The scale up of alternative energies, necessary if we are to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, need to take into account climate, environmental and social risks associated with their development and use.

Over the last few decades, oil and gas companies have been increasingly using, investing in and producing energy through alternative technologies such as wind, solar and biofuels.

The oil and gas industry has accumulated vast knowledge and specialised expertise in advancing the environmental and social performance of its operations, with many of the issues it deals with also being of relevance to alternative energy. Through Ipieca, it is working to share and develop good practice guidance which can support these renewables technologies to scale up sustainably.

Member progress

83% of members
Produce or invest in renewable energy*

Examples of member action

  • Supporting commercial scaling and marketing of AI-enabled concentrated solar energy technology
    Map-pinAustralia, United States of America

    Woodside Energy and Heliogen, a leading provider of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled concentrated solar energy, are collaborating on a commercial-scale demonstration deployment of Heliogen's technology in California. The technology aims to cost-effectively deliver near 24/7 carbon-free energy in the form of heat, power, or green hydrogen fuel at scale.

    The project will also include the deployment and testing of an innovative approach to converting the thermal energy produced by Heliogen's facility into power, which has the potential to deliver higher efficiencies with a smaller footprint than traditional steam turbines.

    In addition, the two companies have agreed to jointly market Heliogen's technology in Australia, and are establishing a roadmap to identify and engage with customers.

    Learn more

  • Implementing biodiversity action plans for solar and wind projects
    Map-pinFrance

    TotalEnergies operates the combined photovoltaic and wind power plants of La Perrière on Réunion Island (Indian Ocean). The site is located near (approximately 2.5 km) the Réunion Island National Park, a category II IUCN listed area. Réunion Island is a recognised biodiversity hotspot (among the top 34 globally) with high species endemicity.

    Given the site's location and to avoid and minimise its impacts on the sensitive habitat, TotalEnergies has developed a biodiversity action plan (BAP). This region is home to mid-altitude wetlands, remarkable plant species and several endangered fauna species. In total, 15 priority biodiversity species (endemic and threatened) have been identified in the La Perrière project area, including 12 species which trigger critical habitat criteria and which are therefore within the potential scope of the BAP. The BAP includes several measures to mitigate impacts on biodiversity.

    Learn more

  • Map-pinUnited States of America

    Empire Wind (a 50:50 partnership with bp) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced in September 2022 the extension to 2028 of their historic agreement to monitor large whales in the lease area of Empire Wind, an offshore wind project located in the New York Bight, off the southern coast of Long Island.

    The new agreement ensures that important data to protect wildlife in the New York Bight will be collected during the pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases of the wind project.

    Two deployed moored acoustic monitoring buoys located in the New York Bight within Empire Wind's lease area have already compiled more than 2,000 days of monitoring data and have detected more than 18,000 whale sounds in near real-time, including more than 2,600 detections this year alone.

    The two buoys use WHOI-developed near real-time passive acoustic monitoring (NRT PAM) technology that detects the distinct sounds of different whale species. Data collected will result in considerable new knowledge on whale occurrence and behavior in and around the Empire Wind lease area.

    Learn more

View the Ipieca Principles toolkit and Ipieca-WBCSD SDG Roadmap for more suggested actions, useful resources and reference points.

*Stats based on desktop research conducted on member companies April 2025.

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Enhancing good governance, transparency and high-quality sustainability reporting

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Aiming for zero methane emissions

Methane is a short-lived, but potent greenhouse gas, making it an ideal target for climate change mitigation strategies. Methods for reducing methane emissions are technically feasible or achievable at low or no-net costs, making it a key and cost-effective mission in oil and gas companies’ journeys to net-zero emissions.

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Promoting the health, wellbeing and social inclusion of workforces and communities

Ipieca members’ approach to health and wellbeing is focused on the health outcomes of oil and gas industry employees and the communities in which they operate. This extends beyond protection to proactively helping employees remain healthy, as well as offering health and lifestyle services and infrastructure to surrounding communities, where the industry is often a major presence and employer.

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