Ibstock has become the first building products manufacturer in the UK to procure 100% of its electricity from renewable sources.
This milestone announcement enables Ibstock to make significant steps in reaching its Sustainability Roadmap target of a 15% reduction in CO2 per tonne of production by 2025 and accelerates its Net-Zero Carbon journey.
Total Gas & Power, Ibstock’s energy supplier, says its Pure Green energy tariff enables Ibstock to report zero emissions for electricity under the GHG Protocol Corporate Standards, Scope 2 as the electricity can be matched to Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates. Pure Green guarantees that the REGOs will only come from solar, wind or hydro sources. The generation mix of Total’s Pure Green power is typically hydro/wave power (0.31%); solar (24.69%); and wind (75%).
This switch to renewable electricity is the latest in a series of decarbonisation projects Ibstock has invested in, including the completion of a solar park – the first of its kind in the brick industry – at the Group’s Leicestershire head office. It is supplying 20-30% of the power requirement on site. The company is also continuing to play its part in the reduction of reliance on fossil fuels through the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across several sites.
Joe Hudson, chief executive officer of Ibstock, said: “This is a very significant moment for our business. We take our goals and ambitions on sustainability extremely seriously and procuring all of our electrical power from renewable sources is further evidence of that.
“ We are a market leader in an energy-intensive sector, and we believe it is vital that we demonstrate that leadership in terms of reducing carbon emissions and supporting the market for renewable energy. Many of our customers right across the construction sector have made commitments to achieving net-zero emissions, and our move to Pure Green shows them that we are with them on that journey.
“We have many more projects and initiatives planned and underway to further reduce our carbon impacts – but, there is no doubt that this move to Pure Green really is a very big step forward in achieving our decarbonisation goals.
“ As the first UK building products manufacturer to make a move to 100% renewable electricity, we believe we have set an example to others in our sector; we hope our peers are quick to follow suit.”
Dave Cranfield, general manager of Total Gas & Power, said: “ We are proud to have been working with Ibstock since 2013 and during that time we have seen them become an industry leader in the drive towards carbon neutrality. It’s particularly pleasing to be helping them reach their Sustainability Roadmap target of a 15% reduction in CO2 by 2025 by supplying them with Pure Green, 100% renewable electricity. As one of the largest electricity suppliers in the UK, Total shares the ambition, together with society, to become net-zero by 2050 for all of our activities. We will continue to work closely with our customers, including Ibstock, as the demand for renewable electricity grows, and we will continue to evolve and invest significantly in carbon-neutral initiatives over the coming years. “
Ibstock’s operations commenced use of Pure Green electricity on January 1st 2021.
