Short answer: almost, but nearly never identical. When you burn less gas, diesel or petrol, you cut the CO₂ released on site (Scope 1) and cut the CO₂ tied to your electricity (Scope 2). However, GHG emissions also include methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases, so your total carbon‑equivalent (CO₂e) may include additional factors.
Perhaps you have had to comply with ESOS (the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme), and for the first time had to create an Action Plan and share it with the Environment Agency. Are you wondering how to get the best value out of the work you’re doing?
You’ve come to the right place – we are here to break that down for you.
The three terms are related, but they are different:
Energy: Anything that uses gas, electricity, petrol or diesel. Your ESOS audit must cover 95 percent of this.
Carbon: The main greenhouse gas from burning fossil fuels. Energy-related activities have a carbon footprint, split into:
Scope 1: direct on‑site emissions (boilers, vehicles).
Scope 2: indirect emissions from purchased electricity.
GHG emissions: There are seven greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contribute to climate change. These include carbon, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases. When reviewing a carbon footprint, emissions from these other gases get converted into carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). Some are worse than others, so their impact is converted to a standard measure of CO2e to make things a bit simpler.
Compliance is compliance, but whilst you’re participating in it, you might as well get all the value you can out of it.
Whatever your motivations for thinking about sustainability, there’s something in it for you:
Building from any existing energy audits or data that you have, an Energise Net Zero consultant will work with you to create a full GHG emission footprint. A lot of our customers are nervous about compiling a Scope 3 footprint on their own; we take the pain out of this process by prioritising collecting and analysing the data with the most value. We seek the complexity, so you don’t have to.
Once you have your full carbon footprint, we will work with you to model emission reduction pathways, based on what we know about your business and its sites and locations.
This helps us plan out the actions with the highest returns, and the optimal order to get the most out of your efforts. Decarbonising scope 3 and moving towards a sustainable supply chain can feel like a mountain you can’t conquer, but our net zero consultants use their years of expertise to help you get value for your investment.
Your Net Zero strategy will then have agreed targets, together with actions to meet those targets. We leave you feeling confident about the commitment you’ve made, and the pathway to Net Zero. Download our guide here for a walk-through the details.
Book a call directly or send us an email to hello@energise.com, and speak to one of our team about your needs and priorities.
We will work with you to find the best solution for your business, whether that’s energy monitoring & targeting, or creating your own Net Zero Strategy. We are committed to listening to you, creating value for your business, and finding a solution that is right for you.
Q: Is cutting energy always enough to hit Net Zero?
A: Not on its own—you must also tackle Scope 3 (supply chain). But energy reductions get you the quickest return-on-investment ROI and confidence to expand your Net Zero plan.
Q: What value do ESOS Action Plans deliver beyond legal compliance?
A: They turn a one‑off audit into an ongoing improvement engine, keeping projects on track and ensuring you are able to prioritise the high-ROI measures by comparing actual versus projected savings each year.
Q: What payback period can I expect on the energy‑saving measures recommended in my ESOS action plan?
A: Every site is different, but we typically see payback periods ranging from 12 to 36 months.
Written By Liz Taylor 
In this brief guide, we’ll demystify sustainability jargon and help shape your strategy and overall carbon management. Whether you hold contracts over £5 million, supply the NHS beneath that threshold, or simply want to prepare for upcoming sustainability obligations, this post is for you.
Why trust, transparency and traction matter more than ever – and how to build them into your transition plan
Perhaps you have had to comply with ESOS (the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme), and for the first time had to create an Action Plan and share it with the Environment Agency. Are you wondering how to get the best value out of the work you’re doing?
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