Our Emissions Report

The report above gives our emissions for the reporting period 1 April 2021 through to 31 March 2022. 

Our emissions are calculated using the latest version of the UK Water Industry Research Carbon Accounting Workbook which is the standard approach for the UK water sector. 

Our emissions are split into the three scopes defined in the GHG Protocol, and we give both location-based and market-based values. The location-based method uses average emission factors for grid supplied energy while the market-based method takes account of energy certificates or supplier-specific information. The key difference is that Northumbrian Water is committed to buying its grid electricity from renewable sources and each year our supplier retires a Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin Certificate for each unit of energy we buy. 

We include all emissions associated with the regulated activity of our business, where we have operational control. 

Having achieved our pledge to cut Greenhouse Gas emissions by 35% by 2020 against a 2008 baseline, we have updated our baseline year to 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020, when our net emissions were 147,702 tonnes using the location-based method and 68,752 tones using the market-based method. 

The data we input into the Carbon Accounting Workbook has been externally verified and meets the requirements of the CEMARS (Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme), having measured greenhouse gas emissions in compliance with ISO 14064-1. 

The key operational activity which is included in our emissions are: 

• 208,227 GWh of natural gas used for treatment of sewage sludge, and a further 9 GWh of natural gas for space heating in our offices and treatment works. 
• Of our Gas use, 182 GWh were supplied with Green Gas Certificates. 
• Process emissions from sewage services for our 2.7 million wastewater customers. 
• Process emissions from the treatment and disposal of 73 thousand tonnes of sewage sludge. 
• 894 thousand litres of fuel used on sites for operational activity. 
• 3.2 million litres of road fuels used in our operational activity. 
• 335 GWh of fully renewable-backed electricity for pumping, treatment and supporting functions. 
• 1.8 million miles driven by our employees in private vehicles while carrying out work duties. 
• 335 thousand miles travelled on public transport by our employees when carrying out work duties. 
• 2 GWh of renewable power generated through hydro-electric and solar power. 
• 135 GWh of renewable biomethane exports from sludge treatment. 
• 1,897 tCO2e of additional emissions where third parties are working on our behalf.