Ameresco added a full-year appendix to its 2021 ESG report with data that shows the company’s renewable energy assets helped to significantly offset carbon output and its Scope 1 and 2 emissions fell.
The renewable energy and efficiency company says releasing the appendix helps it maintain accountability and show transparency through evaluation of its ESG metrics and progress toward its sustainability goals. It will also help Ameresco consider additional ways to continue to grow its ESG efforts.
Ameresco says in 2021, its renewable energy projects helped offset the equivalent of nearly 13.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, and it has now offset more than 75 million metric tons of carbon since 2010. Ameresco’s goal is to reduce its customers’ carbon footprint by 500 million metric tons by 2050; the company says it had achieved 14% of that goal through 2020.
Recently, Ameresco installed energy retrofits for the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. The company is also helping to install 6 megawatts of energy storage at Fort Detrick in Maryland.
Ameresco partnered with the Oregon Department of Transportation to update 8,000 streetlights with efficient LEDs in the Portland area. It also installed a solar project for San Joaquin County in California.
Ameresco lowered its Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2021, according to data published in the appendix. Its total operational emissions last year were 45,382 metric tons, which was nearly 2,000 metric tons lower than in 2019.
In addition, the company reported its Scope 3 emissions were 6,418 metric tons last year, down from more than 11,000 metric tons in 2019, although the emissions increased from 2020.
Through its 2021 ESG report, Ameresco says it calculated its operational carbon baseline and established a 2040 net zero commitment. Additionally, the company developed an employee engagement campaign to help drive environmental goals in the workplace.
The originally published 2021 report did not yet have complete emissions numbers from last year. The appendix was produced by Ameresco’s ESG Ambassadors committee.