Our route to net zero operational emissions will take us down a ‘demand-led’ pathway. We consider this to be the most affordable, sustainable and resilient way to achieve net zero carbon by 2030, supported by existing technologies such as renewable generation and electric vehicles. A demand-led approach is challenging but by engaging and collaborating with our customers, supply chain partners, local businesses and other stakeholders to make sure our activities not only reduce carbon, but deliver wider social, economic and environmental benefits as well.
For example, by helping customers reduce their water demand, it not only delivers carbon savings for us as a business but reduces the amount of water abstracted from the environment, protecting habitats, reduces the amount customers have to spend on water and, where water is then heated before use, reduces the customers' energy bill and their own carbon footprint.
There are five strategic areas of focus to our net zero carbon routemap that will reduce our annual operational carbon emissions by 2,411 tonnes.
In each of these areas we will:
Our ambitions:
We will reduce the amount of water we abstract from the environment.
We will provide customers with data and tariffs that help them to use less too.
We will roll out more rain/greywater solutions for certain uses when new connections are made to our pipe network.
Immediate actions:
Our ambitions:
We will reduce the amount of energy it takes to deliver each litre of water through greater monitoring and control of our energy consumption, and work with customers to reduce their energy use through water efficiency initiatives.
We will engage employees and our supply chain partners on our energy saving initiatives to spark their ideas on more energy saving opportunities.
Immediate actions:
Our ambitions:
We’ll continue to source electricity from renewable sources and increase the amount generated on our own land – and encourage communities to invest in projects on our land so they can share the benefits too.
Immediate actions:
Our ambitions:
We will increase the number of emission-free miles which our staff travel to do their jobs and eliminate fossil fuels from our fleet of vehicles.
We will invest in more, accessible charging point infrastructure – not just for our staff but customers too.
Immediate actions:
Our ambitions:
We will phase out the use of fossil fuels for heating and we will convert or replace diesel generators, so they run on renewable fuel or battery alternatives.
Immediate actions:
We do expect to see significant change between now and 2030 including regulatory transformation and technology innovation which may mean we change our ambitions, always aiming to keep our route map focused on the most sustainable, resilient and lowest cost path to net zero.
We've used the six capital approach to show how our carbon activities help deliver wider benefits and greater value to society.
