Simply Energy raises the bar on electricity emissions reporting in New Zealand.

Simply Energy announced today that Toitū Envirocare, New Zealand’s leading carbon certification organisation, has approved the underlying data and methodology it uses to provide customers with half-hourly electricity emissions reporting.

Any business can now easily report a more accurate view of its electricity emissions through Toitū carbon certification programmes, using its Carbon iQ tool – setting a new benchmark for emissions reporting practices in New Zealand. This new method empowers businesses to reduce emissions by shifting electricity use to periods when renewable electricity generation is high if they have the ability to do so.

“Until now, companies wanting to report their electricity emissions using the location-based methodology could only use the average annual grid emissions published by the Ministry for the Environment,” says Simply’s Head of Sustainable Opportunities James Carberry.

“Since electricity emissions fluctuate constantly with changes in the generation mix, using average grid emissions factors doesn’t provide an accurate view of emissions, especially when published annual factors lag behind the current reporting period.

The green light comes after Simply commissioned Toitū to complete an extensive review of Transpower’s em6 methodology, which calculates real-time emissions from New Zealand’s electricity grid. Simply combines this data with its customers’ half-hourly electricity consumption data to provide detailed emissions reporting through its Carbon iQ platform.

“We’re moving towards a more electrified future where individuals and businesses can make informed decisions around their energy use and carbon emissions,” says David Knight, Transpower’s Executive GM Strategy, Regulation & Governance.  “em6 provides electricity sector data and insights that enable tools such as Carbon IQ to apply it in ways that people can use meaningfully.”

“Toitū’s verification of this data and methodology represents a significant milestone for New Zealand,” says Carberry. “As well as advancing emissions reporting methods, it promotes transparency and instils confidence in the data businesses rely on to drive meaningful change.”

Carberry explains that businesses can use the data to gain insights into the carbon impact of their electricity usage at different times and track and report on the effects of adjusting their electricity consumption habits. This includes actions like shifting loads away from carbon-intensive periods, such as winter evenings.

“All that’s needed to utilise the tool is half-hourly electricity usage data, which any business can access from their retailer.”

Belinda Mathers, Chief Science and Advisory Officer at Toitū Envirocare, commented, “We believe the new reporting method can significantly enhance the quality and accuracy of Scope 2 electricity emissions within an organisation’s greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint. The information gathered using technology, and this new methodology allows organisations to report emission reductions if they can change their times of electricity consumption to when more renewables are on the grid. This is critical as New Zealand continues to electrify and decarbonise. ”

Accuracy is becoming increasingly important, says Carberry. “If we’re to make meaningful reductions in emissions associated with electricity generation and usage, we need to shift toward greater environmental accountability.”

In addition to offering a more accurate method for reporting electricity emissions, Simply is currently working on a pilot with Granular Energy, a Europe-based software provider that supports utilities to track and offer detailed, 24/7 Renewable Energy Certificates. Carberry explains these will allow businesses to accurately track and confirm the renewable energy certificates they’re procuring, right down to the half-hour, under the market-based emissions reporting methodology.