Net Zero in the Lift Industry

Net Zero in the Lift Industry

The definition of Net Zero is “achieving a balance between the carbon emitted and the carbon removed from the atmosphere”. This balance, or “net zero”, will occur when the amount of carbon added to the atmosphere is equal to the amount removed. Emissions from industry, agriculture, transport, and homes must be cut in order to reach “net zero”. These sectors must find a way to reduce the amount of carbon they put into the atmosphere.

The target date to reach net zero is 2050, set by the UK Government. It’s important to note that considerable changes must be made well before 2050, ideally before 2030 if we are to reach this target by the middle of this century. 2050 was seen as the first realistic date for net zero emissions to be achieved, this balances the urgent need to act with the inevitable impact on the economy. Different official carbon targets have been set for different areas of the UK. Scotland has committed to net zero emissions by 2045, Wales however has aligned with the UK’s target of 2050 but has ambitions to get there sooner.

Achieving net-zero emissions requires major changes, these four strategies have been deemed the most feasible route to net-zero emissions:

1. Generate electricity with no emissions. Advances in electricity storage, as well as using wind, solar, nuclear, and waterpower can provide a large amount of the UK’s electricity with minimal CO2 emissions. A number of additional low-carbon energy sources can be used with these power sources to ensure electricity is always available.
2. Use electric powered vehicles and rather than fossil fuels. The main sources of greenhouse gas emissions can be replaced with electricity powered equipment. This can be done easily by switching to electric cars and vans. Using electric heating for buildings is another extremely effective way of reducing emissions.
3. Use energy efficiently. More efficient technologies and processes used to reduce energy use can also be used to significantly reduce emissions. Furthermore, changing to electric equipment also improves efficiency, “smart” technologies help to minimize waste help to optimize how electricity is generated and used, this is done by sensing when energy is and isn’t needed.
4. Eliminate CO2 from the atmosphere. It is necessary to remove the CO2 from the atmosphere and permanently store it to offset emissions that are too costly or difficult to avoid. This is done with technologies that capture CO2 from the air and trap it, as a result it cannot re-enter the atmosphere. Plants and soils already help to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, and some land management practices can help in increasing their capacity to absorb and store carbon.