Mitie Report: Clean Energy, Net Zero & Watching Water Waste

According to Mitie’s Net Zero Navigator report, organisations are achieving the greatest decarbonisation progress if they are embedding net zero targets into their core business strategy.

Decarbonisation progress is deemed biggest when it is not treated as a sole compliance obligation.

Drawing on insight from sustainability leaders, Mitie’s report highlights an increasing emphasis on energy resilience, operational compliance and long-term cost stability to enhance the commercial benefits of decarbonisation for organisations.

Clean power meets private capital

Despite nearly three quarters (71%) of sustainability leaders reporting that access to finance for decarbonisation has become more difficult over the past year due to reduced public sector funding, private capital is increasingly available.

According to Mitie’s report, private capital is expected to contribute between 65% and 90% of the US$40bn required each year to meet the UK’s 2030 clean power target, creating opportunities for organisations with strong business cases. 

Falling costs for solar, battery and other renewable technologies are improving investment appeal, although more than a third (33%) of leaders say they need better access to data and reporting tools to manage compliance and risk as energy efficiency regulations evolve. 

Recent initiatives such as the National Energy System Operator’s Demand Flexibility Service are supporting investment, with almost half (49%) of respondents planning to invest in on-site battery storage in 2026, as the UK’s operational battery capacity is set to rise from around 6.3 GW to approximately 27 GW by 2030, an increase of about 330%. 

Alongside this, Ofgem has provisionally approved US$24bn to upgrade Britain’s energy networks and introduced major grid connection reforms in April 2025 to address the UK’s 738 GW energy connections queue.

The aim is to shift from ‘first come, first served’ to prioritising projects based on readiness and net zero impact, this will help to accelerate clean energy deployment, improve grid efficiency and security of supply, adding the power to sell energy back to the grid.

 “As decarbonisation efforts accelerate now is the time for organisations to take decisive action and secure investment,” says Mark Caskey, Managing Director, Projects, Mitie.

“Our findings show that integrating net zero projects into core business operations delivers real economic and energy security benefits. 

“Organisations can stay ahead of the curve by investing in energy storage, creating better-performing buildings and managing water usage as closely as their energy resources.”

Building a net zero momentum

Despite setbacks, net zero momentum has not stalled, with organisations repositioning rather than retreating and focusing on decarbonisation that delivers value through robust business cases rather than climate ambition alone.

A World Economic Forum report shows the global green economy has reached multi-trillion-dollar scale, with green revenues outpacing established sectors and annual investment in climate adaptation exceeding US$1tn.

The report states that the narrative has shifted towards energy resilience, efficiency, climate adaptation and broader ESG priorities, organisations increasingly recognise that delaying net zero action only heightens long-term reputational, financial and operational risk.

However, challenges remain, including acute skills shortages, with just 4,000 qualified heat pump installers against a requirement for 150,000, threatening progress in decarbonising heat which accounts for around one third of UK emissions, alongside severe grid connection bottlenecks as the current queue stands at approximately 700–800 GW.

Mitie highlights that sustaining momentum into 2026 will depend on targeted green finance, digital tools such as data platforms and AI to support delivery and reporting, accelerated skills programmes and a holistic approach that positions net zero as a pathway to resilient, adaptive and value-generating organisations.

“Make no mistake: the market is now running ahead of politics on net zero,” says Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas, OBE, CEO at Green Finance Institute. 

“Solar and battery costs continue their rapid decline. Renewable capacity deployment remains robust. 

“Investment banks still commit capital to clean energy projects, even while retreating from high-profile climate coalitions. 

“These aren’t ideological choices. They’re economic realities. 

“The technology has become too competitive and the business case too compelling, to ignore.”

Watching water targets

Water has long been overlooked in sustainability strategies but is set to move rapidly up organisational agendas in 2026 as rising costs and tighter regulation make inaction untenable.

In April 2025, non-household water bills across the UK rose by an average of 42%, driven by decades of underinvestment that have left a system leaking more than 20% of treated water before it reaches customers, pushing water firmly onto the bottom line.

Yet since the market opened in 2017, only around 26% of non-household users have switched supplier, often unaware that better pricing and service options exist, a passive stance that is becoming increasingly costly.

Ofwat’s US$104bn Asset Management Period 8 funding programme running from 2025 to 2030, up sharply from US$59bn under AMP7, aims to modernise infrastructure and tighten pollution controls, costs that will ultimately be recovered through bills.

Beyond immediate price pressure, the UK faces a projected daily water shortfall of around 5 billion litres by 2055 as climate change alters rainfall patterns, increases flood risk and reduces groundwater availability.

The UK Government targets under the UK Net Zero Strategy require commercial water use to fall by 9% by 2038 and 15% by 2050 against 2019–20 baselines.

Attending sustainability panels

At Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit, Sustainability Magazine will be hosting panel discussions on water sustainability, the energy transition, carbon management strategies and many more.

The two-day event is set to take place at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster, London, between the 4-5 March 2026, bringing together sustainability experts from around the globe for a series of enlightening panel discussions, engaging workshops and unparalleled networking opportunities.

The event features more than 50 expert speakers, 10 focused content tracks and four high-impact executive workshops, aiding leadership meet execution.

Secure your tickets to attend now and save more than £200 with our Early Bird offer.