Cutting energy and carbon at Eden

We've now set a challenging target to cut our carbon dioxide emissions by 25% by 2013 (compared with 2007-2008). Our longer-term aim is to reduce emissions by a further 55% by 2015. That's a total 80% reduction – equal to the government's national target set for 30 years later, in 2050. Since our baseline year we've already reduced our emissions by 12%.

We're doing this by driving down energy consumption, investigating alternative energy sources and communicating with our staff and visitors about the issue.

How we're driving down energy use

While shiny renewable technologies do have a part to play, especially in demonstrating their potential to the public, we're taking a much wider approach to our energy use. We've prioritised it like this:

1. Reduce energy consumption

It might not be the most exciting-sounding bit of going green, but reducing energy use in the first place is vital.

We have invested in technology and design to keep our energy use to a minimum, thanks in part to a loan from the Carbon Trust:

• Sustainable construction
  We designed our buildings to include features that cut energy use, including super insulation and natural lighting and ventilation. Find out more about our buildings.
• Building Management System (BMS)
  We've installed a BMS at Eden – it's like a giant TV remote allowing for very tight control of our heating and electrical systems. By integrating the 40 or so systems we have on site into just one, we efficiently regulate temperatures in the Biomes, the offices and other buildings across site, and make sure that we are never using more energy than we need.
• High-efficiency boilers
  We've replaced an oil-fired system with a new gas-fired, high-efficiency boiler at our plant nursery, which is based several miles from Eden. Smaller, highly-efficient boilers have been fitted at the Eden Project itself.
• Energy-efficient lighting
  We've fitted about 750 LED lights across our site in one of the biggest installations of its kind in the country.

2. Raise awareness

It's no good having fantastic energy-saving technologies if staff don't play their part in greening operations too. Our 'Every One, Every Watt' campaign extends our energy policy to every member of staff, encouraging them to get involved in reducing as many watts of power as possible, both at work at home. Watch our humourous stamp out standby video for staff.

The Big Green Hand awareness-raising campaign, which features 'Captain Kilowatt' (right), gives Eden staff access to borrow a household energy meter for free and encourages them to call an energy hotline run by the Energy Savings Trust. We also hope to offer discounts on products that increase energy efficiency at home.

3. Generate power

We're careful to avoid installing too much 'eco-bling' at Eden (impressive-looking renewable technologies, but which are inefficient or inappropriate for a given site). At the same time, we are actively investigating alternative sources of power that will enable us to be independent of fossil fuels.

We are also keen to demonstrate to the million or so annual visitors to Eden the wonder of renewable technologies, and to share with people what does – and doesn't – work.

We're experimenting with different technologies to make up a portfolio of power:

• Geothermal
  We have planning permission to build here at Eden one of the UK's first geothermal power plants generating both heat and electricity, in partnership with EGS Energy. With a capacity of 3–4MW electric and the ability to generate 85% of the time, it should produce enough electricity to supply Eden and around 3,500 households, as well as heating for the Biomes. Read more about our geothermal project.
• Solar
  The photovoltaic panels on the roof of the Core, our education building, have a 30kW capacity. Our new Eden Cafe, based in St Austell town centre, features solar PV panels on the roof that provide small amounts of electrical energy, and solar thermal panels that heat water.
• Air-source heat
  In the Eden Cafe in St Austell, air-source heat pumps provide under-floor heating. These work in the opposite way to a fridge; they take heat from the air outside and pump it through refrigerant-filled coils, which transfer the heat inside.
• Biomass
  We've installed a 300kW biomass boiler, fuelled by woodchip from Devon and Cornwall, to reduce our gas needs. After initial teething problems we have introduced a new fuel delivery system which will allow it to run to its maximum capacity over the winter. Now the new, enlarged woodchip store is 2m away from the boiler, rather than 20m, and we have placed it outside to minimise dust.
• Wind
  A 5kW wind turbine up near our car parks feeds into our overall power supply. We explored the possibility of erecting a 2MW turbine at Eden but, following lengthy talks with local people, we decided to look at less visible renewable energy options such as geothermal power.
• Hydro
  We investigated harnessing the energy of an ancient watercourse from the tin mining era, which runs through Eden and down to the coast. Unfortunately it was too expensive for the amount of energy it would have produced and so we have put these plans on hold.

Reducing carbon emissions even more

As well as cutting our energy use, we're reducing our carbon impact in lots of other ways:

• We planted tens of thousands of plants that capture carbon every day.
• We source local, seasonal and vegetarian food, which all play a part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Find out more about our ethical procurement approach.
• We operate a green travel plan. Walkers, cyclists and those with combined coach, bus or rail tickets get discounted entry. More than 13% of visitors don’t come by car and 42% of staff car share or come by other means: not bad for a rural site!