SSE

SSE aims to reach net zero across Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by 2040 at the latest, subject to security of supply requirements, and net zero across remaining Scope 3 emissions by 2050 at the latest. These targets sit within SSE’s Net Zero Transition Plan and are supported by near-term targets verified by the Science Based Targets initiative / SBTi.

SSE has several near-term science-based targets. It aims to reduce Scope 1 carbon intensity by 80% by 2030, from a 2017/18 baseline of 307 gCO₂e/kWh to 61 gCO₂e/kWh. It also targets a 72.5% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2030 from the 2017/18 base year, and a 50% reduction in absolute GHG emissions from use of products sold by 2034.

SSE discloses Scope 1, Scope 2 and selected Scope 3 emissions. In 2024/25, total reported emissions were 10.2 MtCO₂e, consisting of 51% Scope 1, 5% Scope 2 and 44% Scope 3. Reported Scope 3 emissions were 4.54 MtCO₂e, including gas sold / Category 11, joint venture investments / Category 15, raw fuels purchased / Category 3, contractor vessels / Category 4, business travel / Category 6 and network losses / Category 9. SSE also separately estimated Scope 3 Category 1 and 2 emissions from purchased goods and services / capital goods at approximately 2.30 MtCO₂e, but these are not yet included in the assured total reported emissions inventory.

SSE’s 2030 Goal is to build a renewable energy portfolio generating at least 50 TWh of renewable electricity per year by 2030, although the report states this target is currently behind target and is unlikely to be met under current market and policy conditions. In 2024/25, SSE reported 13.3 TWh of renewable output and 4,982 MW of renewable generation capacity. SSE is also working through SSEN Transmission to enable connection of at least 20 GW of renewable generation capacity within its licence area; progress in 2024/25 was 10.9 GW.

SSE’s 2024/25 Scope 1 GHG intensity of electricity generated was 218 gCO₂e/kWh, compared with 205 gCO₂e/kWh in 2023/24. This represents a 29% reduction against the 2017/18 baseline of 307 gCO₂e/kWh, but a 6% year-on-year increase, mainly due to higher thermal generation output and constrained renewable capacity on the grid.

SSE’s reported total GHG emissions were 10.2 MtCO₂e in 2024/25, up 10% from 9.27 MtCO₂e in 2023/24, but down 32% from the 2017/18 baseline of 15.1 MtCO₂e. Scope 1 and 2 absolute emissions were 5.70 MtCO₂e, representing a 48% reduction from the 2017/18 base year; SSE states it is two-thirds of the way to its 72.5% reduction by 2030 target.

SSE does not provide an EU Taxonomy-aligned capex / turnover / opex table in the Sustainability Report. The report states that SSE is not currently required to disclose under CSRD and that its double materiality assessment has not been undertaken as part of meeting CSRD requirements. It also notes that SSE may be subject to CSRD in future due to European activity, but preparations were affected by the EU Omnibus Simplification Package. For this metric, SSE should be recorded as regulatory disclosure present, but no quantitative EU Taxonomy alignment found in the uploaded report.

SSE reports water and environmental management indicators. In 2024/25, total water abstracted was 22,795 million m³, total water returned was 22,793 million m³, and total water consumed was 2.37 million m³. The report states that the vast majority of water abstracted relates to hydro operations and passes through turbines with minimal environmental impact. SSE’s total water abstracted excluding hydro operations fell by 9%, and water consumed decreased by 3%. It also reports ISO 14001-certified environmental management systems across all SSE businesses and more than 3,000 employees completing Environmental Awareness training.

SSE has strong OSW asset-level evidence. The report identifies Dogger Bank B and C, each 1.2 GW, with SSE share 40%, and notes that once fully operational Dogger Bank will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm. It also references flagship offshore projects including Beatrice and Seagreen, with Seagreen becoming operational in 2023. External official sources strengthen this: Dogger Bank is being developed in three 1.2 GW phases and, when complete, will power up to 6 million UK homes; Seagreen can power more than 1.7 million homes and displace over 2 million tonnes of CO₂ annually; Berwick Bank has potential capacity of up to 4.1 GW and could power more than 6 million homes.

SSE’s report provides stronger Group-level nature evidence than asset-level OSW marine ecology detail. It commits large onshore capital projects in the UK and Ireland to biodiversity-related targets, and its Environment Strategy covers land, air, freshwater and marine ecosystems. The report also states that SSE Renewables is a founding partner of Sustainability Joint Industry Partnership / SusJIP, which aims to develop the first standardised approach for calculating lifecycle emissions of offshore wind farms. For project-specific offshore marine ecology, external sources should be used cautiously; I found stronger evidence on offshore lifecycle emissions and nature-positive strategy than on specific marine mammal / seabed / bird mitigation measures comparable to Vattenfall’s Hollandse Kust Zuid.

SSE has clear nature-related targets for onshore large capital projects in the UK and Ireland. Projects consented from April 2023 must deliver no net loss in biodiversity; projects consented from April 2024 must deliver biodiversity net gain; and projects consented from April 2025 must deliver no net loss of native woodland. In 2024/25, 53 of 53 relevant projects had designed in no net loss, and 47 of 53 had designed in biodiversity net gain. However, this is stronger for onshore large capital projects than for offshore wind-specific marine biodiversity.

SSE reports circularity and waste management as an opportunity for enhanced impact. In 2024/25, 99% of waste by tonnage was diverted from landfill and 71% was recycled or re-used. SSE’s Environment Strategy includes responsible consumption and production and circular economy principles. However, the uploaded report does not disclose a quantified wind-blade or offshore wind component end-of-life target comparable to Vattenfall’s 100% circular outflow target. Externally, SSE Renewables states that it is working with contractors and its supply chain to drive circularity across the lifecycle of renewable generation and storage assets, from manufacturing through use phase and end-of-life, but this remains more strategic than a quantified turbine-component target.

SSE provides useful embodied-carbon evidence. The report estimates Scope 3 Category 1 and 2 purchased goods and services / capital goods emissions at 2.30 MtCO₂e, with the largest sources identified as electrical equipment, machinery and steel structures: 1.07 MtCO₂e, civil construction activities: 0.42 MtCO₂e, and construction and installation vessels: 0.41 MtCO₂e. SSE Renewables also worked with Mott MacDonald to study lower-carbon onshore wind turbine foundations, examining lower-impact concrete mixes, composite reinforcing bars and foundation design philosophy. Externally, SSE Renewables states that through SusJIP, it supports a decarbonisation pathway for offshore wind focused on standardising supplier emissions data and increasing uptake of low-carbon technologies.

SSE’s supplier climate engagement is strong. It met its previous target to engage suppliers representing 50% of spend to help them set science-based targets by 2024, and has reset the target to engage 90% of suppliers by spend by 2030. In 2024/25, 51% of suppliers by spend were engaged. SSE also reports Group-level sustainable procurement frameworks, human rights and modern slavery disclosures, and supplier expectations, although the report does not provide a simple count of supplier audits comparable to Vattenfall or Iberdrola.

SSE has SBTi-verified near-term climate targets and broad external ESG validation. In 2024/25, it reported MSCI AAA, Sustainalytics ESG Risk Rating 21.8, CDP Climate A-, CDP Water B-, FTSE4Good inclusion, and top-20% performance in a relevant electric utilities benchmark. SSE also links executive remuneration to ESG ratings and 2030 Goals: 10% of AIP is linked to average percentile performance across two external ESG ratings, and 30% of PSP is linked to sustainability / strategic measures