Sustainability Reporting Initiative
Planet > Air
We contribute to offsetting greenhouse gas emissions and promote cleaner air
For over three decades, Innergex has remained committed to producing renewable energy exclusively. By avoiding fossil fuel combustion for electricity generation, renewable energy projects promote cleaner air while reducing greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions. During operation, our hydroelectric, wind and solar facilities produce no air pollution and no significant GHG emissions.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Fighting climate change is one of the key principles driving our work at Innergex. Generating renewable energy exclusively means we are a low emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, relative to other energy sources while providing the solutions to build a better world. Our results illustrate that our facilities produce electricity with no significant amounts of GHG emissions in their operations, which makes it hard to set reduction targets in our production system.
In fact, the amounts of renewable energy generated offset more than our own modest emissions (such as from vehicles or short-term backup generation during outages). In 2019, we committed to disclosing our GHG emissions on an annual basis. Increasing our output of renewable energy will allow us to make a bigger contribution in the fight against climate change to help build a cleaner future.
While our emissions are low, we will continue to work to develop solutions to further reduce our environmental footprint. In 2021, we increased the number of facilities in our portfolio from 75 to 79.
GHG Inventory (metric tonnes CO2)
| TYPE | 2021 | 2020 | 20191 |
| Scope 1 – Direct Emissions | 1,346.1 | 1,277.32 | 2,165.9 |
| Scope 2 – Indirect Emissions | 4,794.6 | 4,670.13 | 2,138.4 |
| Scope 1 + Scope 2 | 6,140.7 | 5,947.4 | 4,304.3 |
| Scope 1 Fugitive Emissions | 0 | 0 | 2,861.7 |
| Total CO2 Emission including Fugitive Emissions | 6,140.7 | 5,947.4 | 7,166.0 |
GHG Intensity (kg CO2e/MWh energy produced)
| 2021 | 2020 | 20191 | |
| Total GHG Intensity | 0.623 | 0.620 | 0.537 |
| Total GHG Intensity including fugitive emissions | 0.623 | 0.620 | 0.893 |
1. All figures updated to reflect inclusion of previously missing data.
2. Amount lower than 2019 due to reduction in fuel purchases throughout the year.
3. Amount higher than 2019 due to full year of operation at Foard City (commissioned September 2019) and Phoebe (commissioned November 2019) facilities in Texas in 2020.
* Scope 1 & 2 emission calculations based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
Note: Fugitive emissions in this context refers to sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and methane (CH4). In 2019, we had three SF6 releases from high-voltage electrical systems at two of our facilities, resulting in a release of a total of 171.74 lbs. The majority of the loss occurred during construction of a substation at a facility in the United States.
Our Scope 1 GHG emissions are calculated from:
- Combustion of gasoline in company-owned cars, utility vehicles such as pick-up trucks, all-terrain vehicles, boats and snowmobiles used by facility operators for on-site operations and maintenance; and
- Combustion of diesel in heavy equipment (e.g. boom trucks, backhoes) and emergency back-up generators.
Our Scope 2 GHG emissions are calculated from:
- Our energy consumption at our offices; and
- Our energy consumption at our facilities.
Innergex remains committed to producing 100% renewable energy and will not consider adding any technology that emits CO2 from generating electricity to our portfolio of assets.
Percentage of total GHG Emissions by Scope in 2021
- Scope 1
- Scope 2
Emissions Avoided
Our goal is to produce electricity from renewable sources that have no significant GHG emissions thus contributing to reducing CO2 emissions to fight climate change. We are proud that the energy we generate contributes to offsetting CO2 emissions from other sources.
Avoided Carbon Emissions (in metric tonnes)
| 20211 | 20202 | 20193 | |
| Avoided emissions | 6,982,908 | 6,780,613 | 5,670,558 |