Energy company Turku Energia wanted to prepare for the CSRD reporting requirements in time and calculated its own scope 1-3 emissions in collaboration with OpenCO2net.
Turku Energia’s services include the sale of electricity and district heating, as well as the distribution of electricity, district heating, district cooling, and steam. Turku Energia is one of the largest energy companies in Finland. Therefore the company will also be affected by new sustainability reporting requirements in the future. In addition to CSRD reporting, Turku Energia is committed to the Carbon Neutral Turku 2029 target, aiming for its electricity and heat production to be carbon neutral by 2029.
CSRD sets requirements for emissions calculation
Turku Energia wanted to prepare for the sustainability reporting requirements in advance. That’s why they wanted to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of their operations as well as their entire value chain. They wanted to involve experts in the emissions calculation process to ensure that the first calculation would be done reliably.
Scope 1-3 emissions calculation was conducted together with OpenCO2net’s experts. In particular, assistance was needed in defining the boundaries of the calculation and selecting the correct emission factors. Increasing understanding of emissions calculation was also a goal, so that the calculation could be done independently in the future. “We were satisfied with the outcome of the project and gained valuable knowledge as well as tools to carry out and develop greenhouse gas emissions calculation independently in the coming years. The collaboration with OpenCO2net’s experts went smoothly. Through the calculation, we identified the most significant emission sources in our operations, and these will support future emission reduction actions.” comments Lauri Salminen environmental engineering of Turku Energia.
Reliable calculation helps in achieving climate goals
Turku Energia obtained access to the OpenCO2net platform. It will now be able to independently conduct emissions calculations for the coming years using the OpenCO2net tools. The 2024 calculation has been copied as a base for future calculations. This ensures that the work will be as easy and quick as possible. The 2024 emissions calculation serves as a good starting point for future calculations, with the boundaries defined and the correct emission factors selected. Reliable and comprehensive emissions calculation also forms the basis for setting climate targets and identifying real emission reduction measures.
“Mitigating climate change, developing a more sustainable energy system, and promoting biodiversity are key objectives in our operations. We aim to find alternative production methods for fossil fuels and increase non-combustion-based production. Utilizing waste heat and balancing consumption peaks with storage are central to the future district heating system. At the beginning of the year, the construction of a new electric boiler began in Pääskyvuori, Turku, and when completed, it will replace oil and pellets used in reserve and peak production for district heating.” Salminen says.
The OpenCO2net tools are based on the most widely used standards in the field and are validated by DNV. The company’s carbon footprint calculator has been developed based on GHG Protocol standards, which also meet the CSRD and ESRS E1 standard requirements for emissions calculation. In addition to maintaining and developing the tools, the comprehensive emissions database of the OpenCO2net platform is regularly updated to ensure that the latest and most reliable emission factors are always available.
