Thames Water switches to 100% renewable electricity in bid to meet net-zero by 2030
29th October 2019 | Water
Thames Water has revealed that it is now using 100% renewable electricity across its operations, in a mix which is partly self-generated and partly sourced through power purchase agreements. In its latest environmental, social and governance (ESG) statement, published this week, the water firm sets out the first steps it is taking as part of its overarching bid to reach net-zero operational carbon emissions by 2030.
The statement reveals that Thames Water had hit its 2020 emissions target, to reduce Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (power-related) emissions by 34% against a 1900 baseline, two years ahead of schedule. According to the statement, this reduction was largely due to the company’s shift towards self-generated renewable energy. Thames Water claims that 22% of its 2018/2019 electricity needs were met by sewage (281 GWh), wind (5GWh) and solar power (12 GWh).
Thames Water
In a bid to reach its net-zero target, the statement confirms, Thames Water recently began sourcing 100% of its remaining electricity from external renewable generation arrays, through a PPA with an as-yet unnamed “green tariff” electricity supplier.
“Becoming more sustainable is a longstanding commitment of ours, and, in April 2019, we took it a step further with a pledge to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030,” Thames Water’s interim executive chairman Ian Marchant said. “At the heart of our sustainable thinking are nine sustainability themes making up our sustainability policy. We use these as our guiding principles to help us make the critical decisions that safeguard the delivery of our services to customers over the long term.”
The statement additionally details Thames Water’s progress in minimising leakage in the face of megatrends such as a climate change and population growth, and the company’s recent work to enhance biodiversity at five of its key sites.
More information available on the website below