Signing up for a green tariff? A useful glossary of green energy terms

Signing up for a green tariff? A useful glossary of green energy terms

Available Supply Capacity

The maximum amount of electricity that can be drawn via the meter at any point. Measured in KVA

Calorific Value

The quality of gas measured by the release of energy when gas is completely combusted under specified conditions

Capacity

As ASC, the maximum amount of electricity that can be drawn via the meter at any point. Measured in KVA

Climate Change Levy

Introduced in 2001 and levied on businesses to incentivize the use of renewable to increase efficiency and reduce carbon emissions

Contract End Date

The end of a fixed price period, the supplier will supply past this date until the supply end date

Deemed Rates

Standard charges applied to Change of Tenancy customers before they agree or refuse a contract with the incumbent supplier

DUoS

The charges related to a meter’s usage of the distribution network representing around 18% of the average business energy bill

EAC

The term used to describe the forecast annual consumption of a electricity customer’s meter in lieu of an Annualised Advance

Half Hourly Data

Data sourced from a half hourly meter delivering 17,520 recordings of demand from each meter

Half Hourly Meter

A high demand meter (>100kW) that records and transmits usage every half hour

Industrial

Those customers that consume more than 300,000kWh of gas or electricity per annum and often those electricity customers fitted with a half hourly meter.

kWh

A measure of power taken over time; 1,000 watt-hours or 3.5 mega joules

Measurement Class

The aggregation & settlement classification for a meter i.e. Non Half Hourly or Half Hourly

Megawatt Hour

Megawatt-hour – A measure of power taken over time; 1,000 kilowatt-hours.

Meter Operator

A Meter Operator or MOP is an organisation responsible for installing and maintaining electricity and gas meters.

Time-of-use tariff

A time of use tariff or TOU tariff is a multi-rate tariff designed to offer cheaper rates when energy demand is at its lowest. Some tariffs will also be able to offer cheaper electricity rates on days when renewable generation is high, such as very windy or sunny days.

 

Al Tamimi & Company selected as Official Legal Advisor to COP28 Committee

LSA member firm Al Tamimi & Company is proud to announce a partnership with United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) Committee, making it the only law firm with its headquarters in the Middle East and North Africa to partner COP28.

The annual event is being hosted in the United Arab Emirates and brings governments and businesses together to discuss climate-related action. The 2023 edition is of particular significance as it marks the first Global Stocktake of the progress being made by member countries since adopting the Paris Agreement.

As an official service provider to COP28, the leading regional law firm in the Middle East and North Africa will deliver a broad range of legal pro-bono services throughout the duration of the event. Al Tamimi & Company will provide support in areas such as employment, intellectual property, data protection, general contract advice, and any other matters that may arise during COP28. The Committee will have access to the firm’s extensive expertise and experience that is well–versed in collaborating with the business community and governments across the region.

Samer Qudah, Managing Partner of Al Tamimi & Company commented:

“To be selected as an official partner of COP28 is a moment of pride and honour for us, particularly as our firm has its foundations in the UAE. Being a legal advisor provides a platform from which we can support the Committee and make a genuine impact at COP28 and beyond.

 

As a firm, we are committed to making a positive impact on society and partnering with COP28 aligns with our vision and strategic objectives. We are committed to contributing meaningfully to sustainable practices through several initiatives, such as being a member of the United Nations Global Compact, working in our local communities and by offering a comprehensive pro bono programme that provides access to our lawyers across the region. Through our existing programmes and collaboration with COP28 we want to have a broader influence and impact on the business community and society at large.

 

Al Tamimi & Company is a member of the United Nations Global Compact. The firm is taking positive action across its business functions by aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), these are defined as global priorities and aspirations for 2030 thatcontribute to global sustainability and social progress. The firm continues to underpin its operations and strategies with principles of the United Nations Global Compact and acts in support of UN goals.”

An LSA Update on Climate Week NYC

An LSA Update on Climate Week NYC

Matt Sparkes, co-chair of the LSA and Sustainability Director at Linklaters, spent last week at Climate Week NYC. We asked him for his thoughts…

Let’s get the irony over before we begin. Yes, there is some absurdity in travelling thousands of miles to bump into those who work just across the street and, yes, hours in a plane is, well…

Truth is, if we were not here in person, we would not find the time to talk, to listen and to learn. We wouldn’t be exposed to new developments, to get a feel for others’ progress and to strike new connections that may or may not be the partnerships of tomorrow. I would not now know – or be reflecting upon – the challenges of turning a city (Bristol) green. I would still be underplaying the importance of governance in a Just Transition. I would still be believing that everyone else knows that much more.

 

It has been a vibrant, eclectic and chaotic week. The United Nations Global Compact Leaders’ Summit was a platform for launches and celebrations of topics ranging from a living wage to corruption and from human rights to, of course, climate change. It was vast in range and vast in scale (and perhaps too vast for workshops, if truth be told). By contrast, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ‘Goalkeepers’ event was tightly-packed, brightly-coloured and unrelentingly moving as it showcased again and again how the SDGs really must be addressed. Alongside these was a thoughtfully curated Climate Action event which, with an eye to #COP, presented a good case as to why the bandwagon should relocate in its entirety to Dubai in a few more weeks. And that is why these things are tricky. In a virtual world where attention is hard to maintain, even without the cover of ‘camera off’, there is no substitute for meeting face-to-face and being focused and engaged throughout. Those moments where you bump into colleagues and have time to chat and those sessions where you really can follow up with questions, discussion and dates in the diary.

 

Perhaps we shouldn’t need to go far, far away to achieve these things but that’s the way it is and I’ll be heading home energised by conversation, reacquainted with some bright and engaging people and ready to pick up the baton once again. Bouncing from one capital’s conference centre to another (as many still seem to do) does seem an odd way of making progress but, for those of us for whom this is rather more annual, it is an injection of insight, energy and, yes, hope and we all need more of that every so often, don’t we?

About Matt Sparkes

Matt is co-chair of the LSA and Sustainability Director at Linklaters. Matt leads Linklaters work on responsible business globally, ensuring that the firm’s own ESG performance reflects all stakeholder expectations and the advice provided to clients on many related themes. Matt is active in a range of sustainability networks including as EMEA Chair of Business for Societal Impact and as co-chair of the Legal Sustainability Alliance. He is also a Board Member and Trustee of the UNGC-UK Network, is vice-chair of the Living Wage Foundation and, in his spare time, was until recently proud to act as chair of an east London employability charity.

To B or not to B Corps

To B or not to B Corps

Certified B Corps are businesses which meet the ‘highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose’. With ESG becoming an increasingly central part of client relationships, this LSA hosted discussion for London Climate Action Week brings together an expert panel to share their experiences and perspectives on B Corp accreditation for professional service firms. Our guests include Angela Monaghan and Keya Advani from Bates Wells — the first B Corps law firm — and Amanda Powell Smith from Forsters, a founding UK B Corp and winner of nine Best for the World awards

Resources:

Amanda Powell Smith’s presentation

Angela Monaghan’s and Keya Advani’s presentation

The Role of Offsetting in the Transition to Net Zero

The Role of Offsetting in the Transition to Net Zero

In the third and final webinar in our Winter Webinar Series our expert panel Dr Jem Woods, Reader in Sustainable Development at Imperial College London and Eli Mitchell-Larson a PhD candidate and researcher at the University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute discuss the important role of offsetting in the transition to net zero

Resources:

Dr Jem Woods’ presentation

Eli Mitchell-Larson’s presentation

The Pathway to Net Zero – How to Set Credible Targets

The Pathway to Net Zero – How to Set Credible Targets

In the second of our Winter Webinar Series we look at what a credible Net Zero pathway might look like and how to set and implement realistic targets.

Speakers include:
Will Jenkins, Carbon Intelligence
Michaela Wright, Head of Corporate Sustainability HSBC UK
Professor Chris Hilson, School of Law Reading University

Resources:

WRI Guide to NBS Offsets

Net Zero Hilson Slides 

HSBC Corporate Sustainability Climate Statement 

LSA – What is net zero for a company?