SSE has seven business units that make up the SSE group and those business units are responsible for different energy-related technologies. Our collective strategy is to create value for shareholders and society sustainably by developing, building, operating and investing in the electricity infrastructure and businesses needed in the transition to net zero, whilst ensuring a fair and just transition for our people.
Our businesses are engaged in onshore and offshore wind, hydro power, flexible thermal generation, solar and battery technologies, electricity transmission and distribution, and localised energy systems. We also provide energy products and services to businesses and other customers.
Offshore wind
SSE owns* and operates 10 offshore wind farms in the UK and Ireland, with 7 offshore wind farms in development including the world's largest offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank.
SSE Renewables's operational offshore wind farms currently only use fixed-bottom turbines, but with project partners, SSE Renewables are working to deliver Ossian, an up to 3.6GW floating offshore wind farm off the east coast of Scotland.
You can find out more about offshore wind here.
*This includes sites as part of joint ventures with shared ownership.
Onshore wind
SSE owns* and operates 51 onshore wind farms in the UK and Ireland, with 4 onshore wind farms in development internationally.
You can find out more about onshore wind here.
*This includes sites as part of joint ventures with shared ownership.
Hydro
SSE owns and operates over 1150MW of conventional hydro and 300MW of flexible pumped storage with plans to develop two new pumped storage projects including the first large-scale pumped storage scheme to be developed in the UK for more than 40 years, Coire Glas.
There are three main techniques that we use at SSE to generate energy from hydro:
1. Storage hydroelectric
2. Pumped storage hydro
3. Run of river
Solar
SSE are new to the utility-scale solar technologies business, but has a 30MW solar farm in development, Littleton Solar, and a 1.2GW secured pipeline of solar and battery sites.
Battery Storage
SSE has over 670MW of battery storage in development, including Fiddlers Ferry, a battery storage project at the site of the former SSE-owned Fiddler’s Ferry coal-fired power station. SSE also has 1.3GW of future projects under assessment.
Thermal
SSE owns 14 gas-fired plants, with a capacity of >7.4GW. SSE has committed to developing or owning any new gas-fired power stations without them having a clear route to decarbonisation.
Carbon capture and storage
SSE has one carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in development and one pending approval. SSE Thermal's Keadby 3 power station is one of the UK's first CCS plants in development.
Hydrogen
SSE are actively exploring opportunities in hydrogen technologies to ensure we can continue to provide flexible and reliable energy in a net zero world. SSE Thermal's carbon capture projects at Keadby and Peterhead could be among the UK's first power CCS projects before 2030 – while we are also developing pioneering hydrogen projects across the full value chain.
Transmission networks
SSE owns* and operates the Transmission network in the North of Scotland. SSEN Transmission's network consists of underground and subsea cables, overhead lines on wooden poles or steel towers, and electricity substations. SSE's transmission network currently supports over 9GW of renewable energy.
You can find out more about electricity transmission here.
*SSEN Transmission are owned 75% by SSE plc and 25% by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board.
Distribution networks
SSE owns and operates the electricity distribution network in the north of Scotland and central southern England that transports the power from the transmission network to homes and businesses. SSEN Distribution owns and maintains over 128,000 kilometres of overhead lines and underground cables.