UK manufacturers’ inaction on energy management, despite concerns

UK manufacturers have a 'disconnect' between volatile energy pricing and action, says Mitsubishi Electric.

The company surveyed 200 senior decision-makers in UK manufacturing about the sector’s resilience for its report, Energy on an industrial scale.

It found that despite 91% of them being concerned about energy-price security, and 85% worrying about grid resilience, only 24% had a fully implemented onsite energy management system, and just 27% a dedicated energy manager.

This disparity demonstrates a clear disconnect between thought and action to resolve an acute, ongoing and potentially worsening problem, says David Bean of Mitsubishi Electric Automation Systems UK.

'With costs now resembling something approaching ‘normal’,' he says, 'it is an ideal time for decision-makers to reconsider these energy strategies and address potential uncertainty.'

Also, while 85% of respondents claim to be working towards net-zero as a key part of their business, and 70% had been asked to report on Scope 1/2/3 emissions for a tender process, only 35% were currently implementing net-zero plans within their operations.