Energy companies are committed to the sustainability agenda. They want to make a positive contribution to our society, economy and environment, and a range of initiatives are underway to reduce the sector's environmental impact.
Economic and social
The energy industry is an important contributor to our economy and society. The country depends on energy and between 2008 and 2010, £17 billion was invested in the UK economy and 45,000 new jobs were created in the energy sector. Find out more about the energy sector's contribution to society.
Using heat efficiently
Power stations use the heat they produce in the electricity generation process efficiently. In certain circumstances, heat produced at power stations can be used for other applications, such as in industrial processes or for heating homes and businesses. Under the right conditions, producing useable heat and electricity at the same time, known as Combined Heat and Power, can be more efficient than generating them separately. There are currently over 1,400 CHP schemes in the UK with a total electricity generating capacity of nearly 5.5 gigawatts.