At Northland, we are building a sustainable and carbon-neutral world together. Our work is grounded in our vision to become a global leader in the development of sustainable infrastructure assets. We are pushing the energy sector forward by creating innovative solutions that deliver positive outcomes for our people, our planet, and the communities in which we operate.
We are transforming power — motivated by a common vision of energy’s place on our planet. We believe in powering a better world for generations to come.
Read our 2022 report to learn more about the progress made across the business, and the goals and commitments Northland has set to move forward on our pathway to net zero.
Northland’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments are at the core of our business, reflected in Northland’s values, and in everything that we do. Our ESG principles help solidify our commitments to implementing and integrating practices across the entire value chain of our business, thinking thoughtfully about how our actions impact our people, our planet, and the communities in which we operate.
At Northland, our ESG efforts have four key focus areas:
In 2022, we implemented policies and processes across each area. We will continue to develop and advance our commitments in 2023.
Our approach to making real, sustainable impacts is phased over the short, medium, and long-term. Explore some of our key project milestones across 2023.
In July 2022, Northland celebrated the installation of the first wind turbines at our Bluestone Wind Farm. The Bluestone Wind Farm is a 112 MW onshore wind project located in Broome County, New York. Bluestone will connect to the existing New York State Electric and Gas Corporation transmission lines, delivering enough renewable energy to the New York State grid to power more than 54,000 homes. Bluestone is our first onshore wind project energized in the United States. Read more about our Bluestone Wind Farm.
In early 2023, Northland closed our first strategic investment in storage with our participation in the Oneida Energy Storage Project in southern Ontario. The project is a milestone for the province’s burgeoning energy storage sector. Once completed in 2025, Oneida will deliver critical capacity and improved efficiency to Ontario’s energy grid and will boost the province’s clean energy storage from 225 MW today to 475 MW. It is expected that Oneida will help Ontario reduce GHG emissions by 4.1 million tonnes, or the equivalent of taking 40,000 cars off the road every year.
The project is being developed in partnership with NRStor Inc. (NRStor), the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation (SNGRDC), and Aecon. Read more about Oneida
Our Nordsee One offshore wind farm in Germany is located approximately 40 km north of the island of Juist. It consists of one offshore substation platform and 54 wind turbines installed in water depths between 26-29 m. The wind farm began commercial operation in December 2017.
In January 2021, our teams identified a serial defect on the main bearing in several wind turbines. This meant repairing a major component in the entire fleet of turbines, without risking interruptions to the electricity grid.
Our experts exchanged the rotor shaft assembly of 10 turbine generators in 2021, and another 44 by the fall of 2022. We managed to replace these critical components on all turbines while maintaining the facility’s ability to operate at 95 per cent capacity. The campaign was completed on budget and ahead of schedule. Most importantly, there were no major incidents or instances of energy loss.
We recognize the importance of establishing and maintaining relationships in the communities where we do business. We prioritize creating positive impact throughout our projects’ lifecycles.
In 2022, Northland was awarded offshore wind projects near the Isle of Lewis in northwestern Scotland. This followed a multi-year engagement with stakeholders from local communities and governments – conversations that continue to this day. Our Scotwind bid was successful in part due to our commitment to working closely with communities and listening to their needs.
We took our local community partners’ lead on developing a supply chain and collected diverse perspectives before announcing any decisions. We hired an experienced resident to serve in our social liaison role, and quickly established connections to various impacted communities. Our teams also consulted elementary school students to help name our two offshore wind projects – Spiorad na Mara (Gaelic) and Havbredey (Norse).
As part of Global Clean Up Day, during the week leading up and/or directly following September 17 (many sites celebrate on September 14 in conjunction with Northland’s 35th anniversary), Northland coordinated regional clean ups at parks and green spaces near our offices, facilities, and project sites globally. More than 300 employees across 10 sites and three continents, volunteered their time to support our local communities. This number represents a quarter of our total global employee base.
Together, we were able to collect and divert over two tonnes of waste from the natural environment.
OffshoreWind4Kids is a non-profit organization focused on inspiring and educating youth in STEM, particularly around renewable energy. Our Hamburg office has partnered with this organization for a few years. We support the organization through knowledge sharing, showcasing how offshore wind turbines work and supporting the building of mini models. See more details here.
We are committed to protecting and supporting biodiversity and effectively managing shared resources in our areas of operation. We minimize the effects of our activities through proactive project planning and continuous monitoring.
At our Castejada, Rambla, Valdecaballeros and Zarza solar parks in Spain, Northland works with local sheep farmers to let their flocks graze the grassy areas within fields of solar panels, clearing vegetation that could interfere with operations. This arrangement avoids the use of machinery or harmful pesticides, while regenerating the soil. It benefits local farmers by offering shade, shelter, food, and water for the sheep.
Gemini Wind Park, in partnership with The Rich North Sea, is restoring what was once one of the largest oyster reefs in the region. The project will rebuild an oyster reef the size of eight football fields, located 85 km from the north coast of the Netherlands. Oyster beds play an important role in underwater ecosystems. Researchers from both organizations are working together to understand the complexity of oyster bed development and recovery, including the ways wind parks provide suitable conditions for oysters and other shellfish to thrive.
In December, a team of Northland employees travelled to Hamburg Hills and planted nearly 1,000 beech trees. Northland donated the trees to the German Forest Protection Association. This initiative is part of a campaign to counteract the wide-spread decline of forests in Germany and restore their ecological, cultural, and economic services. The variety of species planted will support a mixed forest of local and adaptable trees that provide the greatest possible diversity to local plants and animals.
In 2023 we updated our Green Financing Framework to enable us to issue green bonds, loans (corporate and project level) and other financing instruments to support the growth of our renewable energy projects, including onshore and offshore wind, solar, and battery storage.
Investor Day Presentation - March 2024
Read our 2023 Annual Report
Read our 2022 Sustainability Report
Investor Presentation August 2023