Environment and Innovation
National Grid Electricity Distribution's (NGED's) Environment and Innovation Report aims to provide all of our stakeholders with a transparent and public account of our environmental and innovation performance over the last twelve months.
Download report appendix here
We will use this report to provide an all-inclusive overview that includes clear justification for our actions and the benefits to our customers. Reducing our impact on the environment and embracing the increase in low carbon technologies is one of our key RIIO-ED1 outputs.
To this end throughout 2022/23 we have achieved the following improvements:
Environmental highlights
- Achieving RIIO-ED1 targets for our Business Carbon Footprint, SF₆ and waste management.
- Business wide implementation and external certification of our Competence Management System (CMS).
- Routinely achieving zero waste to landfill in NGED licence areas.
- Successfully maintaining certification of our ISO14001 environmental management system.
- Increased the percentage of electric vehicles in our commercial fleet and Lease Plan vehicles.
- Implementation of our six year collaboration agreement with The Heart of England Forest.
Innovation highlights
- £4.8m invested in National Innovation Allowance projects across our focus areas; Decarbonisation and net zero, Heat and Transport, Data, Communities and Consumer Vulnerability and registered nine new NIA projects.
- First ever call for idea’s for the Strategic Innovation Fund and received 42 proposals.
- Submitted five projects to the Strategic Innovation fund and had all five accepted.
- Won two industry Awards
Challenges
- Ensure that we are prepared and positioned to successfully deliver on our sustainability RIIO-ED2 core commitments.
- Preparation for the introduction of biodiversity net gain (BNG) legal obligations in relation to NGED Major Projects.
- Continue to improve and progress on reducing fluid filled cable losses and SF₆ emissions.
- Maintain and improve our environmental performance and compliance record with the environmental regulators.
- Engagement with employees, suppliers, manufacturers and contractors to reduce
Protected landscapes
We operate 89,000km of overhead lines predominantly in rural locations, delivering power while protecting Britain’s landscapes.
Oil leakage
Older electricity cables contain oil to improve their insulation properties and enhance cooling.
Carbon impact and climate change
We’re committed to protecting our planet, minimising the environmental impact of our operational activities.
Waste
We’re reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills through more efficient and effective management.
Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6)
We’re reducing the use of SF6, a damaging gas that’s used as an insulating medium in switchgear.
Environmental management
Since 2015 we’ve been certified to ISO14001, the international standard for environmental management systems (EMS), across all areas we cover.
Distribution losses
We're reducing losses on our network where possible to make savings for our customers and reduce National Grid Electricity Distribution's carbon footprint.
Biodiversity
In RIIO-ED2, we are committing to achieve a 10% biodiversity net gain for new major projects and for selected primary and grid substation sites.
Environment and Innovation Report
Our Environment and Innovation Report provides all stakeholders with a transparent and public account of our environmental and innovation performance over the previous year.
Environment Strategy
In line with our values, feedback received from our stakeholders and our current RIIO-ED2 Business Plan, this Strategy details our business aspirations and our ambitions in becoming a net zero carbon organisation, and ensuring we are environmentally responsible.
Environmental Action Plan
Our RIIO-ED2 Environmental Action Plan (EAP) sets out our RIIO-ED2 ambitions to meet our stakeholders' net zero and environmental responsibility expectations, by reducing our environmental impact and decarbonising our business activities.