Archer shares LowCVP's successes and struggles

As reported in our previous article, one of LowCVP's core tasks is to promote practical initiatives to encourage the take-up of low carbon technologies.

Trusted advisor

Its second major focus is advising the British Government on low carbon policies and proposals. Clearly, as the uncertainty over Amsterdam's proposed low emissions zone proves, providing advice does not always mean that the advice is followed. But one area where LowCVP has achieved its aim is in having helped the Government implement a revolutionary biofuels provenance reporting scheme in the UK – the first policy of its kind in the world.

Thank provenance

"All biofuels supplied in the UK market now require the companies involved to report on where the fuels are from, whether there was any land use change in cultivating them, how sustainable they are, and the level of greenhouse gas saving," explains Archer. "This is a major piece of work, and the Renewable Fuels Agency is shortly to publish the first findings into the success of the scheme."

Doing the homework

The third of LowCVP's areas of concentration is research. It has completed several in-depth studies on car-buying behaviour in the UK. Most recently, it collaborated on a report entitled "The MPG (miles per gallon) Paradox," which examines the dichotomy between the public’s professed preference for more economic vehicles and its contradictory buying habits, as evidenced by the continuing popularity of large gas-guzzling cars, such as 4x4s and SUVs.

"We’re looking at consumer attitudes and the reasons behind them," says Archer. "We want to understand how best to change buying habits. In the course of our research, fuel prices have risen enormously, becoming so high that for many buyers MPG is now a key consideration. However, most consumers don’t know how to evaluate the cars on the market, and don’t fully understand low carbon or, in fact, MPG itself. Many compare the MPG of a new car with that of their old car, which is not hugely helpful. We're researching the best way to give better comparative information to help consumers choose more efficient vehicles."

Going for a perfect ten

So, with five years under its belt, LowCVP can rightly claim to have had significant success. Perhaps the true measure of its success, however, will be how it performs over the next five years, as the sustainability agenda becomes increasingly high profile, as well as politically – and socially – contentious, with the margin for error reduced as a consequence.

'Huge amount to do'

Archer, however, is under no illusions as to the challenges his organisation faces.

"We are focusing on emerging issues, identifying them and working to develop understanding. One of these is how to build and accelerate the market for electric vehicles, as cars and vans require different refuelling infrastructure, but there is no current standard for recharging. So that is an area we’re currently researching for the Department of Transport. There is also a lot of discussion about eco-efficiency, but not a great deal of understanding about what that actually means, so this is another emerging area. There's a huge amount to do, but we're confident that by working together, we can begin to address some of these vital issues."