing the number of urban nodes from 82 to 430. This will increase the number of hydrogen refuelling stations (#HRS) across Europe as each urban node shall have one, but also gives urban nodes access to #CEF Transport and #AFIF funding mechanisms to support their deployment.     🚢 #maritime sector: the document recognises the role of ports in the supply of energy by including ports of between 500,000 and 1 million tonnes of cargo on the comprehensive network as long as “its contribution to the diversification of EU energy #supplies […] is one of the main activities of the port”. This recognition is reiterated in the recital where production of #greenhydrogen is clearly stated as a contribution.    🛤#railways: the exemptions to #electrification for specific routes connecting multimodal freight terminals in ports, #airports, as well as for isolated networks opens the possibility of running #hydrogentrains on the European network. This proves particularly useful when geographical constraints make electrification less economically or technically viable, whilst still providing an alternative to diesel trains.     We would like to congratulate co-legislators on securing a deal on the TEN-T guidelines before the end of the mandate, providing more certainty for a #sustainable completion of the core network by 2030 via #alternativefuels and for targets in other legislations linked to TEN-T such as #AFIR and #FuelEUMaritime.  

This January join the 5-A-Day C-Suite series to make your New Year a healthier, happier one... For five days at lunchtime, our experts will be discussing and advising on a series of topics that impact leaders in business. These short webinars are designed to give you insight and intelligence that you can use to lead your business through a profitable 2024. View all the events and booking links here: https://lnkd.in/eFEBvZqb Experts delivering events: Norma Foster | Grae Laws | Paula Nickson | Lucinda de Quincey Adams | Phil Curtis MAPM #csuiteleaders #prepare #businessgrowthtips 

First Thirty goes #solar - an interesting experiment. Today is my first #zeroemissions day. It sounds good, and whilst the scale is a bit modest, we have to start somewhere, and it has prompted loads of new ideas. It began through another project where the initial site work will be without connected power, which could take some time and even then being a bit remote may not be fully reliable. We kicked around ideas of petrol generators but they didn't sit comfortably, so when I spotted a promotion for some mobile solar gear, it was time to act. The kit comes from #Ecoflow and is a 1kWh storage box with charge controller and a 220W mobile panel pack. The first charge took a few hours on a sunny Sunday, all good so far. Then I thought about what to do with it, and the obvious path was into my office. Not very power-hungry I grant you, but with a bit of adjusted plugging in, I am now working off-grid. There's a long way to go to have a fully joined up charging, storage, consumption loop, but we have to start somewhere I guess. And it kinda feels good, no matter how temporary. I'm treating it as a proof-of-concept because one of the project outcomes may well be an independent, #offgrid office and workshop facility that can double up as an emergency power supply for the rest of the property. I'm only just off the starting line, but happy to share my research and experiences if anyone is interested.