Schneider Electric: Cutting Fossil Fuels at Kew Gardens
With more than 50,000 plant species, Kew Gardens serves as a global leader in plant conservation and research, according to UNESCO.
Covering more than 300 acres, it features diverse landscapes, including woodlands, lakes, and extensive lawns – all key features of healthy biodiversity.
Kew Gardens is partnering with Schneider Electric to help it reach climate positive by 2030.
Integrated energy solutions for sustainability
As a UNESCO World Heritage site with valuable historic structures and a large number of yearly visitors, Kew Gardens is taking essential steps to meet its sustainability goals. The collaboration with Schneider Electric is pivotal in moving Kew toward a future free of fossil fuels while minimising its carbon footprint.
The primary objective of this partnership is to ensure a consistent and efficient energy supply that is critical to safeguarding the world's extensive botanical collections.
“We are proud of our commitment to urgently tackling the dual climate and biodiversity crises through everything that we do at Kew,” says Rachel Purdon, Head of Sustainability at RBG, Kew.
“Our partnership with Schneider Electric marks a major step forward in our sustainability journey.
“Working together we can accelerate progress towards our ambitious goals, including becoming climate positive in less than five years.
“With Kew’s unique combination of historic buildings, globally irreplaceable collections, and role inspiring diverse audiences to connect with nature, we face complex and wide-ranging challenges.
“Schneider Electric’s expertise and hands-on support will be invaluable – it will help us deliver real, measurable decarbonisation progress across our sites.”
The role of Schneider Electric in Kew's transition
The collaboration entails Schneider Electric actively advising on and implementing Kew's extensive sustainability plans. This includes phasing out fossil fuel dependence, lowering carbon emissions, and optimizing energy use across Kew Gardens and Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex.
“Both of our organisations are impact makers, united in our vision for a more sustainable planet,” says Kelly Becker, President, Schneider Electric UK and Ireland, Belgium and Netherlands.
“By combining our climate positive partnership, expertise, and energy management and automation solutions, we’re able to take real action to realise a more sustainable future at RBG Kew.
“We also have deep experience with helping organisations like Kew advance their energy resiliency, a growing priority across businesses, utilities, and communities worldwide.
“In Kew’s case, maintaining a consistent energy supply is essential to protecting the world’s largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections for humanity – and we’re honoured to be a part of the solution.”
As part of the initiative, Schneider Electric will dedicate an onsite energy optimization engineer to support project evaluation, cost assessment, and implementation of energy-saving opportunities within Kew's infrastructure—including Building Management Systems and HVAC plants. Furthermore, they will explore innovative solutions like cost-effective electricity use, battery storage, and microgrid opportunities.
Kew Gardens' commitment to environmental accountability
Kew Gardens has committed itself to addressing the dual challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss through robust sustainability actions. In 2021, it unveiled a 10-year vision aligning with the Race to Zero carbon campaign and pledging to become Climate Positive by 2030.
A key component of this vision is the newly inaugurated Carbon Garden, a space highlighting the capability of plants and fungi in carbon capture, encouraging visitors to advocate for environmental stewardship and spotlighting climate-resilient species.
In addition to conserving plant life, Kew is enhancing its operational sustainability by eliminating single-use plastics, advancing renewable energy adoption, promoting sustainable food options, and reducing waste through composting and recycling protocols.
With these actions, Kew Gardens aims not only to transform its own footprint but to serve as a catalyst for worldwide advancement towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals by uniting scientific insight with actionable strategies.
