A Considered Approach to Reducing Carbon Emissions
Our carbon footprint is more than just a vague outline in the sand. That's why every year, we report the CO2 emissions arising from our own electricity generation. In 2010, our carbon intensity - the carbon emissions we generate per kilowatt hour - remained at 0.39 tons per MWh in Europe, the same as our 2009 figure. We aim to halve our carbon intensity by 2020 compared to our 1990 baseline (0.62 tons CO2 per MWh). We intend to achieve this goal both by using more efficient fossil fuel generation technologies and by continuing to expand our use of renewable energy sources. Nuclear energy is an important pillar in achieving the further reduction in CO2 intensity that we are planning. Therefore, the CO2 goals of our nuclear power plants are currently being evaluated before the early shutdown takes place. Outside Europe, we strive to be among the best power companies in each of the regions in which we operate.
Our Stakeholders Need to Know the Details
Since 2010, we have measured the carbon footprint of our whole company. As well as carbon emissions caused by electricity generation, which we were already recording, this also includes our entire value chain, from suppliers to end customers. This comprehensive carbon accounting system allows us to better direct our efforts to reduce carbon emissions, as well as answer the questions posed by many of our stakeholders more precisely. Around 60 percent of our largest investors take climate change statistics into consideration when making investment decisions. Other stakeholders, including customers, public authorities and NGOs, also need to know the impact our activities have on the climate - and more importantly, what we are doing to improve. Since 2004, we have published our carbon emissions as part of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). As a result of our comprehensive carbon management, we were listed in the CDP's annual Carbon Performance Leadership Index (CPLI) in 2010. Out of the world's 500 largest companies, all of which were assessed when the index was compiled, we were one of 48 to be listed.
But How Do You Calculate a Carbon Footprint?
Today, everyone can calculate their personal carbon footprint. If you don't know how large yours is yet, just use the CO2 calculator in the right margin. Calculating a single person's carbon footprint is relatively straightforward, but doing the same for an enterprise like E.ON is much more complicated. We base our calculation on the globally recognized WRI/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard. This standard categorizes emissions into three scopes, depending on the company's level of control.
Our Stakeholders Need to Know the Details
Since 2010, we have measured the carbon footprint of our whole company. As well as carbon emissions caused by electricity generation, which we were already recording, this also includes our entire value chain, from suppliers to end customers. This comprehensive carbon accounting system allows us to better direct our efforts to reduce carbon emissions, as well as answer the questions posed by many of our stakeholders more precisely. Around 60 percent of our largest investors take climate change statistics into consideration when making investment decisions. Other stakeholders, including customers, public authorities and NGOs, also need to know the impact our activities have on the climate - and more importantly, what we are doing to improve. Since 2004, we have published our carbon emissions as part of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). As a result of our comprehensive carbon management, we were listed in the CDP's annual Carbon Performance Leadership Index (CPLI) in 2010. Out of the world's 500 largest companies, all of which were assessed when the index was compiled, we were one of 48 to be listed.
But How Do You Calculate a Carbon Footprint?
Today, everyone can calculate their personal carbon footprint. If you don't know how large yours is yet, just use the CO2 calculator in the right margin. Calculating a single person's carbon footprint is relatively straightforward, but doing the same for an enterprise like E.ON is much more complicated. We base our calculation on the globally recognized WRI/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard. This standard categorizes emissions into three scopes, depending on the company's level of control.
- Scope 1 covers emissions directly caused by our own power plants and sites, such as from electricity generation.
- Scope 2 covers emissions which we can control indirectly. These emissions are caused by the generation of the electricity that powers our facilities, generation of heat and steam, and losses during natural gas transportation.
- Scope 3 covers other indirect emissions connected to our activities. This includes our supply chain, the electricity and gas that our end customers purchase from us and consume, plus outsourced processes.
Different Measures for Different Types of Emissions
In 2010, our European CO2 emissions caused by electricity generation were approximately 85.4 million tons (Scope 1), a rise of 0.7 million tons from 2009. Our global carbon emissions were 116.7 million tons in 2010 - a rise of 1.7 million tons from 2009. This increase is largely due to increased demand in 2010 as a result of economic developments.
The indirect emissions that fall under Scope 2 are only a fraction of the size of the Scope 1 emissions. These emissions are caused by the generation of the electricity that powers our facilities, generation of heat and steam, and losses during natural gas transportation. However, Scopes 1 and 2 do not include other indirect emissions connected to our activities. These include the emissions attributable to our supply chain, as well as those attributable to our customers' consumption of the power and gas we sell them. Our Scope 3 accounting, which we began in 2010, shows that these emissions are even higher than those we cause directly.
The Need to Take Comprehensive Action
In many ways, our accounting of indirect emissions still needs to be improved. We still don't know how energy-efficient our customers' gas-powered heating systems are, and we haven't yet been able to determine the exact energy mix of the electricity that we buy. Apart from a few exceptions, such as the amount of carbon-neutral biomethane we sell, we can only indirectly control the emissions caused in this area. So to make our supply chain more transparent, we are trying to cooperate more closely with our electricity and gas trading partners with regard to carbon accounting. Our twelve regional sales units are also working on new concepts to make customers more aware of carbon emissions and more willing to reduce them. For instance, we support our customers by running energy-saving programs, and by offering energy efficiency advice and innovative energy technologies. We also offer our customers carbon-efficient products to help reduce their carbon footprints.
The Need to Take Comprehensive Action
In many ways, our accounting of indirect emissions still needs to be improved. We still don't know how energy-efficient our customers' gas-powered heating systems are, and we haven't yet been able to determine the exact energy mix of the electricity that we buy. Apart from a few exceptions, such as the amount of carbon-neutral biomethane we sell, we can only indirectly control the emissions caused in this area. So to make our supply chain more transparent, we are trying to cooperate more closely with our electricity and gas trading partners with regard to carbon accounting. Our twelve regional sales units are also working on new concepts to make customers more aware of carbon emissions and more willing to reduce them. For instance, we support our customers by running energy-saving programs, and by offering energy efficiency advice and innovative energy technologies. We also offer our customers carbon-efficient products to help reduce their carbon footprints.
