Local wind power helps lead the North West towards zero carbon
SSE Next Generation supports the sustainable running of Electricity North West’s property portfolio.
As distribution network operator (DNO) for an area stretching from Carlisle to Macclesfield, Electricity North West owns and operates the infrastructure that transports electricity from the national grid to people’s homes and businesses.
We’re proud to say our energy comes from Walney Wind Farm, off the coast of Cumbria, part of the area where we distribute electricity.
The energy powering Electricity North West’s offices, depots and low voltage supplies within their grid and primary substations is matched to renewable electricity generated at Walney Wind Farm – off the Cumbrian coast. SSE Next Generation certifies that each kWh is from the wind farm, and allows Electricity North West to match this to their consumption from the national grid.
“We know more than most that the demand on our electricity networks is only going to increase,” says Nicola Davies, Electricity North West’s Energy Manager. “We want to show that we use energy sustainably, and be leading the way locally in terms of choosing renewable electricity, so it was important to find a local source.”
The 367MW Walney offshore wind farm is located nine miles west of Barrow-in-Furness in the Irish Sea.
Nicola chose SSE Next Generation, after discussing with energy and utility consultancy British Independent Utilities (BIU) how to achieve Electricity North West’s decarbonisation goals.
She explains: “We report annually on our carbon footprint in our environment report, and achieved an immediate reduction by switching our power supply to a certified zero carbon source. It’s a vital element of our strategy to reach net zero and encourage and enable others to do the same.”
Know where your energy comes from with SSE Next Generation
With SSE Next Generation, each megawatt of renewable power is matched to a named generating asset, providing traceability. This enables enhanced reporting, and underlines your organisation’s commitment to sustainability.
Cutting carbon emissions using meter data
As well as switching to green power, Electricity North West is improving energy efficiency.
“As network operator, taking action on our own carbon footprint is a key priority for us,” says Nicola. “We have a responsibility to manage our operational emissions that arise from our onsite energy use at our offices, depots and within our substations.”
To drill into Electricity North West’s energy use, Nicola is taking full advantage of SSE Clarity, our online energy management platform which is free for customers.
“SSE Clarity gives us better visibility of our energy data which is really helpful. Before joining SSE Energy Solutions, we didn’t have access to that sort of information on supply; just a monthly bill. We’d have to ask for our data; but with SSE Clarity we can simply put dates in and access it immediately.”
“Unmetered supplies make up the biggest part of our electricity bill,” says Nicola. “We’re working to get all our grid and primary substations on half-hourly meters, so we can accurately record energy usage, identify average consumption of sites and compare this to actual consumption.”
SSE Clarity provides a true picture by comparing sites based on size and location, so pinpointing poor performers is easy.
SSE Clarity’s ‘top hat’ report, profiling outside air temperature versus energy consumption, makes it easy to see how the weather has affected how much power we’ve used.
Are you looking to power your sustainable growth? SSE Energy Solutions has a range of options to help. For total traceability, choose SSE Next Generation to certify where your wind or hydro electricity was generated.