The materials wasted during construction, operation, and decommissioning constitutes a negative impact. In general, we see two complementary pathways to address waste generation that we must work on simultaneously. Firstly, we must consider if our waste generation can be avoided in the first place, by addressing the challenges at their root cause. This is done as we work to design our assets with minimal reliance on the use of a specific material, for example by switching non-recyclable content with more recyclable content to allow for proper waste treatment. At the same time, we need to ensure that waste is diverted from disposal by enhancing sorting and collection processes as well as supporting the maturation of reuse and recycling markets for our components and materials.

The technical materials for constructing new assets are tracked to provide a detailed understanding of material usage and composition for offshore and onshore renewable energy projects (offshore wind, onshore wind, solar PV, and battery storage assets (BESS) above 100 MW). Material inflows reflect assets currently under construction within the reporting year. Our in-house LCA analysis forms the foundation of the methodology, with the highest maturity for offshore assets. External verified studies supplement the project-specific data for battery energy storage systems (BESS), solar PV, and onshore wind. Material usage is accounted for when main components are recognised as installed. This process involves detailed mapping of materials associated with each main component to ensure accurate tracking and reporting.