YEAR ONE
OVERVIEW
This year was the first on our 20-year journey to reaching Net Zero emissions by 2040.
Since publishing our routemap last year, we have again experienced a number of extreme weather events.
Winter 2020 was the most challenging in a decade and January was the coldest since 1985. This summer, parts of Edinburgh received two thirds of July’s expected rainfall in an hour. Weather events like this are happening with increasing frequency, in line with climate change projections. They reinforce the importance of us doing all we can, as quickly as possible, to support the elimination of the emissions that contribute to climate change.
Whilst we continue to target net zero emissions across all we do by 2040, since publishing our routemap we have developed an ambitious pathway to deliver net zero operational emissions by 2030.
In our first year, we delivered on our plans. To deliver on our ambitious targets, we have increased our focus on the four strategic actions in the routemap that can eliminate or reduce our emissions.
We are looking to increase our rate of delivery and will manage risks as they arise. Where we anticipate any shortfall, we will look to take corrective action to remain on track and where an outcome has not been met we will be open and transparent in our reporting of it.
PROGRESS IN YEAR
BECOME MORE
ENERGY EFFICIENT
Saved 1GWh of electricity
through efficiency
Set a 90GWh reduction in electricity
usage target for 2030
USE LOWER-CARBON
ENERGY PRODUCTS
Installed 1GWh of solar renewable energy
Developed a plan to change 800 diesel vans for electric vehicles and install charging infrastructure
Assessed over 450 sites for their
ability to host and use renewables
Set a target to deliver 90GWh
of renewable power by 2030
Set a target to deliver 80GWh
of energy from bioresource by 2030
Set a target to deliver 110GWh reduction
in gas energy by 2030, by stopping the thermal drying of sludge
embrace low
carbon construction
Established our carbon academy and delivered vital training and guidance to hundreds of our people and suppliers
Established a new Benefits Framework, making finding the lowest carbon solution a central part of investment decision making
store away emissions that
cannot be avoided
Restored 45 hectares of peatland
Developed a plan to store more carbon than
we produce, restoring all peatland on
Scottish Water land and delivering
4000-6000Ha of tree planting
Key objectives for 2021/22
In year two, we will continue to progress the routemap and look for learnings from our expert panel and supply chain partners.
Our most ambitious targets for 2021/22 are:
PROGRESS IN YEAR
BECOME MORE
ENERGY EFFICIENT
Saved 1GWh of electricity
through efficiency
Set a 90GWh reduction in electricity
usage target for 2030
USE LOWER-CARBON
ENERGY PRODUCTS
Installed 1GWh of solar renewable energy
Developed a plan to change 800 diesel vans for electric vehicles and install charging infrastructure
Assessed over 450 sites for their ability to host and use renewables
Set a target to deliver 90GWh
of renewable power by 2030
Set a target to deliver 80GWh
of energy from bioresource by 2030
Set a target to deliver 110GWh reduction in gas energy by 2030, by stopping the thermal drying of sludge
embrace low
carbon construction
Established our carbon academy and delivered vital training and guidance to hundreds of our people and suppliers
Established a new Benefits Framework, making finding the lowest carbon solution a central part of investment decision making
store away emissions that cannot be avoided
Restored 45 hectares of peatland
Developed a plan to store more carbon than we produce, restoring all peatland on Scottish Water land and delivering 4000-6000Ha of tree planting
Key objectives for 2021/22
In year two, we will continue to progress the routemap and look for learnings from our expert panel and supply chain partners.
Our most ambitious targets for 2021/22 are:
2020/2021 OPERATIONAL EMISSIONS FOOTPRINT
Our operational greenhouse gas emissions fell to 249,000tCO2e, a 2% reduction from 2019-20.
There were increases and decreases across the different carbon footprint categories this year.
The most significant increase was caused by a change in the way waste water process emissions are calculated in line with the Carbon Accounting Workbook used by the UK water sector.
This aligned it with updated global protocols and meant that the factors applied for the generation and impact of methane and nitrous oxide from waste water treatment were increased. This accounting change led to a 30% rise in process emissions reported during 2020-1.
We continue to work across the UK water sector to improve our understanding and management of these emissions.
Due to shifts in water usage patterns driven by Covid 19, we needed to pump more water and waste water, increasing the amount of electricity used.
However, due to the greening of the grid and other initiatives such as energy efficiency, we still reduced our emissions from electricity by 1700 tCO2.
Due to the pandemic, we also made significant savings in transport and travel emissions driving fewer miles and reducing our emissions.
These reductions were combined with a 1GWh increase
in capacity in new renewable projects coming on- stream and being commissioned to displace grid electricity use.
These measures enabled Scottish Water to absorb the significant increase caused by process emission factor changes, and to show a modest decrease for the year.
PROGRESS UPDATE
Our routemap highlighted a number of key milestones on the way to net zero, covering all aspects of our emissions. These are supported by commitments to a range of actions and activities to build capacity and capability, and to deliver specific goals we would undertake over defined timescales to reach net zero.
Progress across each can be viewed in the drop downs below.
Electricity consumption is still our largest single source of emissions. We must reduce our consumption to reduce emissions and increase financial benefits, while enabling us to support other goals such as generating all the electricity we consume.
GOAL: Reducing our consumption of electricity – 20% by 2040
GOAL: 100% of energy used is our own or hosted renewables by 2040
Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels across all of our sites is a key part of getting to net zero.
GOAL: 100% reduction in gas and fuel oil consumption
Key Achievements:
Pre pandemic our fleet travelled around 19 million miles for business reasons. Our strategy aims to minimise the miles we travel and find zero emissions ways to travel.
GOAL: 50% reduction in the distance we travel
GOAL: 100% Zero Emissions Fleet – Transitioning our fleet to Zero Emissions Vehicles
We were the first UK water company to include investment emissions as part of our net zero goal. Investment emissions are projected to overtake operational emissions over the next two years.
GOAL: 75% reduction in carbon intensity of investment
GOAL: 75% reduction in carbon intensity
Across the 22,500 hectares of our land, we can contribute to the natural, social and economic sustainability of Scotland’s landscape by working to increase both carbon storage, and the biodiversity of our landholdings.
OUTCOME: Improve carbon dioxide storage on our land to support net zero emissions
ENABLERS
We know that we cannot achieve our ambitious goals alone. On our journey to net zero, there are some key enabling activity areas which we have progressed in the last year.
PEOPLE
Carbon academy established to share best practice and be a focal point for learning activities.
Two groups of modern apprentices taking part in the Fuel Change Challenge, the Scottish Apprentice Low Carbon Innovation Challenge.
All of our leaders are being encouraged to complete the Scottish Government’s Climate Solutions course.
CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITIES
Supporting the Let’s Do Net Zero Scottish Government Campaign.
Refreshed our partnership with Home Energy Scotland.
Continued to run campaigns on Saving Water and Energy.
PROCUREMENT
GOVERNANCE
POLICY AND REGULATION
Scottish Government and other public bodies engaged through various groups including:
The minister led Environment and Economy Leaders Group (EELG)
The Sustainable Scotland Network Steering Group
Contributed case studies and evidence to Scottish Government’s climate change plans.
Shared our progress in developing approaches to carbon management and accounting for net zero.
INNOVATION
LOW ENERGY WATER
AND WASTE WATER
TREATMENT,
AMMONIA AND
METHANE RECOVERY
DIGITAL AND
ANALYTIC TOOLS
MATERIALS
RESEARCH
WATER FOR
HYDROGEN
PRODUCTION
WASTE WATER ANAEROBIC TREATMENT TRIAL
We have developed a design for the anaerobic treatment of waste water and have installed a pilot reactor at our Denny waste water treatment works .
This will undergo a year long trial to test its effectiveness under a range of operating conditions. If successful, we will look to scale up the technology. This technology offers the potential for a waste water treatment works to not only be low energy but also to generate all the energy it consumes.
FLOW ENERGY
To help reduce energy consumption across our 2500 sewage pumping stations, we have developed a tool called Flow Energy which uses energy consumption data and digital algorithms to identify potential issues.
This enables local teams to investigate sooner and put in place interventions to prevent service failure and reduce excess energy demand.
So far this has been deployed to over 1,400 sewage pumping stations, providing weekly reports to team leaders from across the country and could help save around 5% of energy demand in waste water pumping over the coming years.
CEMFREE / ROAD
BINDER TRIALS
At Daldowie Waste Water Treatment Works we have trialled a low carbon concrete alternative called Cemfree.
This can be used in place of cement to from a concrete with up to 80% less embodied carbon. With our delivery partners, we are looking at how we might make greater use of this type of material.
At Biggar Water Treatment Works, we worked with McKenzie Construction to resurface an 800 metre section of access road by using a binder called ecoProactive to stabilise the existing surface. This process was cheaper than tarmacking the road and eliminated the need for quarrying and delivering new materials.
HYDROGEN FROM
FINAL EFFLUENT
Working with Cranfield University, we are studying the role of hydrogen in reducing carbon emissions in the industry.
This study looks at the technologies and processes available to produce hydrogen and what role these can play in reducing emissions.
WASTEWATER ANAEROBIC TREATMENT TRIAL
We have developed a design for the anaerobic treatment of waste water and have installed a pilot reactor at our Denny waste water treatment works.
This will undergo a year long trial to test its effectiveness under a range of operating conditions. If successful, we will look to scale up the technology. This technology offers the potential for a waste water treatment works to not only be low energy but also to generate all the energy it consumes.
FLOW ENERGY
To help reduce energy consumption across our 2500 sewage pumping stations, we have developed a tool called Flow Energy which uses energy consumption data and digital algorithms to identify potential issues.
This enables local teams to investigate sooner and put in place interventions to prevent service failure and reduce excess energy demand.
So far this has been deployed to over 1,400 sewage pumping stations, providing weekly reports to team leaders from across the country and could help save around 5% of energy demand in waste water pumping over the coming years.
CEMFREE / ROAD
BINDER TRIALS
At Daldowie Waste Water Treatment Works
we have trialled a low carbon concrete alternative called Cemfree.
This can be used in place of cement to from a concrete with up to 80% less embodied carbon. With our delivery partners, we are looking at how we might make greater use of this type of material.
At Biggar Water Treatment Works, we worked
with McKenzie Construction to resurface an 800 metre section of access road by using a binder called ecoProactive to stabilise the existing surface. This process was cheaper than tarmacking the road and eliminated the need for quarrying and delivering new materials.
HYDROGEN FROM
FINAL EFFLUENT
Working with Cranfield University, we are studying the role of hydrogen in reducing carbon emissions in the industry.
This study looks at the technologies and processes available to produce hydrogen and what role these can play in reducing emissions.