Same Pot, Same Purpose: an Interview on Accelerating Energy Efficiency and Renewables Across the UK Through Public Funding

As Scotland accelerates its journey to net zero, behind the scenes financial work is helping make low carbon choices more accessible. Former Forest Carbon team member, Carolina, shares how her current role at Energy Saving Trust supports practical climate action - while drawing on lessons from her time in nature-based solutions.

Former Forest Carbon team member, Carolina Krodel, has been working at Energy Saving Trust, where she manages financial reporting for Scottish Government grants and loans that support renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades. These schemes play a crucial role in reducing emissions across homes and businesses. With experience spanning both nature-based and engineered solutions, Carolina brings a unique lens to how different sectors can collaborate to tackle the climate crisis.

Could you tell us a bit about your journey from Forest Carbon to the Energy Saving Trust? What inspired your move and how do your experiences at Forest Carbon influence your current work?

I absolutely loved my time at Forest Carbon. The UK carbon market is a fascinating space, and my journey to Energy Saving Trust was really kick started when I learned about the work that they do. It's a very different area of sustainability, and I was largely driven by the desire to learn more about that side of the Net Zero transition. It's been a really interesting move, a very different type of role, and I have learnt a lot.

Although much of the carbon market specific knowledge from my time at Forest Carbon is no longer applicable in my work, the soft skills I developed there, and the confidence I gained from being part of such a fantastic team are things I bring with me.

I should also say that the knowledge about trees and UK ecosystems is something I still go on about whenever I'm on a walk or hike, to anyone who will listen. This is a marvellous benefit of having worked with wonderfully enthusiastic and enormously knowledgeable people like James.

Grants and loans are a critical aspect of driving sustainability. How do you ensure that these funds deliver the greatest possible impact on energy efficiency and renewables uptake?

I'm a much smaller part of a much larger operation these days. I oversee and report on some of the key grants and loans Energy Saving Trust administers. So for me, ensuring that impact is delivered means supporting overall delivery of the grant and loan schemes through day to day financial management, and supporting the operations team with data analysis and insight. 

How do you see grants and loans contributing to Scotland’s net zero targets? Are there specific examples of projects that have made a significant difference?

I believe the grants and loans schemes I work on make a crucial contribution to Scotland's Net Zero targets. Not only that, but it supports households and businesses making decisions that reduce not only their carbon footprint but their energy costs.

In your experience, how do engineered solutions like energy efficiency and renewables complement natural solutions? Are there opportunities for collaboration?

To solve the climate crisis I think we need to be open to all solutions. I tend to think about it in terms of the mitigation hierarchy - reducing our carbon footprint is crucial to reaching Net Zero. Solutions like upgrading the housing stock to improve energy efficiency and replacing fossil fuel heating with zero direct emissions heating options like Air Source Heat Pumps do exactly this. It's a required step both on a national and business level, but absolutely one that can (and should!) work alongside natural solutions for emissions reduction and carbon removal.

You’ve worked in two very different but interconnected areas of sustainability. What excites you most about the future of climate solutions in the UK?

One of the things that I find really exciting about both areas are the additional benefits that we gain from implementation of the (very different) measures. 

In addition to the carbon savings, energy efficiency measures and renewables can reduce the costs of heating our homes, supporting families, individuals, and businesses across Scotland. Meanwhile, natural solutions that remove carbon or reduce emissions contribute to biodiversity gains and more interesting and diverse landscapes. 

It's great to see areas where public and private investment work together to improve outcomes both for people and the natural world.