NBN Co accelerates in race to net zero

NBN Co is taking action to speed up the reduction of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including bringing forward its net-zero target from 2050 to 2045.

As part of this new 2045 goal to reduce GHG emissions in its own operations and across the value chain, the company has presented long-term aims that have been validated by the global Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)¹. These include commitments to maintain a minimum reduction of 95% absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions from FY30 through FY45 from a FY21 base year; and to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions by 90% by FY45 from a FY21 base year.

These new targets follow nbn’s 2023 commitment to near-term science-based targets², which were also validated by the SBTi, and are as follows:

• Committing to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 95% by FY30 from a FY21 base year.
• Committing to reduce scope 3 GHG emissions from use of sold products by 60% per device within the same timeframe.
• Committing that 80% of its suppliers by spend — covering purchased goods and services, capital goods, and downstream transportation and distribution — will have science-based targets by FY27.
   

“Our network spans the entire continent, carrying over 80% of the nation’s data in support of more than 20 million people every day,” said Stephen Smith, Executive General Manager, Safety, Wellbeing and Sustainability at NBN Co.

“nbn is committed to operating sustainably and enabling long-term social, economic and environmental value for customers and for the nation.”

Smith said nbn continued to make progress in reducing emissions throughout its business and supply chain by rolling out energy-efficient fibre connections across the nation, utilising renewable energy sources and deploying energy-efficient network termination devices, as well as partnering with its suppliers.

“Validation of our net-zero and long-term emissions reduction targets by the SBTi demonstrates our ongoing commitment and support to Australia’s transition to net zero by 2050,” he said.

Investment in renewable energy

To meet its updated commitment, NBN Co’s Climate Transition Plan encompasses energy efficiency, renewable energy and carbon reduction targets.

This includes the company’s target of 100% renewable electricity purchases from December 2025, which is underpinned by membership of the RE100, a global renewable electricity initiative comprising more than 400 of the world’s largest businesses. To this end, NBN Co has signed three power purchase agreements (PPAs).

Two of these PPAs are now operating in New South Wales and Victoria while the third is enabling construction of a solar farm at Munna Creek in Queensland, anticipated to be operational later this year.

NBN Co is also committed to implementing projects that reduce annual energy use by 25 GWh by December 2025, and said it is on track to deliver on this through a series of energy efficiency projects, including:

• upgrading 62 Points of Interconnect as part of the Aggregation Evolution program to higher-capacity, more energy-efficient equipment;
• implementing energy-saving nodes at approximately 2400 fixed wireless towers across rural and regional areas of Australia; and
• decommissioning legacy cable TV network equipment from nbn’s Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) cable network.

Energy-efficient fibre

NBN Co said deploying energy-efficient fibre would be key to enabling energy reductions over the long term, with the company making ongoing investments in fibre connections that are designed to meet Australia’s current and future data demand while also delivering a faster, more resilient network.

In January 2025, the company announced it would upgrade the remaining Fibre to the Node network across Australia, backed by an equity investment of up to $3 billion from the Australian Government, in addition to more than $800 million from NBN Co.

This is anticipated to benefit about 622,000 homes and businesses across the country, with more than half located in regional Australia. It is expected that more than 95% of these homes and businesses will have the option to upgrade to nbn full fibre via nbn Fibre to the Premises. The remaining 5% require further design work to confirm the appropriate upgrade path.³

According to the company, this investment will expand its existing network upgrade programs and commitments to provide more than 10 million households and businesses — about 90% of the nbn fixed-line network — with access to nbn’s fastest wholesale residential speeds by the end of 2025.⁴

In addition to higher-speed services, full fibre connections require fewer active network components, meaning they are more energy efficient in comparison to other network technologies, and more resilient to climate change and extreme weather events.

<sub>1. Target dashboard – Science Based Targets initiative
2. NBN Co Corporate Plan 2024
3. NBN Co is committed to undertaking design work with the aim of providing an upgraded wholesale broadband service.
4. Customer experience on nbn full fibre, including speed, depends on internet provider, plan, equipment quality and if internet is used at peak times.</sub>

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