How can we reduce Scope 2 emissions?

🌍A Global Challenge

The 2015 Paris Agreement set an international goal of limiting the rise in average temperature to 2°C by 2100. To achieve this goal, we must embark on an ecological and energy transition at all levels: international, national, and local. It is as part of this transition that France has set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

To fully understand this goal, it is necessary to understand the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment and the climate.

These emissions contribute to climate change (rising average temperatures, disruption of the water cycle), which leads to numerous consequences: loss of biodiversity, declining agricultural yields and freshwater resources, conflicts, public health issues, and more…

It is therefore important to reduce these emissions—and thus one’s carbon footprint—in order to contribute to the ecological and energy transition.

📑Comply with regulations

L’Union Européenne, dont fait partie la France, a l’objectif de réduire ses émissions de GES de <55% d’ici 2030, par rapport à 1990. Cela se traduit par de nouvelles législations et réglementations au niveau national, qui concernent les entreprises.

As part of the national effort to reduce GHG emissions, Article L229-25 of the Environmental Code provides as follows:

"The following entities are required to prepare an inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions:

(1) Legal entities governed by private law that employ more than five hundred people;

(2) In the overseas regions and departments, private-law legal entities employing more than two hundred fifty people engaged in the activities defined in (1).”

Companies with more than 500 employees are therefore legally required to conduct a GHG inventory every four years in order to reduce their GHG emissions— including Scope 2 emissions—and contribute to national GHG emission reduction targets.

🖲️ Emissions that are easy to monitor

Scope 2 emissions have the advantage of being easy to reduce: they are under the company’s control! These emissions depend solely on the choices made by companies, which retain full autonomy.

➕Multiple benefits

Reducing Scope 2 emissions offers many benefits:

• Build resilience against climate, geopolitical, and energy risks associated with fossil fuels.
• Lower your energy bill by reducing your energy consumption.
• Position yourself as a leader in sustainability, demonstrate your commitment to the environment, and improve your carbon competitiveness.

👀Distinguishing Between Primary and Final Energy

To better understand Scope 2, it is necessary to distinguish between primary energy and final energy.

Primary energy is the energy available in nature before any conversion takes place. Examples include fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), hydropower, and solar energy.

Final energy is the energy delivered to the consumer to meet their needs, after undergoing transformations (such as combustion) and being transported by a supplier. Electricity is a good example of this.

⚡Scope 2 relates to final energy use

With this distinction in mind, we can now define Scope 2.

Le scope 2 désigne les émissions indirectes de gaz à effet de serre de l’entreprise liées à la consommation d’énergies finales : électricité, vapeur, chaleur, froid, qui sont produites par des sources d’énergies primaires (éolien, gaz, pétrole…) et importées pour les activités de l’entreprise. Les émissions sont dites indirectes parce qu’elles ne sont pas directement produites par l’entreprise, mais par les fournisseurs choisis. Des exemples sont la consommation d’électricité liée au fonctionnement de l’usine de production, ou bien encore le chauffage ou la climatisation des locaux de l’entreprise. Pour limiter ces émissions lors des pics de demande, les entreprises peuvent s’appuyer sur Ecowatt, le dispositif de RTE.

This energy consumption and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions are the responsibility of the company and can be controlled by it (and are therefore easy to reduce).

✖️How do you calculate Scope 2?

The calculation of Scope 2 emissions is mandatory under all existing GHG accounting methods and standards (GHG Protocol, Regulatory Method, ISO 14061, Bilan Carbone®). This calculation is performed by multiplying the activity data included in the scope by emission factors specific to the types of energy considered.

Energy usage data refers to the amounts of energy consumed and can be found on electricity bills and other energy service invoices, or on meter readings (electricity, gas, etc.). For electricity and heating, there are two distinct cases:

• The heating system is not electric: the electricity bill covers only the energy used to operate the facility.
• The heating system is electric: it is therefore estimated that 77% of electricity consumption is attributable to heating, and 33% to other uses.

The selected emissions factor depends on the type of energy used and the unit specified (e.g., kWh).

🔌Choose a green supplier

Choosing a green electricity provider ensures that the electricity imported to power the business comes from renewable sources.

🔋Investing in Renewable Energy

Investing in on-site renewable energy infrastructure helps reduce Scope 1 (direct emissions) and Scope 2 emissions by increasing energy self-sufficiency. For example, consider using a reversible geothermal heat pump, or establishing and optimizing a district heating network.

📈Improve Energy Efficiency

Improving the energy efficiency of your tools, equipment, and facilities helps you save energy and reduce your GHG emissions.

For example:

• Replace lighting that uses fluorescent tubes or “halogen” bulbs with “LED” technology, and, more generally, replace traditional bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs.
• Install light sensors and motion detectors for automatic lighting.
• Replacing old electric radiators withradiant heaters.
• Use the hot air exhaust from the compressors to heat part of the buildings.
• Ensure proper ventilation in your offices to minimize the use of air conditioning.
• Explore the possibility of using free cooling during certain times of the year instead of air conditioning or a chiller unit.
• Optimizing the fresh air supply rate in air handling units (AHUs). For example, installing a dual-flow mechanical ventilation system.
• Minimize the need for cooling to reduce air conditioning use. For example, equip sun-exposed offices with passive solar protection (sun filters, reflective glass, solar films, exterior shading, etc.).

🔛Energy usage monitoring and awareness.

• Promote energy audits of facilities and the monitoring of improvement initiatives aimed at reducing energy consumption (light bulb replacement, insulation, and raising awareness of eco-friendly practices).
• Encourage staff to put their computers and monitors on standby during the day.
• Encourage staff to turn off the lights.

🌳Carbon Offsetting

If the solutions mentioned above are not feasible, a company can always invest in carbon offset projects to offset its Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.

You know all about Scope 2 emissions, whose main advantage is that they’re within your control—and therefore easy to reduce. Once you’ve measured your Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, you’ll need to move on to Scope 3,without forgetting Scope 4 emissions—the emissions avoided.