At TenneT, our commitment to reducing emissions is deeply rooted in our mission to drive the energy transition while operating within planetary and social boundaries and driving sustainable change. As part of our commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) – a leading climate action framework for achieving goals set in the Paris Climate Agreement, we have set ourselves an ambitious target for 2030. This includes cutting our emissions in scope 1 and scope 2 by 95% and our emissions in scope 3 by 30%. (in each case compared to the base year 2019).
What are Scope 1, 2, 3 emissions:
Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions arising from sources that TenneT owns or operates itself. For example, the emissions from the insulating gas SF6, gas usage for heating our offices and stations, and the vehicles we own and operate.
Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the purchase of energy and heat. For example, the emissions that occur when electricity is generated to compensate for grid losses – the electricity lost during transmission across our network, and electricity consumption in our offices.
Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions that occur along our value chains. For example, the emissions that take place when purchased products related to our projects are produced.
Scope 2
Target (reference year 2019)
95% reduction by 2030
Examples
Procuring renewable energy with Guarantees of Origin (GoO’s)
Emission Sources
Grid losses
Electricity consumption in stations and offices
Definition
Indirect emissions from the purchase of energy and heat
Scope 3
Emission Sources
The purchased and capital goods and services related to our projects
Definition
Indirect emissions that occur along our value chains
Target (reference year 2019)
30% reduction by 2030
Examples
Decarbonizing Supply Chain (DSC) project
Life Cycle Assessment and the Environmental Cost Indicator (ECI) methodology
Internal Carbon Price
Scope 1
Emission Sources
SF6 leakages
Gas use at our offices and our stations
The vehicles we own and operate
Definition
Direct emissions arise from sources that TenneT owns or operates itself
Target (reference year 2019)
95% reduction by 2030
Examples
Pilot SF6 Sensor
Guarantees of Origin / green gas contracts
Ensuring a fully electrical fleet
Eco-design: Tackling greenhouse gas emission of the entire lifecycle
As TenneT gears up to expand its project portfolio, with investments set to surge from EUR 3.1 billion in 2019 to a projected total value of EUR 160 billion in the coming decades, our grid expansion plans will inevitably lead to increased procurement of goods with upstream value chains, generating scope 3 emissions, and additional emissions during the use phase, which fall under scope 1 and 2. This scenario presents us with a significant dilemma: how can we achieve our goal of emissions reduction while accommodating the growth of our project portfolio?
Our response
TenneT has taken several actions to address emissions in each scope (see overview above). However, TenneT also acknowledges the necessity of a comprehensive approach to tackle emissions throughout the entire lifecycle and shape a more sustainable future. One effective method is the adoption of eco-design principles. Eco-design principles involve incorporating environmental considerations in product design and development, aiming to minimize the ecological footprint across the entire lifecycle of products and services used in the operation, from raw material sourcing and production to use and end-of-life disposal.
Innovative partnerships for eco-design of extra-high voltage (EHV) substations
Effective eco-design demands a comprehensive understanding of the full lifecycle of products and involves diverse stakeholders, hence TenneT acknowledges the necessity of collaborative efforts and external perspectives. Through our Open Innovation Programme, we facilitate engagement with multiple partners to bring their invaluable insights and resources to the table. By leveraging this collective expertise, TenneT ensures the development of optimal solutions to implement robust, scalable eco-design standards that can drive significant environmental benefits.
Given the projected increase in the number of EHV substations required in the coming years and the ongoing pressure to meet our sustainability commitments, there is a pressing need to enhance the existing standards of design and construction processes with a more prominent role of ecological sustainability. Incorporating eco-design principles into the existing standards for operations buildings of EHV substations offers a unique opportunity to significantly reduce GHG emissions throughout these assets' lifecycle.
Promising path
Despite eco-design having gained momentum due to EU directives, its application has primarily focused on energy-consuming products such as household appliances and lighting and remains relatively uncommon within the electrotechnical sector. However, expanding its implementation to the electricity industry offers a promising path. By adopting eco-design principles in our procurement and use phases, we cannot only intervene at the source but also optimize operational efficiency, achieving substantial reductions in emissions throughout the entire lifecycle and fostering innovation and resilience within our supply chains.
As we accelerate our efforts to meet our delivery targets in line with our expected portfolio growth, it is essential to establish sustainable practices: hence the need to enhance standards that integrate eco-design principles.
Targeted solutions
By focusing specifically on the eco-design of operations buildings, we can develop targeted solutions that address the unique challenges and requirements of these structures. This approach not only ensures that our infrastructure growth is efficient and environmentally responsible, but it also facilitates the involvement of multiple suppliers and stakeholders by providing clear, standardized guidelines for sustainable practices. This streamlines collaboration and implementation, ultimately supporting our broader sustainability goals and commitment to reducing our carbon footprint.
Find out more about our organisation
Transmission System Operator (TSO)
As the Transmission System Operator (TSO) for the Netherlands and a significant part of Germany, TenneT owns and operates more than 25,000km of high-voltage lines and cables. We deliver electricity to 43 million domestic and business users, safely and reliably, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With more than 8,300 employees in two countries, we’re driven by our mission to ensure the lights stay on and that power is available, at the flick of a switch, whenever and wherever it’s needed.
To do this, we design, build, maintain and operate a high-voltage grid stretching across land and sea. This carries electricity from where it’s made – including a rapidly increasing proportion of wind and solar energy – to where it’s used. We carry it over ground, underground, under the sea and across borders, over our rapidly expanding high-voltage grid. With a service level as high as 99.99993 %, we are one of the best in the world at our job.
and reducing emissions
Targeted solutions
By focusing specifically on the eco-design of operations buildings, we can develop targeted solutions that address the unique challenges and requirements of these structures. This approach not only ensures that our infrastructure growth is efficient and environmentally responsible, but it also facilitates the involvement of multiple suppliers and stakeholders by providing clear, standardized guidelines for sustainable practices. This streamlines collaboration and implementation, ultimately supporting our broader sustainability goals and commitment to reducing our carbon footprint.
Promising path
Despite eco-design having gained momentum due to EU directives, its application has primarily focused on energy-consuming products such as household appliances and lighting and remains relatively uncommon within the electrotechnical sector. However, expanding its implementation to the electricity industry offers a promising path. By adopting eco-design principles in our procurement and use phases, we cannot only intervene at the source but also optimize operational efficiency, achieving substantial reductions in emissions throughout the entire lifecycle and fostering innovation and resilience within our supply chains.
As we accelerate our efforts to meet our delivery targets in line with our expected portfolio growth, it is essential to establish sustainable practices: hence the need to enhance standards that integrate eco-design principles.
Our response
TenneT has taken several actions to address emissions in each scope (see overview above). However, TenneT also acknowledges the necessity of a comprehensive approach to tackle emissions throughout the entire lifecycle and shape a more sustainable future. One effective method is the adoption of eco-design principles. Eco-design principles involve incorporating environmental considerations in product design and development, aiming to minimize the ecological footprint across the entire lifecycle of products and services used in the operation, from raw material sourcing and production to use and end-of-life disposal.
Innovative partnerships for eco-design of extra-high voltage (EHV) substations
Effective eco-design demands a comprehensive understanding of the full lifecycle of products and involves diverse stakeholders, hence TenneT acknowledges the necessity of collaborative efforts and external perspectives. Through our Open Innovation Programme, we facilitate engagement with multiple partners to bring their invaluable insights and resources to the table. By leveraging this collective expertise, TenneT ensures the development of optimal solutions to implement robust, scalable eco-design standards that can drive significant environmental benefits.
Given the projected increase in the number of EHV substations required in the coming years and the ongoing pressure to meet our sustainability commitments, there is a pressing need to enhance the existing standards of design and construction processes with a more prominent role of ecological sustainability. Incorporating eco-design principles into the existing standards for operation buildings of EHV substations offers a unique opportunity to significantly reduce GHG emissions throughout these assets' lifecycle.
Scope 1
Definition
Direct emissions arise from sources that TenneT owns or operates itself
Target (reference year 2019)
95% reduction by 2030
Examples
Pilot SF6 Sensor
Guarantees of Origin / green gas contracts
Ensuring a fully electrical fleet
Emission Sources
SF6 leakages
Gas use at our offices and our stations
The vehicles we own and operate
Eco-design: Tackling greenhouse gas emission of the entire lifecycle
As TenneT gears up to expand its project portfolio, with investments set to surge from EUR 3.1 billion in 2019 to a projected total value of EUR 160 billion in the coming decades, our grid expansion plans will inevitably lead to increased procurement of goods with upstream value chains, generating scope 3 emissions, and additional emissions during the use phase, which fall under scope 1 and 2. This scenario presents us with a significant dilemma: how can we achieve our goal of emissions reduction while accommodating the growth of our project portfolio?
Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the purchase of energy and heat. For example, the emissions that occur when electricity is generated to compensate for grid losses – the electricity lost during transmission across our network, and electricity consumption in our offices.
Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions that occur along our value chains. For example, the emissions that take place when purchased products related to our projects are produced.
What are Scope 1, 2, 3 emissions:
Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions arising from sources that TenneT owns or operates itself. For example, the emissions from the insulating gas SF6, gas usage for heating our offices and stations, and the vehicles we own and operate.
Find out more about our organisation
As the Transmission System Operator (TSO) for the Netherlands and a significant part of Germany, TenneT owns and operates more than 25,000km of high-voltage lines and cables. We deliver electricity to 43 million domestic and business users, safely and reliably, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With more than 8,300 employees in two countries, we’re driven by our mission to ensure the lights stay on and that power is available, at the flick of a switch, whenever and wherever it’s needed.
To do this, we design, build, maintain and operate a high-voltage grid stretching across land and sea. This carries electricity from where it’s made – including a rapidly increasing proportion of wind and solar energy – to where it’s used. We carry it over ground, underground, under the sea and across borders, over our rapidly expanding high-voltage grid. With a service level as high as 99.99993 %, we are one of the best in the world at our job.
Transmission System Operator (TSO)
At TenneT, our commitment to reducing emissions is deeply rooted in our mission to drive the energy transition while operating within planetary and social boundaries and driving sustainable change. As part of our commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) – a leading climate action framework for achieving goals set in the Paris Climate Agreement, we have set ourselves an ambitious target for 2030. This includes cutting our emissions in scope 1 and scope 2 by 95% and our emissions in scope 3 by 30%. (in each case compared to the base year 2019).
and reducing emissions
