Net zero means we reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a minimum, and balance any we do emit by removing an equal amount.

Why is it important we reach Net Zero?

As we’re now fully aware, one of the big reasons global temperatures are steadily rising is because of greenhouse gas emissions. The cars we drive, the homes we heat and the food we eat – they all produce carbon which ends up in the earth’s atmosphere, creating a ‘blanket’ that traps polluting greenhouse gasses and stops heat from escaping. Even an increase of a few degrees could have catastrophic consequences for humanity, causing a rise in sea levels, declining water supplies and widespread wildfires.

What are greenhouse gas emissions?

Greenhouse gas emissions come from anything that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This could be the jet plane you take to go on holiday, the gas central heating system that keeps you warm, the charger you plug into the wall which uses electricity to recharge your phone, or the games console you play at home.

What is carbon offsetting?

It’s widely believed that if we can achieve Net Zero carbon emissions – so the amount of carbon we put into the atmosphere is equivalent to the amount we take out (also known as ‘offset’) – we stand a chance of slowing down its effects. However, simply offsetting all our carbon emissions isn't enough. Many carbon offsetting schemes have sprung up in recent years, promising to compensate for emissions through tree planting programmes. This has become associated with ‘greenwashing’, allowing businesses to claim to be low carbon without materially reducing their emissions. True Net Zero is about reducing emissions to a minimum and balancing anything we do emit by removing carbon from the atmosphere using carbon sinks or carbon storage technology.

What is a carbon sink?

As the name suggests, carbon sinks absorb carbon from the atmosphere. Plants, trees, rivers, oceans, peatlands and green spaces are all carbon sinks, as they’re living things that need carbon dioxide to exist. It’s why the Amazon – the world’s largest rainforest – has been nicknamed the ‘planet’s lungs’.

How we’re helping our customers who are most in need

Here at EDF, we have a range of financial and practical support that's tailored to each of our customers who are having difficulty managing their energy.

Our support for those who need it most

1st energy supplier
to set up a dedicated customer support fund, helping more than 52,000 customers since it was launched in 2003

We’re doubling our financial support for customers to
£10m this year
and have provided more than £50m since the fund was set-up

£20m extra funding
this year to help customers insulate their homes and cut bills, after 40,000 energy efficiency measures installed last year

We spent £3.7m in 2021 on partnerships
to help our customers manage their energy better

4,703 customers received debt assistance

15,131 customer households helped with benefit entitlement checks, with an additional £1,188,239 claimed

£200,000 of new benefits claimed and energy advice provided to 117,898 customers

9,262 customers have had new energy efficient measures installed in their homes

£36m in rebates awarded last year through the Warm Home Discount scheme
We support Pay as You Go customers at risk of self-disconnection by providing discretionary credit and pausing debt repayment plans if they are unable to top up their meter
Last year we provided 880 energy efficient white goods, such as washing machines and fridges, to our most vulnerable customers
So far we’ve installed more than 2 million smart meters across the UK to allow customers to monitor their energy consumption and look at ways to reduce it

CARE steps of support

At the start of 2022 we launched our CARE Steps of Support to ensure we always provide a level of support that’s tailored to individual needs.

Cost
help reduce the cost of bills

Affordability
understand the customer’s ability to pay for energy

Resolution
seek to agree a positive, sustainable solution

Extra Support
check if the customer would benefit from extra support and advice

Together, we will help Britain achieve Net Zero

Our plan for a green recovery

With the right policies in place, we plan to enable investment in low carbon technologies in the UK worth over £50bn by 2035.

This amounts to 12GW of wind, solar and nuclear power – meeting one-fifth of UK demand.

Our sustainability roadmap

We’re a responsible business and proud to be Britain's biggest generator of zero carbon electricity(1).

Read our sustainability roadmap to find out everything we're doing to help Britain achieve Net Zero.

Smart meters - helping you save energy

Smart meters can help customers reduce their energy usage and their bills. They offer immediate benefits, but the ultimate benefit will be creating an energy efficient nation.

Find out how smart meters help you save energy.

Notes

UK Fuel Mix disclosure information, published by Government Department BEIS, recognises electricity from wind, solar and nuclear fuel produces zero carbon dioxide emissions at the point of generation.

The zero-carbon electricity purchased is supplied to the National Grid. Customers receive electricity via the National Grid, not directly from zero-carbon generators.

The below table summarises zero-carbon generation by company demonstrating EDF generating 32.4%. The data supporting the table below and the % values is sourced from a mixture of industry settlement data and the UK government renewable obligation database.

ZERO-CARBON GENERATION SUMMARY BY COMPANY		2020	2020
Supplier name	zero-carbon	GWh of zero-carbon electricity generation	% of overall zero-carbon electricity generation
EDF	zero-carbon	37,968	32.4%
CENTRICA	zero-carbon	9,101	7.8%
RWE	zero-carbon	5,060	4.3%
E.on	zero-carbon	2,195	1.9%
SSE	zero-carbon	5,424	4.6%
ScottishPower	zero-carbon	4,364	3.7%
Drax	zero-carbon	-	-
Orsted	zero-carbon	9,523	8.1%
EPH	zero-carbon	-	-
Equinor	zero-carbon	1,182	1.0%
Vattenfall	zero-carbon	1,783	1.5%
Fred Olsen Renewables	zero-carbon	1,100	0.9%
Macquarie	zero-carbon	3,504	3.0%
Ventient Energy	zero-carbon	562	0.5%
Statkraft	zero-carbon	370	0.3%
Eneco	zero-carbon	316	0.3%
Falck Renewables	zero-carbon	251	0.2%
RES	zero-carbon	320	0.3%
SGRE	zero-carbon	245	0.2%
Greencoat	zero-carbon	318	0.3%
Community Windpower	zero-carbon	329	0.3%
OTHER	zero-carbon	33,243	28.4%
TOTAL	zero-carbon	118,805	100%