With COP26 underway, two Principal Partners for one of the most important climate summits in recent history have come together to agree a new renewable energy deal. Hitachi Rail has agreed a contract with ScottishPower for the supply of 100% renewable electricity for their UK operations over the next three years, helping to accelerate the company’s efforts to decarbonise their sites by 2030. The agreement provides an estimated 21GW of electricity per year for all of Hitachi Rail’s UK maintenance and manufacturing sites.
“Today’s agreement to power our UK sites with 100% renewable electricity builds on Hitachi Rail’s progress to decarbonise both our business and the transport sector. This partnership with ScottishPower is a major step on Hitachi Rail’s journey to decarbonising our sites by 2030. To do this alongside another COP26 Principal Partner is really special and demonstrates that businesses with shared values and goals can work together to make Net Zero a reality,” said Jim Brewin, Head of UK & Ireland at Hitachi Rail.
Hitachi Rail is one of the UK’s major train manufacturers and maintains over 200 trains at depots across England, Wales and Scotland. It’s regional, intercity and high speed trains carry passengers in the South East, South West, the East Coast and throughout Scotland’s Central Belt. Hitachi trains are already playing a significant role in decarbonising transport by replacing previous diesel-only powered fleets.
“Companies changing how they source energy, whether through Power Purchase Agreements or through top tier Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin certificates like this one, will make a significant difference to the UK achieving its climate change targets,” said Andrew Ward, CEO Retail at ScottishPower.
“In making this change to green, clean electricity companies are also supporting the future growth of renewables across the UK, something which is much needed if the UK is to realise its climate ambition. With COP26 now well underway in Glasgow, we’re really pleased to be able to work with our fellow Principal Partner, Hitachi Rail, helping them to take major steps on their own decarbonisation journey and hopefully encouraging other companies to follow suit.”
Hitachi Rail has set itself a target of being carbon neutral at all its sites across the globe by 2030. Last year Hitachi Rail reduced its overall global carbon emissions by more than 30%. This new agreement will continue the progress on emissions reduction.
ScottishPower were the first UK integrated energy company to remove fossil fuels from its energy generation, focussing instead on investing in onshore and offshore wind, solar and green hydrogen. They are committed to working with companies to help them reduce their carbon footprint with the ultimate goal of helping the UK achieve Net Zero.
