As part of its quest for long term broadcast industry sustainability, SBS has signed a deal with an energy company to deliver renewable energy to it’s premises for the next ten years.
Australia’s most diverse broadcaster is now also Australia’s first renewable media organisation.
ZEN Energy will supply SBS’s New South Wales and Victoria-based operations with 100% renewable energy with Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs) uniquely paired with the 226.8MW Collector Wind Farm in NSW.
SBS was the first Australian media organisation to switch to 100% renewable energy in FY23. This commitment will now be achieved over the long term through the 10-year agreement with ZEN.
The Collector Wind Farm began operations in 2022 and consists of 54 turbines collectively producing 528GWh each year, capable of powering 80,000 NSW homes and saving close to 320,000 tonnes of CO2 emission each year. The wind farm project has also involved an industry-leading community benefit sharing scheme.
Collector Wind Farm
SBS has set the most ambitious target of any Australian media outlet, to reach Net Zero across scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2045.
SBS has also partnered with Scope3 to measure emissions from advertising technology, affording advertising clients greater transparency of carbon emissions from their advertising campaigns. ZEN was Australia’s first energy company to commit to the global Science-based Targets initiative for corporate action on climate change. SBS has also applied to have its Net Zero targets validated by the initiative.
The UN Sustainability Goals list 17 areas for improvement for a better world in the future.
- Scope 1 emissions: are direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.
- Scope 2 emissions: are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy.
- Scope 3 emissions: are all indirect emissions (not included in Scope 2) that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions.
SBS Head of Sustainability, Abigail Thomas, has told radioinfo: “This 10-year agreement with ZEN Energy through wind power ensures that SBS’s commitment to carbon reduction is not just a short-term initiative but a long-term strategy. By securing a decade of 100% renewable energy, we are taking significant steps towards our Net Zero targets and demonstrating our dedication to sustainability efforts and innovation in Australia’s media sector.”
ZEN Energy CEO, Anthony Garnaut says: “SBS is already an industry leader in community engagement and a champion of diversity. ZEN is honoured to be able to now assist SBS deepen its connections to Australians by becoming an industry leader in climate action. As part of our responsibilities under the Science-Based Targets Initiative, ZEN has voluntarily committed to reduce its scope 3 (sold electricity) emissions. This means we are partnering with our customers to transition their contracts to 100 per cent renewable electricity, and we’ve committed to only sign new contracts where 100 per cent renewable is achieved within the contract period.”
About 22 years ago, residential customers of Energy Australia could elect to have electricity from renewable energy sources fed into the home.
If the occupier elected for green power, the occupier paid an extra four cents a kilowatt hour.
The renewable sources of power were fed into the same wires as the power from coal-generated power stations.
One doesn’t know whether one is getting their power from renewable or coal-fired sources.
The neighbour may not have elected to pay extra and still gets the power from either renewable sources or coal.
So how does SBS know that the electrons arriving at their facilities are from renewables or coal?
Surely SBS’s neighbours will be getting their power through the same wires as SBS and they may or may not have done a deal with a renewable energy provider.
I am not convinced that SBS is guaranteed that their power will come from renewable sources especially at night or on a cloudy day.
Thanks
Anthony, I am not convinced Strathfield South, in the land of the Wangal and Darug Peoples of the Eora Nation
As I understand it the renewable energy deal only covers the offices and studios which would only account for a small proportion of BBS’s total electricity consumption. What about the hundreds of Radio and tv transmitters and translators ?
We understand that SBS is also working with their transmission suppliers for more sustainable transmission too, but that is a story for them to tell at another time when they finalise their Scope 3 deals.