The Offshore Wind Sustainability Joint Industry Programme (SUS JIP) has published a pioneering methodology to standardize how the carbon footprint of an offshore wind farm is measured. The initiative aims to help the global offshore wind industry scale sustainably to meet global Net Zero targets by 2050. 

The Carbon Trust collaborated with 12 industry partners from the SUS JIP, representing about a quarter of the installed wind farm capacity globally, to design the methodology. These include bp, EnBW, Equinor, Fred Olsen Seawind, Parkwind, Orsted, RWE, ScottishPower Renewables, Shell, SSE Renewables, Total Energies, and Vattenfall. The methodology also received input from several international research organizations, public bodies, industry, and wind trade associations as part of a consultation process. 

According to a statement from The Carbon Trust, this new methodology will allow for more accurate and standardized assessments of carbon footprints throughout the entire lifecycle of offshore wind developments. It is applicable to both fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind farms, whether in prospective, operational, or any other stage of their lifecycle. It also has the potential to support transparency regarding carbon emissions in offshore wind projects, facilitating action on non-price criteria following recent changes in many international offshore wind auction requirements. 

The methodology is available to any stakeholder in the offshore wind industry, such as supply chain companies, consultants, and developers involved in measuring the carbon impact of an offshore wind project, including the electricity generated and delivered to the grid. It provides a breakdown of how the carbon footprint can be calculated for all activities related to material extraction, manufacturing, construction, installation, operation, decommissioning, and end-of-life of the core infrastructure. 

This new methodology is a key first step in fulfilling the commitments made by many offshore wind developers to reduce emissions and will improve the transparency of carbon emission data increasingly required by regulatory bodies, stated The Carbon Trust. 

The SUS JIP partners will use this methodology to support the standardization of carbon emissions reporting. All twelve developers strongly encourage their networks and supply chains to refer to this publicly available methodology and are interested in maintaining continuous engagement with partners on this topic. 

"The offshore wind industry plays a crucial role in the transition to a decarbonized future, as the demand for low-carbon energy continues to grow. This new methodology enables the industry and its stakeholders to standardize how carbon emissions are measured across operations," said Mary Harvey, Program Manager for the SUS JIP at The Carbon Trust. 

For his part, Luke Patruno, Business Development Manager – Sustainability at EnBW, stated: "Committed to decarbonizing our supply chains, we proudly support the new methodology developed by the Offshore Wind Sustainability Joint Industry Programme (SUS JIP) and led by The Carbon Trust. This standard enhances the accuracy and consistency of carbon footprint assessments across the entire lifecycle of offshore wind projects, helping us increase transparency, identify emission hotspots, and implement effective reduction strategies." 

Øystein Kolstad, Sustainability Expert for Renewables at Equinor, noted that "the Offshore Wind Industry Product Carbon Footprint methodology will increase transparency, strengthen emission reduction measures, and provide more reliable carbon accounts in the industry."