Meeting Customers Where They Are on the Road to Net-Zero

By John Gallagher-Worthington, Sales Director, Carrier Rental Systems.

When it comes to sustainability, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The journey toward net-zero is complex and evolving. It’s different for every organisation, sector and region. At Carrier Rental Systems, we recognise this and are committed to providing rental solutions that help customers achieve their objectives, wherever they are on their journey.

PwC’s 2025 Energy Survey of UK organisations found the number of businesses committed to net-zero by 2030 has nearly doubled since last year, from 28% to 47%. The net-zero agenda is no longer a niche ambition. It’s a commercial, social and environmental imperative and one that’s increasingly shaping how companies across the UK operate. But as anyone in the industry knows, translating ambition into action is far from straightforward.

What we're seeing today is a landscape of varied starting points. Some organisations have aggressive carbon reduction targets embedded in their strategy and culture. Others are just beginning to explore viable alternatives to traditional power generation. Between them lies a broad spectrum of businesses testing technologies, weighing capital investment decisions and grappling with infrastructure challenges, all while under pressure to deliver value and meet stakeholder expectations.

The solution is to meet each customer where they are and provide solutions that are technically robust and commercially and operationally appropriate for their current stage. Flexibility is fundamental.

Bridging Ambition and Reality

One of the most significant challenges facing organisations today is how to make meaningful change without overstretching resources or backing unproven technologies. That’s especially true when you consider the pace of innovation. What’s cutting-edge today may be overtaken tomorrow.

Rather than requiring customers to commit to fixed, capital-intensive solutions, rental provides a powerful way to bridge that gap. It enables businesses to test new technologies in live environments, understand real-world performance and gather data before making long-term investments.

Take, for example, our work with hybrid solar-battery-generator systems. By collaborating with pioneers in this space, we’ve been able to deploy containerised energy units that combine solar capture, battery storage and traditional fuel-based generators. With less reliance on internal combustion engines, these units operate quietly, reduce fuel costs, emit lower CO₂ and are already being used successfully in noise-sensitive, residential and environmentally protected areas.

Through our auditable Panorama Monitoring System, we monitor performance in real time to ensure optimal efficiency and verify projected fuel and CO₂ savings. For example, Panorama Monitoring data shows that, compared to a 40kVA generator set, a medium single-phase 40kW Solartainer operating seven days a week at a fuel cost of £1.35 per litre will save £756.90 per week (equivalent to £2,279.90 per month) and reduce CO₂ emissions by 2,644kg per week (around 11.5 tonnes per month).

Importantly, these technologies demonstrate to the market that sustainability doesn’t have to mean compromise, especially when performance, resilience and cost are carefully balanced.

Technology Alone Won’t Win the Race

While technological innovation is vital, the energy transition is as much about people, partnerships and mindset as it is about hardware. Most businesses understand that change is essential, but defining a clear starting point and a vision of success can be challenging.

That’s where Carrier, backed by global scale and experience, plays a key role. We’re not just here to rent out equipment. We work alongside customers to understand their drivers, whether cost, carbon, compliance, or a combination of all three. Then we build tailored packages that support practical progress.

Sometimes that means deploying the latest low-carbon technology. Sometimes it means integrating cleaner fuels like HVO, even while acknowledging their limitations. And sometimes it means helping customers make informed choices about trade-offs between environmental benefit and commercial viability.

Our view is pragmatic: the “perfect” sustainable solution may not yet exist for every application. But better solutions are available right now and they should be accessible to every business, regardless of where they are on the road to net-zero.

A Platform for Progress

One of the benefits of being part of the Carrier family is the ability to think longer-term and invest in scalable, future-ready infrastructure. As a group, Carrier has made sustainability a core business principle, not just a marketing message. Our global commitment to carbon reduction shapes the way we operate, from R&D to customer delivery.

That ethos cascades through Carrier Rental Systems, allowing us to align with ambitious customers and support their sustainability goals; whether they’re public sector organisations under scrutiny to decarbonise, or private firms looking to win contracts by demonstrating environmental leadership.

But we’re also clear-eyed about the structural issues. Some fuels, like HVO, have sparked debate over their real-world impact. Others, like hydrogen, offer huge potential but come with storage, safety and supply challenges. Battery technologies are improving, but questions remain about rare-earth materials, recycling and performance.

Our role is not to claim that we have all the answers, but to remain transparent, agile and well-informed, empowering our customers to navigate complexity and take meaningful action now.

Serving the Full Journey

If there’s one message we consistently reinforce, it’s this: sustainability is a journey, not a destination. And, critically, it’s a journey best made in partnership.

Customers who work with us benefit from our insight as much as from our equipment. They can learn from live projects and best practices across industries. By understanding where a customer is now and where they’re headed, we can map a pathway that grows with them.

This can mean helping a construction firm reduce on-site emissions to comply with planning conditions or supporting a utilities contractor bidding for a government framework that prioritises low-carbon delivery. In either case, we tailor our offer to be appropriate, achievable and aligned with long-term goals.

Increasingly, we’re seeing customers return to us for both product and progression. They’re upgrading solutions as their green agenda matures and their understanding deepens. For us, that’s the real mark of success.

Turning Policy into Practice

There’s no escaping the policy backdrop. Government net-zero targets, combined with growing investor and consumer expectations, mean organisations are under mounting pressure to demonstrate credible climate action. But it’s possible to set clear sustainability standards while still enabling suppliers to innovate and deliver. Joined-up policy and commercial partnerships can drive real impact.

As more entities, both public and private, adopt increasingly transparent approaches, suppliers who can offer sustainable, scalable and financially viable solutions will have a clear advantage.

Carrier Rental Systems is already investing in this future. We’re aligning our capabilities with emerging legislation and ensuring we’re ready not just to react, but to lead.

The Time to Act Is Now, Wherever You Are

The transition to net-zero isn’t a cliff edge. It’s a continuum. And every step, no matter how small, matters.

Whether a business is just starting to explore alternatives to diesel or is actively piloting hybrid systems, the important thing is to move. Move thoughtfully, but decisively.

Rental solutions play a vital role in that journey. They lower the barrier to entry for sustainable technologies, offer flexibility to adapt as needs evolve and provide measurable results that strengthen environmental credentials.

At Carrier, we’re proud to help organisations make that transition in practical, proven and commercially sound ways. Our message is simple: wherever you are on your journey, you can be confident that Carrier Rental Systems has efficient, sustainable solutions to meet your needs.

For more information on Carrier Rental System’s services, please visit: https://www.carrier.com/rental/en/uk

John Gallagher-Worthington
Sales Director, Carrier Rental Systems.

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