Inside Hitachi Energy's Sustainability and Net Zero Strategy

According to the IEA, investment in clean energy is increasing while fossil fuel investment is declining.

This change is reflected across the energy industry, with many organisations prioritising their environmental impact and exploring renewable alternatives.

One company facilitating this change is Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader that aims to power the world’s energy system to be more sustainable, secure and resilient.

Achieving carbon reduction targets

Hitachi Energy’s 2025 sustainability report details its progress towards its environmental goals, with its main target to achieve net zero across its operations and value chain by 2050.

Its plan involves sourcing fossil-free electricity, reducing factory energy consumption and maximising the energy efficiency of its products.

Hitachi Energy is aiming for an 80% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions and a 55% reduction in Scope 3 emission intensity by 2030.

These goals are part of a wider strategy to embed sustainability into its core operations.

Alicia Argüello, Global Head of Sustainability at Hitachi Energy, says: “By pursuing net zero emissions, we are not just meeting today’s challenges, but helping build a more resilient, renewable future starting from our own operations.

“Together, we can transform ambition into action, ensuring a thriving planet for generations to come.”

Embedding circularity in the energy value chain

To conserve resources and maximise material potential, Hitachi Energy is working towards a circular economy.

It aims to minimise pollution, waste and resource use in its operations and considers eco-design for all new products and includes circular practices in its research and development.

Hitachi is committed to creating resource-efficient solutions by implementing the 5R principles: rethink reduce reuse repair and recycle.

It encourages its suppliers and stakeholders to apply these principles to reduce emissions and preserve product lifespans.

To support this, Hitachi Energy developed EcoSpace, a digital platform for measuring reporting and improving sustainability across energy projects.

It uses data to deliver transparent insights that help create more informed decisions across a project’s lifecycle.

Andreas Schierenbeck, Chief Executive Officer at Hitachi Energy, says: “The decisions we make today will shape our world for centuries to come.

“For society, electricity powers industries and people, underpinning innovation, manufacturing, production, services and, ultimately, prosperity and progress for communities everywhere.

"For our planet, electricity serves as our main source of cleaner, renewable power, reducing emissions and accelerating the energy transition for a more sustainable future while meeting increasing demand.”

Preserving biodiversity in energy projects

Protecting biodiversity is a vital part of sustainable development for Hitachi Energy.

Hitachi Energy developed an internal methodology to better understand its impact and dependency on nature.

It evaluated direct pressures on biodiversity from its operations, including the impact on air, water and soil.

According to its assessments, none of Hitachi Energy’s sites exceeded environmental thresholds or raised material concerns.

Hitachi Energy is also committed to reviewing its impact on habitats and species across its value chain, which shows a recognition that the energy transition must not come at the expense of the natural world.

“Sustainability is at the heart of our strategy and portfolio,” Alicia says.

“It guides how we innovate, collaborate and deliver value – creating resilient solutions that meet today’s challenges and anticipate tomorrow’s needs.”