SSE’s vision is to be a leading energy company in a net zero world. And as one of the UK and Ireland’s leading generators of renewable energy (SSE Renewables) and one of the largest electricity network companies in the UK (SSEN), sustainability and climate action are at the core of SSE’s business strategy.
We are UK-listed in the FTSE100 and will invest over £12.5bn by 2026 (on average £7m a day) in low-carbon energy and electricity infrastructure in our Net Zero Acceleration Programme.
SSE has a target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions across its scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by 2040 (subject to security of supply requirements) and for remaining scope 3 emissions by 2050.
We also plans to increase our renewable energy output fivefold by 2031 and have set interim science-based targets for carbon reduction, which are aligned with the Paris Agreement and verified by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi).
We are a real Living Wage and Living Hours accredited employer and a Fair Tax Mark accredited company, and we employ over 12,000 talented and skilled people across to UK and Ireland.
Our campaign is the story of a team effort, one that involves thousands of people working as one to deliver the actions needed today to bring low-carbon electricity to homes and businesses across the UK and Ireland.
This includes building the world’s largest offshore wind farm at Dogger Bank, off the coast of Yorkshire, Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm in Seagreen off the coast of Angus, and the UK’s most productive onshore wind farm in terms of annual electricity output in Viking on the Shetland Islands. We are also developing one of the largest offshore opportunities in the world in the Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm in the Firth of Forth, with the potential to generate enough renewable energy to power over 5 million homes.
Along with its joint venture partners (Equinor and Eni Plenitude), SSE Renewables is building the largest offshore wind farm in the world at Dogger Bankin the North Sea more than 130km off the North East coast of England. Dogger Bank will be delivered in 3 phases, 1200MW per phase, and when fully operational will have wind capacity of 3600MW. Once complete in 2026 it will be capable of powering up to 6 million homes,helping drive the transition to net zero carbon emissions.
Transitioning to a net-zero world means new industries being created, with opportunities for both the existing workforce and new entrants. As part of this transition, SSE is supporting and delivering thousands of green jobs including:
More than 1,250 UK jobs created or supported in relation to the construction and future operation of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, the world’s largest offshore wind farm, which we’re building with joint venture partners Equinor and Eni Plenitude.
Over 400 new direct, contractor and supply chain jobs linked to the £3bn Seagreen offshore wind farm near Angus, Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm, which we’re building with joint venture partner TotalEnergies.
More than 400 new jobs in our Networks business - SSEN Transmission. The new jobs will include technical roles at all levels to help facilitate some of the major development projects in the pipeline for the business, as well as project management roles and teams to help with customer and stakeholder engagement.
Since 2019, SSE has aligned its business strategy to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) most material to its business. This includes SDG7 (Affordable and clean energy) and SSE has committed to increase renewable energy output fivefold, building a renewable energy portfolio that generates at least 50TWh of renewable electricity a year by 2031.
In the UK, SSE is working with partners to develop enough renewables projects to power 2 in 3 homes. This is based on figures prepared on a best endeavours basis which project that taking into account the current renewable installed capacity, pipeline in construction and pipeline requiring consent, SSE is developing renewables projects capable of generating at least 58TWh of renewable electricity a year. Based on the average UK 'mid-sized' house consumption of 2.9 MWh, and the latest estimate of total UK household dwellings, total power which would be required to power 2 in 3 homes is 58 TWh. For a detailed breakdown of the data behind these renewables projects,click here (SSE Renewables Databook 31 March 2022).
SSE Energy Solutions provides access to renewable energy straight from our Britishwind farms for our business customers. We are also providing a growing suite of low-carbon energy products and innovative distributed energy solutions to support customers on their net zero journey. This includes:
Business Energy: Providing energy for businesses big and small across Great Britain, we offer a wide range of fixed-price and flexible plans, and all our fixed contracts include 100% renewable electricity as standard. All our renewable electricity is sourced from SSE’s own British wind and hydro assets.
Distributed Energy: Our energy infrastructure and digital services experts are delivering whole system thinking solutions that bring together the diverse needs of all stakeholders and help our partners to accelerate their decarbonisation programs. These solutions include low-carbon heat, transport and power infrastructure, including flexible generation & storage and EV charging.
Our Networks business (SSEN) plays a critical role in the transition to a low carbon future, developing, building, maintaining and operating a network for net zero.
SSE’s Transmission Network is vital to net zero ambitions as it transports huge quantities of clean, green renewable power over a quarter of the UK land mass across some of its most challenging terrain. Find out more here.
SSE’S Distribution Network provides power to 3.8 million homes and businesses in communities across central southern England and the north of Scotland, keeping customers connected whilst developing the flexible electricity network vital to achieving net zero. Find out more here.
As a leading energy company in the UK and Ireland, we have deliberately aligned our business strategy to social objectives. Since 2019, SSE has aligned its business strategy to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) most material to its business. The SDGs SSE defines as ‘highly material’ to its business and which it aligns its strategy and operations to are:
SDG13 Climate action;
SDG7 Affordable and clean energy;
SDG9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure; and
SDG8 Decent work and economic growth.
SSE’s 2030 Goals for the company, which are linked to executive remuneration, are aligned to these highly material SDGs:
SDG13: Cut carbon intensity by 80%Reduce Scope 1 carbon intensity by 80% by 2030, compared to 2017/18 levels, to 61gCO2e/kW;
SDG7: Increase renewable energy output fivefold Build a renewable energy portfolio that generates at least 50TWh of renewable electricity a year by 2030;
SDG9:Enable low-carbon generation and demand Enable at least 20GW of renewable generation and facilitate around 2 million EVs and 1 million heat pumps on SSEN’s electricity networks by 2030;
SDG8: Champion a fair and just energy transitionBe a global leader for the just transition to net zero, with a guarantee of fair work and commitment to paying fair tax and sharing economic value.
SSE reports on its progress against these 2030 Goals each year within its Annual Report and Sustainability Report.
While renewable generation will do the heavy lifting to decarbonise the UK’s power system, and is at the core of SSE’s strategy, the UK continues to require flexible thermal power stations on the grid to maintain security of supply in periods of low renewable generation output. SSE Thermal is fully focused on providing vital flexible and reliable generation in a way that is consistent with SSE Group’s Paris-aligned, Science Based Targets and its commitment to achieving net zero by 2050.
SSE is already making major progress in this regard, closing its last coal-fired power station in 2020, five years ahead of the UK Government’s 2025 deadline, and building a first-of-a-kind, super-efficient power station at Keadby 2 in North Lincolnshire, which will displace older, more carbon-intensive generation on the GB electricity network. SSE has publicly stated it will not build any further power stations without a clear route to decarbonisation, and the company is now focused on decarbonising its gas-fired power generation through carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen solutions. Find out more here.
