• Home
  • News
  • In-depth
  • Opinion
  • Energy
    • Wind
    • Marine
    • Solar
    • Biomass
    • Nuclear
    • CCS
    • Infrastructure
  • Policy
    • Politics
    • Legislation
    • Taxation
  • Management
    • Marketing
    • Risk
    • Skills
    • Incentives
    • Carbon Accounting
  • Technology
    • Waste
    • Recycling
    • R&D
    • Efficiency
    • IT
  • Investment
    • Carbon Trading
    • Offsets
    • Venture Capital
  • Net Zero Now
  • Events & Awards
  • SDG Hub
  • Industry Voice
  • Newsletters
  • Sign in
  •  
      • Newsletters
      • Account details
      • Contact support
      • Sign out
     
    • You are currently accessing BusinessGreen via your Enterprise account.

      If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

      If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

      Phone: +44 (0) 1858 438800

      Email: [email protected]

      • Sign in
  • Follow us
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • Newsletters
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
  • Free Trial
  • Subscribe
  • Events & Awards
    • Upcoming events
      event logo
      NZF Pathway - Finance

      This exclusive half day online event will investigate how all businesses can support and accelerate the transition to low and net zero carbon buildings, while maximising the financial and productivity opportunities that will result.

      • Date: 16 Mar 2021
      • Online Event
      event logo
      Net Zero Festival 2021

      Net Zero Festival is the world's first business festival dedicated to exploring, advancing, and celebrating the global transition to a net zero emission economy. Join us at BusinessGreen's Net Zero Festival – for leaders who won't wait until 2050 to build a better business, and a better world.

      • Date: 29 Sep 2021
      • Worldwide
      View all events
  • SDG Hub
Business Green
Business Green
  • Home
  • News
  • In-depth
  • Opinion
  • Energy
  • Policy
  • Management
  • Technology
  • Investment
  • Net Zero Now
 
    • Newsletters
    • Account details
    • Contact support
    • Sign out
 
  • You are currently accessing BusinessGreen via your Enterprise account.

    If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

    If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

    Phone: +44 (0) 1858 438800

    Email: [email protected]

    • Sign in
  • Hot topics
  • Budget 2021
  • Carney row
  • Nature-based solutions
  • Net Zero Finance
Bgnzf20 1125 125 leadership rebbon
  • Management

SSE powers up net zero target for 2050 'at the latest'

SSE powers up net zero target for 2050 'at the latest'
  • James S Murray
  • James S Murray
  • @James_BG
  • 11 November 2020
  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Send to  
0 Comments

Energy giant builds on £7.5bn low carbon energy investment plan with new science-based emissions targets

SSE has become the latest UK energy supplier to set a net zero emission target, pledging to fully decarbonise its business operations by 2050 "at the latest".

The company announced this morning that it has joined the UN's Race to Zero campaign and is to set a new science based emissions target that will be in line with the ambition to limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5C.

Related articles

  • Net Zero Festival: MSCI and Schroders to partner with inaugural Net Zero Finance Summit
  • Study: Ten-fold increase in annual CO2 cuts needed to hit global climate goals
  • Low carbon packages: FedEx pledges to deliver 'carbon neutrality' across its operations by 2040 with $2bn investment drive
  • Octopus extends reach of Electric Juice Network with Ionity tie-up

The commitment to decarbonise SSE's own operations builds on the company's £7.5bn five year low carbon energy infrastructure investment plan. The company is leading the development of some of the UK's largest renewables projects, including the world's largest offshore windfarm in Dogger Bank, off the coast of Yorkshire, Scotland's largest offshore windfarm in Seagreen off the coast of Angus, and the UK's largest onshore windfarm in Viking on the Shetland Islands.

The move will also mean a further upgrade to SSE's medium term emissions targets, which were strengthened earlier this year in a bid to bring its goals into line with a "well below" 2C global warming trajectory. During the summer the company announced new targets which were approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative and would SSE reduce its Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions 60 per cent against a 2018 base year to 120g CO2e/kWh by 2030, bolstering its previous target to reduce carbon intensity by 50 per cent to 150g CO2e/kWh.

At the time the company also committed at the time to cut its absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 40 per cent against a 2018 base line by 2030 and work with its supply chain to ensure half its suppliers have their own science based target in place by 2024. And it pledged to reduce emissions from the use of its products - including heat - by 50 per cent by 2034 against a 2018 base line.

A spokesman for SSE said it would review its existing targets and decarbonisation pathway within five years to seek to align the medium term targets to a 1.5C trajectory. 

"Preventing climate change is the responsibility of everyone," said Martin Pibworth, SSE Energy Director. "At SSE, we have pinned our business future on providing the low carbon infrastructure that helps the UK and Ireland achieve their climate targets. But we must have our own house in order too. That's why SSE is today, committing to achieve 'net zero' carbon emissions from all of our business operations by 2050 at the latest."

He also urged more businesses to sign up to the Race to Zero campaign ahead of next year's COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow.

The commitment was welcomed by COP26 High Level Climate Action Champion, Nigel Topping, who said it was "great that SSE is joining the Race to Zero and very encouraging to see its ambitious low-carbon investment plans".

"We encourage all energy companies to step up with the same level of ambition and join the Race to Zero," he added.

SSE is part of a growing trend that has seen many of the UK's energy suppliers commit to full decarbonisation, with some aiming to deliver net zero emissions as early as 2030.

  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Send to  
  • Topics
  • Management
  • Energy
  • Infrastructure
  • SSE
  • Net Zero Now
  • Race to zero
  • leadership

More on Management

    • Automotive
Octopus extends reach of Electric Juice Network with Ionity tie-up
    • Automotive
    • 04 March 2021
Two BYD ADL electric models have been running in Glasgow for a year | Credit: First Glasgow
    • BusinessGreen
All aboard for COP26: 22 electric buses planned for Glasgow ahead of Climate Summit
    • BusinessGreen
    • 04 March 2021
    • Technology
Funding boost for Storegga's vision of world-leading CCS on UK shores
    • Technology
    • 04 March 2021
Fast food giant Burger King has published a new "charter" detailing a raft of sustainability goals
    • Management
'Burger King For Good': Fast food giant launches detailed sustainability charter
    • Management
    • 04 March 2021
ENA
    • Energy
The pathways to net zero with smarter grids and a hydrogen future
    • Energy
    • 04 March 2021
Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power station | Credit: By Alan Murray-Rust, CC BY-SA 2.0
    • Energy
Coal loses out in latest auction for winter back-up grid supply contracts
    • Energy
    • 03 March 2021
    • Wind
Global Wind Organisation trained workforce passes 100,000 mark
    • Wind
    • 03 March 2021
HyPoint partner ZeroAvia achieved flight with a hydrogen-electric plane last summer | Credit: ZeroAvia
    • Aviation
HyPoint debuts prototype of air-cooled hydrogen fuel cell for aviation
    • Aviation
    • 03 March 2021

More news

Net Zero Festival: MSCI and Schroders to partner with inaugural Net Zero Finance Summit
  • Investment
Net Zero Festival: MSCI and Schroders to partner with inaugural Net Zero Finance Summit

Net Zero Finance event to take place on March 16th as part of the Net Zero Festival, bringing together over 50 top green finance experts from around the world

  • 04 March 2021
Study: Ten-fold increase in annual CO2 cuts needed to hit global climate goals
  • Climate change
Study: Ten-fold increase in annual CO2 cuts needed to hit global climate goals

UK boasts one of the world's best decarbonisation records, but it still pales in comparison to what is required under Paris Agreement

  • 04 March 2021
'23 million 40-tonne trucks': UN study uncovers extent of world's food waste crisis
  • Waste
'23 million 40-tonne trucks': UN study uncovers extent of world's food waste crisis

The findings suggest an urgent need to ramp up efforts to meet UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which aims to halve global food waste by 2030

  • 04 March 2021
Green recovery or bust? Six green things we learnt from the Budget (and a lot of things we didn't)
  • Politics
Green recovery or bust? Six green things we learnt from the Budget (and a lot of things we didn't)

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak served up a host of green infrastructure and financial measures, but has kicked many key issues down the road

  • 04 March 2021
blog comments powered by Disqus
Back to Top

Most read

Budget 2021: Treasury trails green bond launch and £22bn UK Infrastructure Bank plans
Budget 2021: Treasury trails green bond launch and £22bn UK Infrastructure Bank plans
Plant-based fast food: Beyond Meat inks deals for McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut
Plant-based fast food: Beyond Meat inks deals for McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut
Mark Carney responds to mounting criticism of 'net zero' claims
Mark Carney responds to mounting criticism of 'net zero' claims
Budget 2021: All the green announcements at a glance
Budget 2021: All the green announcements at a glance
'More than affordable': Aviation could offset its way to 'carbon neutrality' with minimal impact on profitability
'More than affordable': Aviation could offset its way to 'carbon neutrality' with minimal impact on profitability
  • Contact Us
  • Marketing solutions
  • About Incisive Media
  • Terms and conditions
  • Policies
  • Careers
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Newsletters
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Incisive Footer Logo

© Incisive Business Media (IP) Limited, Published by Incisive Business Media Limited, New London House, 172 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5QR, registered in England and Wales with company registration numbers 09177174 & 09178013

Digital publisher of the year
Digital publisher of the year 2010, 2013, 2016 & 2017
Loading