BUSINESSNEWS
MATCON INVESTS IN SOLAR PANEL PROJECT TO REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINT In light of the current crisis, Matcon has decided to redouble its efforts to promote sustainability and protect the environment. As part of this commitment, the company has invested £150,000 in a solar panel project at its offices in Evesham. “This will help us reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and further lower our carbon footprint,” said Stephen Ball, Matcon Managing Director.
Solar panels are only one part of the solution; they are also committed to further reducing their carbon footprint through measures such as LED lighting, a hybrid-only company car policy, waste to energy as an alternative to landfills for waste disposal and compressed air lead checks that resulted in 16 tonnes of CO2 emissions no longer being released to the atmosphere.
The project involved installing 504 solar panels on their south-facing roof. These panels have a maximum output of almost 200 kWh, meaning they will provide a significant proportion of the energy needed to run their business and export surplus electricity to the national grid.
“We are committed to doing our part to protect the environment and to creating a sustainable future. We hope that by investing in solar panels and other environmentally-friendly measures, we can inspire others to do the same,” concluded Stephen.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: GOOD FOR THE PLANET, AND FOR YOUR POCKET! The sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned in the UK from 2030, meaning that the purchase of an electric vehicle is a choice that more people will make. There are significant tax and NIC benefits for businesses considering electric vehicles for company cars. Currently, a 100% electric car incurs no road tax duty. As a company vehicle, an electric car currently incurs a 2% benefit in kind charge. The lower benefit in kind charge automatically generates a lower Class 1A NIC charge which will benefit both employees and employers.
GL WORKING WITH THE HOUSE BUILDING INDUSTRY FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE GL (Green Lighting) has been successfully supplying lighting and alarms to new house builders for over 20 years. More recently, GL has introduced renewable solutions to support the industry to achieve carbon zero targets for a sustainable future. A building regulation implemented to ensure new homes have a lower carbon footprint, has increased the use of solar panels and battery storage systems. GL have developed an energy storage system that harnesses power from the sun to use in the home with excess power stored in batteries.
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For heating homes and water, energy efficient alternatives include infrared panels and air source hot water cylinders with rapid heat up times and lower power consumption than traditional systems. GL have opened an E-home showroom on the Great Western Business Park in Worcester with all products on display. Our team can explain how the technology works as well as offer installation and training advice to developers.
100% first year allowances can be claimed on expenditure incurred on new fully electric vehicles, and charging points, to reduce the company’s taxable profits. For expenditure on new charging points between 1st April 2021 and 31st March 2023, businesses can benefit from the super-deduction which offers 130% first year allowances. The Government’s plug in car grant provides grants up to £2,500 towards the cost of an eligible plug-in vehicle. It’s applied at the time of purchase and is usually given as a discount off the purchase price. For further advice on the tax treatment of electric vehicles, please contact us and speak to our specialists. www.ormerodrutter.co.uk
www.greenlighting.co.uk
November/December 2022
