Energy Consumption

Energy Consumption and Mix (E1-5)

72% of the electricity purchased by Bittium in 2024 was produced from renewable and emission-free energy sources. In addition, Oulun Energia’s solar panels installed on the roof of the Oulu property produced 82.51 MWh of solar energy. Of the district heating purchased from local providers, 6% was renewable energy in 2024. Part of the heating used by the Oulu site was produced with a diesel-powered backup generator. The consumption data for electricity and district heating at the Finnish sites was obtained from the energy suppliers’ invoices. For sites in Germany and the USA, energy data was not available, and the methods used to estimate consumption are described in the GHG emission calculation principles at the end of this section. Bittium’s total consumption of purchased electricity and district heating was 3,302.73 MWh in 2024.

Bittium vehicles include both diesel and hybrid vehicles. During the reporting year, Bittium had six vehicles under its control in Finland and two in Germany. There were no vehicles under Bittium’s control in the United States. The amount of energy generated by the combustion of fuels in leased vehicles in Scope 1 was 103,8 MWh (petrol and hybrid). The fuel consumption data for leased vehicles was obtained from the leasing companies.

Energy consumption is measured in megawatt hours (MWh). High climate impact sectors are defined in NACE Sections A to H and Section L in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1288. Based on the definitions, Bittium’s Medical business segment belongs to the high climate impact sector NACE: C26.6.0 Manufacture of irradiation, electromedical and electrotherapeutic equipment. The denominator in the table is the total revenue of the Medical business segment, which is included in the note 1 in financial statements.

GHG Emissions

Gross Scopes 1, 2, 3 and Total GHG emissions (E1-6)

Bittium’s market-based Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions totaled 6328.51 tCO2eq in the reporting year 2024. Scope 1 emissions consist of a diesel-powered backup generator and the company’s own vehicles. Scope 1 emissions totaled 28 tCO2eq, which is less than 1% of the company’s total carbon footprint. Bittium’s market-based Scope 2 emissions amounted to 259 tCO2eq, and they arose from the district heating and electricity consumption of the company’s sites. Bittium uses electricity produced from renewable and emission-free energy sources at two sites. Scope 2 emissions account for 5% of the company’s total carbon footprint.

The Scope 3 emissions caused by Bittium’s value chain amounted to 6041.51 tCO2eq, which is 95% of the company’s total emissions. There were no significant changes in Bittium’s business operations between 2023 and 2024. All GHG emissions are broken down by emission source type in the emission table below.

The share of contractual instruments of Bittium’s Scope 2 GHG emissions was 57% in 2024. The contractual instruments were certificates of origin for renewable energy.

GHG Emissions (E1-6 table)

Basis for Preparation

Scope 1 and 2 Calculation Principles

Bittium owns two business premises located in Oulu and Kuopio in Finland. The company rents business premises in Tampere, Espoo and Kajaani in Finland, as well as Dallas in the United States and Munich in Germany. Scope 1 and 2 emissions cover the direct emissions of Bittium’s own operations and the indirect emissions of purchased energy. Scope 1 emissions were calculated on the basis of the motive power used by the vehicles under Bittium’s control. For the vehicle used by the company’s site in Germany, fuel consumption data was calculated based on kilometers driven. Bittium has petrol and hybrid cars under its control. The diesel consumption of the backup generator at Bittium’s Oulu site was calculated on the basis of liters consumed. Fuel emissions were calculated using the emission factors of the Finnish Climate Panel.  For the company’s sites in Finland, energy consumption data was obtained from the energy suppliers. The emissions of purchased energy were calculated using the emission factors reported by the suppliers (Fortum, Oulun Energia, Oomi, Loistelämpö, Tampereen Energia). At Bittium’s Oulu site, part of the electricity is obtained from solar panels installed on the roof. In 2024, the solar panels produced a total of 83 MWh. Precise energy consumption data was not available for the company’s sites in Germany and the United States. Scope 2 emissions were calculated based on the floor area of the premises. The average value used in the calculations was 166 kWh/m2/year. (Clevair, 2021). For Germany, the energy mix was determined using the Ember report (Germany – Electricity transition, 2024). For the United States, data published by the EIA was used. (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2023). The share of the sites in Germany and the United States is much lower than Bittium’s other sites, which is why the assessment method used was considered to be sufficient. The volume-weighted average emission factor of the electricity produced was used in the calculation of location-based emissions (Fingrid 2023: 38 gCO2eq/kWh). Factors published by Ember and the EIA were used in the location-based calculation of emissions in the United States and Germany. The emission factors used in the calculations do not distinguish the percentages of biogenic emissions.

Scope 3 Calculation Principles

All relevant emission categories were taken into account in the calculation of the Scope 3 emissions of Bittium’s upstream and downstream value chain. The categories taken into consideration in GHG emission calculations are listed in table E1-6. Non-applicable categories include franchises, processing of sold products, capital goods and downstream leased assets. Primary emissions data on Scope 3 emissions was obtained for some transports. The primary emissions data obtained represented 0.4% of the company’s total emissions. The emissions from purchased products and services include the component, product and service purchases made by the entire Group during 2024. The emissions of the Defense & Security business segment’s products were calculated based on example products and on a component-specific basis using the Ecoinvent 3.10 database. For the Medical business segment, precise data based on the company’s own calculations was not available, but the calculation was based on a product that represents 88% of the products sold by the Medical business segment. Part of the Medical business segment’s products were calculated on a cost basis using emission factors obtained from the EXIOBASE database. Emissions from services were calculated by combining the reported data on volumes with an industry-appropriate emission factor from the EXIOBASE database.

The in-use emissions of products were calculated by estimating the full life-cycle energy consumption of the products and by calculating the raw material emissions of components required for maintenance, as well as the transport of products to and from the location where the maintenance service is provided. The life cycle of the products ranges from 3 to 15 years. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) emission factors for energy consumption in the United States and Europe were used to calculate the in-use emissions of the products. Maintenance operations take place in Finland, and the emissions from energy consumption in maintenance were calculated using the emission factor for electricity consumption in Finland reported by Fingrid.  Emissions from upstream leased assets consist of computers in use during the reporting year. Their emissions were calculated by combining the number of leased computers and device-specific life cycle emission factors (HP, 2017; Fujitsu, 2020; HP, 2023).  Bittium’s carbon footprint consists mainly of Scope 3 purchased products and services, the in-use emissions of products, and upstream leased assets. The most significant sources of emissions also arise in Scope 3. Of these, the largest share of the company’s GHG emissions consists of purchased products and services (48%), the use of sold products (22%) and upstream leased assets (15%). Combined, these three categories account for 86% of the company’s carbon footprint.

Reporting Principles

Bittium’s GHG emissions have been calculated in accordance with the GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting standard and the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting standard. (GHG Protocol, 2004; GHG Protocol, 2011). Bittium uses CO2eq emission factors whenever possible. The emission factors used in the calculations do not distinguish the percentages of biogenic emissions. The calculation period corresponds to the financial year 2024 (January 1, 2024–December 31, 2024). The calculation was carried out in Excel without separate calculation tools. All Scope 1–3 emissions were taken into account in the calculation. An operational control boundary was applied in the calculation, and the calculation was implemented at the level of the consolidated accounting group. The GHG calculations are for the same reporting undertaking as the financial statements in accordance with ESRS 1 62-27. Bittium’s net sales in 2024 amounted to EUR 85.2 million. Bittium’s calculated location-based GHG emissions amounted to 6298 tCO2eq for the reporting year. The location-based GHG intensity based on net revenue was 74 tCO2eq/M€. Bittium’s calculated market-based emissions for the reporting year came to 6329 tCO2eq. The market-based GHG emissions intensity was 74 tCO2eq/M€. The denominator in the table is the total revenue of the Medical business segment, which is included in to the note 1 in financial statements.

GHG emissions were calculated by combining volume data collected by Bittium for each emission category with the best available emission factors at the time of the calculation. The sources of the emission factors for the most significant categories are presented in the table below. Assumptions were made in the calculation of the in-use emissions of sold products. The in-use emissions for products sold were obtained by estimating the utilization rate of the devices based on publicly available research data. Transports were calculated based on emissions reports obtained from logistics partners (Kaukokiito, Posti, Matkahuolto, DHL, UPS, DSV, FedEx, NTG and DBS-Schenker). The emission reports accounted for approximately 12% of all transports. The remaining transports were calculated using values obtained from the emissions reports. This is a source of some uncertainty, as it is not possible to be certain that the modes of transport are completely the same. Emission calculation for upstream leased assets was based to total amount of leased products, which causes uncertainty. With regard to purchased materials, performing the calculations using a reference product is also a source of uncertainty. In addition, the sector-specific estimates and the values derived from emission databases, for example, always involve calculation insecurity as they do not provide precise data. Bittiumin aims to refine the calculation process during 2025.

Sources of Emission Factors Used in the Calculations