GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG) PROTOCOL
External certification
Iberdrola has been the only European electric utility included in the 18 editions of the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index and is regarded as one of the eight top sustainable electric utilities in the world. One of the factors leading to this recognition was its 24% reduction in direct emissions in the last five years, with a total of 74% since the year 2000.
In May 2017, Aenor has performed the eighth annual check of Iberdrola's inventory of greenhouse gas emissions [PDF], as per standard UNE ISO 14064-1:2012 as regards direct and indirect emissions from all of its activities. The 2017 inventory is shown below, pending to verify in 2018, in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG) of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the World Resources Institute (WRI).
| SPAIN | U.K. | U.S.A. | BRAZIL | MEXICO | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCOPE 1: Direct GHG emissions | 5,962,832 | 2,960,801 | 999,587 | 1,548,252 | 15,334,983 | 26,806,455 |
| SCOPE 2: Indirect GHG emissions from energy(2) | 2,269,453 | 806,885 | 1,282,555 | 649,881 | 1,790 | 5,010,564 |
| SCOPE 3: Other indirect GHG emissions | 1,174,512 | 812,550 | 510,930 | 29,075 | 637,303 | 3,164,370 |
Scope 1. Direct emissions of greenhouse gases
Direct emissions come from sources that are owned or controlled by the company. They include direct emission focal points from energy generation facilities (fuel consumption), emissions from non-generation facilities (storage of gas and sludge drying), fugitive emissions of methane (CH4) (storage and transport of natural gas), fugitive emissions of hexafluoride (SF6) in distribution networks, fuel consumption in buildings and emissions from mobile combustion sources, associated with road transport of employees with fleet vehicles for work purposes.
Scope 2. Indirect emissions of greenhouse gases by energy
Includes the emissions associated with the generation of electricity acquired and consumed by the company: consumption of auxiliary energy when shutting down thermal, renewable and nuclear power plants, associated with pumping operations in hydroelectric power plants and consumption of electricity in buildings and emissions associated with network losses.
To calculate CO2, the mix emission factor of the respective country is applied. The latest information from the following institutions was used: Red Eléctrica España (Spain), DEFRA (UK), U.S. Energy Information Administration (USA), SEMARNAT (Mexico) and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brazil).
Scope 3. Other indirect emissions
Correspond to the remaining indirect emissions, which are a result of the company's activities, but occur at sources that are neither owned nor controlled thereby: transportation of acquired fuel, transportation of employees for business purposes (hire vehicles and personal vehicles, planes, trains, and ferries), emissions from the supplier chain and emissions from employee commutting.
The mix emission factor of the respective country is used for this calculation. The latest information from the following institutions was used: Red Eléctrica España (Spain), DEFRA (UK), U.S. Energy Information Administration (USA), SEMARNAT (Mexico) and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brazil).
(1) In 2017 emissions, 100% of Neoenergy is considered.
(2) New item is added: "Emissions associated with network losses".
