Our targets

Our ESG Plan targets in the Planet area

The ESG Plan integrated into the Group’s Business Plan was first published in 2021 with a five-year duration and was updated in 2023 and 2024, to align the targets to 2028.

Our path to becoming “Net Zero by 2040”

In the new ESG Plan, ERG's most relevant and ambitious commitment is to become Net Zero by 2040. With the exit from the thermoelectric sector, 100% of ERG's generation is based on renewable sources, perfectly in line with the EU taxonomy. Our path to decarbonisation has three stages:

1. Production and sale of 100% green energy;
2. Consumption of our plants and facilities based exclusively on 100% green energy;
3. Decarbonisation of our supply chain, by accompanying our main suppliers on an emission reduction pathway, certified by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). Our goal is that at least 70% of our major suppliers (with a turnover of more than EUR 1 million) will be certified by SBTi in terms of their emission reduction by 2030 and at least 90% by 2040.

RESULTS ACHIEVED IN 2023

Net Zero

On 7 July 2023, the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) approved the ERG Group's greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets, in line with the threshold necessary to keep the global temperature increase within 1.5°C. Power Producers sector to have obtained certification of its decarbonisation targets by the SBTi. ERG is among the top 15 companies in the world and among the first two in Italy in the Electric Utilities and Independent ERG is committed to achieving Net Zero by 2040 through a number of specific actions both in the short term to 2027 (near-term target) and in the long term (long-term target).

Circular Economy

Activities continued in 2023 on the four 'Social Purpose for Solar Revamping' projects, approved in 2022 by the ESG Committee and developed with non-profit organisations. The aim is to activate a virtuous path for the decommissioned photovoltaic panels that are still in an excellent state of efficiency, reusing them in projects with a high social impact in Italy and abroad. In doing so, we intend to be one of the first companies internationally to lay the foundations for a new re-use chain for solar modules, motivating the industry to manage plant modernisation projects from a circular economy perspective.

Energy efficiency

As an industrial operator, ERG always strives to achieve the highest standards of energy efficiency in the management of its plants in order to maximise production, optimise producibility and guarantee high levels of plant availability. The Group has focused its commitment on efficiency processes that follow different strands:

1. Repowering: the study and creation of new layouts for existing wind parks involving the replacement of old wind turbines with latest-generation models with better output, reducing the total number of WTGs by about half, while at the same time increasing the overall power of the wind farm (twofold, on average) and its producibility (threefold, on average), all without increasing land use.

2. Revamping: updating and improving existing photovoltaic systems by replacing obsolete or less efficient components (such as solar panels, inverters and monitoring systems) with cutting-edge technologies. This process aims to optimise the operating efficiency and energy output of the plant, potentially increasing producibility without requiring a significant expansion of the occupied area. Although the nominal power of the plant may remain unchanged, revamping may result in greater energy production and an improvement in plant reliability and sustainability.  In some cases, the reduction of the utilised area allows the expansion of the existing park with the installation of new capacity (solar repowering).

3. Predictive analysis: implementation of more effective maintenance processes, accompanied by new machine monitoring tools.

Biodiversity

In the Saint-Maurice-la-Clouère wind farm located in central-western France, there is an agricultural landscape that includes hedges and forests. Prior to the construction of the park, we implemented bird nests or bat roosts around the site to improve the reception of local biodiversity. To this end, various experts in the field of ornithology and the study of bats first assessed the species present in the area: the Minerva Owl and the Hoopoe, but also the Common pipistrelle and Kuhl's pipistrelle. Subsequently, the model of nests or shelters and their location on the site were chosen considering their preferences in terms of living environments. To ensure their sustainability, the houses were positioned in agreement with local farmers. At least 20 houses were installed during the summer of 2023. We have also entered into contracts with local farmers to plant more than 2,200 metres of hedges, against 276 explanted metres (corresponding to a factor of 8). 

For the Garnacha photovoltaic plant, an agronomic plan will be implemented on an alternative plot of land outside the photovoltaic plant. The Foundation for Natural Heritage of Castile and León is responsible for applying the agronomic plan, which will have the same surface area as the project (224.37 ha). The following measures will be taken:

• crop rotation;

• use of long-cycle grains and late harvest dates;

• guarantee of a significant presence of uncultivated land;

• prohibition of plant protection products;

• maintenance and conservation of borders.

With regard to fauna, a building was installed for the conservation and recovery of the lesser kestrel, 6 heaps that serve as a refuge for small mammals and invertebrates, 40 nesting boxes and 10 perches for birds of prey.