Norfolk Solar - who we are and how we operate

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One of our vans is trying out fuel magnets that claim to improve fuel economy. We continue to look at alternative fuels including electric, LPG, compressed air and straight vegetable oil and plan to adopt whichever fuel matches our commercial needs and environmental goals.

Occasionally we need to travel abroad and wherever practical will use trains instead of flying.

Note on Biodiesel

There is concern that certain countries are cutting down large areas of tropical rain forest that absorb carbon dioxide, in order to grow crops for Biodiesel production. We have looked into how our supplier sources vegetable oil for making Biodiesel so that we do not indirectly contribute to rainforest habitat destruction.

carbon offsetting

There are some concerns about commercial carbon offsetting schemes (EG: paying a company to plant trees to absorb future carbon dioxide equal to your emissions).

These concerns include:

The number of years a tree needs guaranteed protection in order to absorb the CO2 being offset (EG: 30 years) compared to the number of years the carbon offset company guarantees its protection (perhaps 5 years), and the CO2 deficit if the tree were cut down prematurely.
The time delay between emissions entering the atmosphere now and the CO2 absorbed by those trees in the future.
The planting of small trees that absorb small amounts of CO2 compared to the purchase and protection of more mature trees and woodlands absorbing large amounts of CO2.

Not all carbon offsetting companies operate in this way but we have not found a scheme we liked enough so have come up with an alternative.

We have purchased 11 acres of mixed broadleaf and coniferous woodland in the heart of Norfolk (our main operating area) and in a location which would likely be under threat from housing development in future years. Our aim is to try to protect this woodland from destruction, improve the habitat for wildlife and ensure its future as a carbon dioxide “sink”. The woodland already contains a wide range of young and mature trees including ash, alder, elm, oak, sycamore, hazel, birch, sweet chestnut, scots pine, elder, hawthorn, poplar, willow and blackthorn and we have flora and fauna experts helping us with our plans.

From a global perspective, we make regular donations to fund the vital activities of GREENPEACE, and are working with the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) to help re-populate the endangered tropical rainforest with native trees.

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