PERTH-headquartered SSE Renewables supported 16,000 green jobs over its last financial year, analysis by PwC has revealed.
The firm currently has 4.5GW of total renewable energy capacity in operation, with a further 2.8GW in construction – over the last year it generated enough renewable output to power the equivalent of four million homes.
As well as contributing £2 billion to the UK and Irish economies, SSE Renewables also directly invested over £10 million in communities throughout the year – supporting almost 1,000 community projects, and celebrated 10 years of its sustainable development fund for transformational regional projects in the Scottish Highlands.
Among its portfolio of offshore wind projects is the 1.1GW Seagreen Wind Farm – the world’s deepest fixed bottom offshore wind farm – and the in-construction Dogger Bank project, which at 3.6GW will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm when complete.
This month, SSE Renewables also officially opened its 443MW Viking Wind Farm in Shetland, which will be the country’s most productive onshore wind farm.
The company also made progress on its ambition for newly consented onshore projects from 2025 to deliver a biodiversity net gain, meeting this target early for four newly consented projects and at least a biodiversity no net loss for two further newly consented projects.
At COP28 last year, SSE Renewables published its net zero transition plan, outlining how the company will scale-up renewable energy while cutting its own carbon emissions. Progress against that plan is highlighted in the sustainability report.
Stephen Wheeler, MD at SSE Renewables, said, “As the climate crisis continues to intensify, the world needs more renewable energy and the scale and pace required is immense. However, it’s not enough to just deliver the infrastructure needed – we must do so in a way that’s truly sustainable. That means fully decoupling our industry from high-carbon activities, minimising waste, protecting and enhancing nature, and delivering a just transition for workers and communities.
“By sharing our experiences and impacts in this report, we hope to add to the conversation about how we can grow renewable energy sustainably in the years ahead. We look forward to continuing to work with governments, communities, partners, and everyone with a stake in our energy future, to power lasting change for people and planet.”
Kate Wallace Lockhart, head of sustainability at SSE Renewables, added, “The world needs more renewable energy and, at SSE Renewables, we are determined to deliver this in a fair and just way – fully considering our impacts and working with partners to deliver value for people and nature.
“This year’s sustainability report highlights the progress we’ve made over the last year on our goals for a just transition, nature positivity, net zero and the circular economy – but also doesn’t shy away from some of the challenges facing our sector.
“We need to work together to reach our net zero goals and, by sharing our approach and learnings, we hope to add to the conversation on how we can collectively grow renewables sustainably and deliver a secure and affordable green energy future.”
