SSEN Transmission goes greener with plans to cut emissions by a third
Sector-leading energy transmission company switches to solar panels, EV vehicles and introduces energy-efficient measures across more than 80 sites to help lower carbon emissions
SSEN Transmission, the energy firm responsible for the transmission network across the north of Scotland, is taking steps to reduce their carbon emissions by a third in a bid to go greener across the company.
As the world’s first electricity networks company to receive external accreditation for a science-based target in line with a 1.5°C global warming pathway, the Perth-based company has committed to a reduction of one third in their greenhouse gas emissions by March 2026, which marks the end of the current transmission networks price control period (RIIO-T2). This 33% reduction is consistent with a net zero emissions pathway and puts SSEN Transmission on the trajectory to meet their 2030 science-based target.
A Science Based Target is a target for greenhouse gas emission reductions that is set based on the level of reduction that science says is required to prevent the catastrophic effects of climate change. Basing these targets on 1.5°C climate change scenarios means that they are based on the Paris Agreement’s most ambitious goal.
Delivering net zero emissions and preventing the worst effects of climate change is at the heart of SSEN Transmission’s business. Whilst the most material impact it has is through connecting and transporting clean renewable electricity across the north of Scotland and beyond, SSEN Transmission is also putting their responsibility to take direct action to reduce their own impact on climate change front and centre, including re-assessing their existing sites to see where emissions can be reduced.
To meet this goal, a £16.9M programme of work has been drawn up to tackle areas where carbon reduction measures can take place.
Energy use at SSEN Transmission substations accounts for the largest controllable greenhouse gas emissions on the network, at 56% of total emissions. SSEN Transmission substations are powered directly from the power that flows through the transmission network. With around 130 substations (with the number set to increase) that adds up to a lot of electricity - around 23 times more power than is used in all of SSEN Transmission’s offices, warehouses and depots.
In order to reduce emissions across SSEN Transmisson substations and sites, teams are looking to:
- Install new energy-efficiency measures in up to 83 substations and office areas to reduce our carbon footprint. This includes ensuring spaces are properly insulated, with energy saving heating controls installed and switching lighting to LED equivalents where appropriate.
- Installing PV Solar Panels across 44 locations, meaning substations can run from their own electricity sources, allowing more clean energy to return to the power grid. The proposed PV array sizes vary from 20 kilowatt-peak (kWp) to up to 150 kWp depending on the size of the substation, with total installed capacity in excess of 2 MWp.
- Introducing two 22kW EV chargers at 32 grid substations, and installing a further 98 remote charging points for cars and operational vehicles, to support plans to switch 50% of the fleet into electric vehicles by 2026.
SSEN Transmission currently has 617 operational vehicles and operational transport accounts for 8% of their controllable greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the SSE Group, SSEN Transmission has committed to the Climate Group EV100 initiative which requires 100% of vehicles up to 3.5t and 50% of vehicles up to 7.5t to be electric by 2030, with an aim for 50% of their operational fleet to be electric by the 2026.
Vic Stirling, Director of Network Renewals & Customer Connections at SSEN Transmission said:
“Delivering net zero emissions and preventing the worst effects of climate change is at the heart of our business. And this includes reducing our own operational carbon footprint to create a greener grid. We’re putting this into action by making changes to the way we work and cutting our emissions by a third – which is one of our five clear goals we set out in our Network for Net Zero Business Plan in 2021.
“Every kWh of electricity used in powering our substations is a kWh of clean energy that doesn’t get transmitted to the rest of the UK. And unlike line and equipment losses, this is avoidable waste - we can do something about it. As such we’re rolling out a £16.9M programme of work to cut down on our carbon emissions, starting with ensuring our buildings are as energy efficient as possible to ensure we’re doing everything we can to save energy.
“Next we’ll begin installing PV solar panels at over 40 sites, with plans to bring in EV chargers at over 32 substations and a further 98 remote locations, which will help support our roll-out of over 50% of our fleet consisting of electric vehicles by 2026.”
“We’re committed to doing everything we can to reduce our carbon emissions in our own operations, as we deliver a network for net zero to help tackle climate change.”