SBTi Invites Power Sector Companies to Pilot Draft Net-Zero Standard

The Science Based Targets initiative has launched a pilot programme for its draft Power Sector Net-Zero Standard, inviting companies across power generation, transmission, distribution, storage, trading and retail to participate in testing the framework before finalisation. Applications were open until 16 January 2026 for companies seeking to shape the sector-specific standard.

The draft Power Sector Net-Zero Standard replaces the SBTi's Quick Start Guide for Electric Utilities and significantly expands its scope to cover a broader range of activities and emission sources across the power sector value chain. It introduces updated criteria tailored to the industry's unique operational realities and is designed to help companies set near- and long-term science-based targets aligned with net-zero by 2050. Energy currently accounts for more than 75% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, making the power sector's decarbonisation central to achieving international climate goals.

Pilot testing is a mandatory step in the SBTi's standard development process, serving to validate whether criteria are practical for companies while maintaining scientific robustness. Participating companies gain early access to the SBTi's latest methodologies and tools, and position themselves as visible climate leaders in engagement with customers, investors and regulators. As renewable energy deployment accelerates globally and electricity becomes the central energy carrier for decarbonisation across transport, industry and buildings, a science-based standard for the power sector addresses a growing accountability gap.

For India's power sector — which is undergoing one of the world's largest energy transitions, with targets for 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030 and a rapidly expanding renewables base — a credible international standard for power sector net-zero target-setting provides a potential framework for aligning domestic corporate ambitions with global benchmarks. The SBTi's pilot phase will gather practical insights from participating companies to refine the draft before it is released for broader consultation and eventual adoption. Full details on the pilot's objectives, structure, timeline and selection criteria are available in the published Terms of Reference.

Key figure — 75%+ of global greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the energy sector