High demand for low carbon

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Aiming for a low carbon Cornwall: (l-r) Stephen Cirell (Cornwall Council’s programme director for Green Cornwall), Peter Penneycard (Winter Rule) and Andy Honey (Microgeneration)

Organisers of a seminar aimed at discussing the effects a carbon constrained economy will have on Cornish businesses have hailed the event a success.

The breakfast seminar entitled ‘Carbon Constrained Economy – Threat or Opportunity?’ was hosted by Winter Rule, Cornwall Development Company and Business Link.

Cornwall Development Company’s Low Carbon Team, which also supported the event, believes it was one of very few green business seminars to be oversubscribed.

Winter Rule’s Peter Penneycard, said: “The demand we had for this event was phenomenal.

“I think it shows that there is a high proportion of businesses in Cornwall that are keen to find out how changes in environmental issues and legislation will affect them and specifically how embracing a low carbon approach to business performance can translate into improved bottom line.

“It was apparent from the presentations and the round the table discussion that followed that delegates appreciated the potential for them and for ‘Cornwall plc’ to take a lead in this area.

“The presenters were able to distil some impressive ‘easy gains’ in terms of significant cost savings from revisiting ‘business as normal’ on operational areas including transportation and some delegates had already seen ‘low carbon’ coming through as a required item in contract tendering.”

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Delegates heard from Cornwall Council’s programme director for Green Cornwall, Stephen Cirell, who spoke about the Green Cornwall programme and creating a low carbon economy in the county.

They also heard from Andy Honey, director of Cornish sustainable technology company, Microgeneration Limited.

The event also used green technology with a weblink to May Gurney’s business development director, Ian Findlater, who joined the seminar from the company’s offices in Norwich.

Stuart Farmer, business development manager for Cornwall Development Comnpany, said: “There was a great deal of interest in what Stephen Cirell had to say. It’s important that Cornwall Council takes a lead and plans to cut carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2020 and become carbon neutral by 2025.

“Such commitments shows the determination there is within Cornwall Council to make Cornwall one of the most sustainable parts of the UK.

“Ian’s presentation was also very inspiring and showed the businesses around the table just what can be achieved whilst contributing to profit with small, simple changes in business practice.”

Plans are underway to host more events in the near future, with the overall aim of building on the relationships between private and public sector to ensure ‘Cornwall plc’ maximises its potential as the hub for low carbon business.