Glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Adjusted EBIT
Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes. Adjusted EBIT, E.ON´s key figure for purposes of internal management control and as an indicator of a business’s long-term earnings power, is derived from income/loss (-) from continuing operations before interest income and income taxes and is adjusted to exclude certain extraordinary items, mainly other income and expenses of a nonrecurring or rare nature.
Bio natural gas
Bio natural gas is also known as pipeline-quality biogas or renewable natural gas and is produced by upgrading biogas. The upgrading process consists mainly of removing carbon dioxide, water, and hydrogen sulfide. Bio natural gas, which has the same methane content and characteristics of natural gas, can be injected into the natural gas pipeline system and used or stored just like natural gas.
Biogas
Biogas consists primarily of methane and carbon dioxide and is produced in special facilities by the anaerobic fermentation of organic matter. Biogas is often used as a fuel in distributed generation facilities that generate both electricity and heat.
Business Unit
Each E.ON market unit (see 'market unit') consists of several business units which are responsible for managing day-to-day operations.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS)
A process for fossil-fuel-fired generating units in which carbon dioxide is separated and stored, usually in underground storage facilities. It is considered a possible way to mitigate the greenhouse effect.
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)/Joint Implementation (JI)
The CDI and JI project-based mechanisms were developed alongside emissions trading (see Emissions Trading) in order to fulfill the goals defined in the Kyoto Protocol. They allow industrialized countries to invest in projects to reduce emissions in another industrialized country (JI) or developing country (CDM). The emissions reductions achieved by means of these projects can be translated into emissions credits for the country which made the investment.
Global Compact
Initiated by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Global Compact is designed to encourage corporate social responsibility and address the challenges created by globalization. Participating companies pledge to comply with the Global Compact’s ten principles relating to human rights, workplace standards, environmental protection and fighting corruption.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
LNG is natural gas converted to a liquid state by pressure and severe cooling (minus 162 degrees Celsius, minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit), which reduces its volume by a factor of 600. LNG is transported in tanker vessels to terminals where it is returned to a gaseous state. LNG is playing an increasingly important role in international gas supply.
Lost-Time Injury Frequency (LTIF)
LTIF is a common international measure of workplace accidents that cause downtime. LTIF equals the number of accidents per million hours of work.
Market unit
Part of E.ON’s market-oriented organizational structure, our market units correspond to our five target markets: Central Europe, Pan-European Gas, UK, Nordic, and U.S. Midwest. In 2008 we intend to add two further geographically segmented market units (Russia and Italy) as well as two new functionally segmented market units (Climate & Renewables and Energy Trading), which began operations on January 1, 2008.
Net value added
Net value added is a measure of a company’s economic performance equal to its gross profit on sales plus other income less the cost of goods sold and services provided, depreciation and other expenses.
Research, development and demonstration (RD&D)
RD&D is a term to describe technology development from research through small-scale and large-scale demonstration projects in which new technologies are tested under real conditions before they enter commercial operation.
Unbundling
Unbundling is an EU requirement on energy companies to create independent entities (with separate accounting, information, organizational, and legal structures) to manage their operations at the individual links in the electricity and natural gas value chain (production, trading, transmission, and distribution). Its purpose is to prevent energy companies from distorting competition in the EU’s liberalized energy markets or engaging in discriminatory business practices or cross-subsidization.
Union for the Coordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE)
An organization responsible for coordinating and expanding Europe’s interconnected transmission system which serves more than 400 million consumers. Thirty-four transmission network operators in 22 countries are members of the UCTE.