Do I need to report on renewable energy use under SECR?

While explicit reporting on renewable energy and associated emissions is not a mandatory requirement, organisations are encouraged to use dual reporting if they wish to reflect their consumption of renewable energy.

Organisations are encouraged to use location-based grid average emission factors to report the emissions from electricity, including those consumed from the grid. Where available, time specific (e.g. hour-by-hour) grid average emission factors should be used in order to accurately reflect the timing of consumption and the carbon-intensity of the grid.

Where organisations have entered into contractual arrangements for renewable electricity, e.g. through Power Purchase Agreements or the separate purchase of Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs), or consumed renewable heat or transport certified through a Government Scheme and wish to reflect a reduced emission figure based on its purchase, this can be presented in the relevant report using a “market-based” reporting approach.

It is recommended that this is presented alongside the “location based” grid-average figures and in doing so, you should also look to specify whether the renewable energy is additional, subsidised and supplied directly, including on-site generation, or through a third party. A similar “dual reporting” 48 approach should be taken for biogas and biomethane (including “green gas”).

There are several ways these figures may be presented in reports. The official SECR guidance provides some templates to follow.