Carbon footprint
CO2 footprint: significance for customers, investors etc.
For companies, the carbon footprint is an important indicator of their contribution to sustainability and climate protection.
The sustainability commitment of companies is also gaining in importance among customers in the manufacturing industry: more and more frequently, they are looking for sustainably produced products and regard the issue as an essential component in their purchasing decisions. The analysis of climate risks in their portfolios is also playing an increasing role among investors, decisions on the purchase of goods are also made on the basis of the eco-balance, and shareholders expect compliance with environmental and climate protection standards.
More and more companies are publishing their climate protection activities and their carbon footprint with various reporting initiatives: for example, in the course of reporting to CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) or GRI (Global Reporting Initiative).
Calculation of the carbon footprint
In accordance with ISO standard 14064 and the guidelines of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, emissions from three different areas (so-called scopes) are used to calculate the carbon footprint.
Scope 1: Emissions from the operation and use of the company's own vehicle fleet and the use of self-generated energy.
Scope 2: Climate impact of purchased energy, i.e. electricity, heating and cooling.
Scope 3: CO2 emissions from business travel and other purchased services and products.
In order to improve the emissions balance and emphasise the commitment to sustainability, green electricity certificates of origin or emission reduction certificates from climate protection projects can also be used.
Energy Manager PRO demo
Inled nästa steg på vägen mot hållbarhet – boka vår produktchef Jos Klein Woud för en demo på Energy Manager PRO.
The main objectives of the ISO 50001 standard are to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
The standard is not subject to mandatory certification. However, certification is becoming more important as a result of the new EU Energy Efficiency Directive and the national efficiency laws derived from it.
Experience with the introduction of energy management in companies and organisations shows that energy savings of up to 10 % are already triggered by the introduction process. And this without having to "take a lot of money in hand", because the structured approach to the analysis of the entire energy use reveals many wastes. These can often be remedied by simple organisational and control measures.
The overall responsibility for the energy management system lies with the management. This ensures that the management really stands behind the introduction of the system and also releases the necessary resources.
Vill du få mer tips och inspiration för att bli mer hållbar verksamhet?
Läs mer och anmäl dig till vår webbinarieserie: Kan din verksamhet bli mer hållbar på bara sju månader?
I de tre webbinarierna tar vi upp frågor som tätning av läckor inom VA-området, optimering av drivlinor och hur energieffektivisering stöttar er hållbarhetsresa.
The EU Energy Efficiency Directive is implemented through the Federal Energy Efficiency Package, which includes the Federal Energy Efficiency Act (EEffG).
Obligations exist under the Federal Energy Efficiency Act for:
- large companies (definition > 249 employees and annual turnover > 50 million Euro or balance sheet total > 43 million Euro)
- Energy suppliers
- the Confederation
Commitments in detail
- Energy suppliers are required by the Federal Energy Efficiency Act to demonstrate energy efficiency measures corresponding to at least 0.6% of their energy sales to their end customers in Austria. These in turn give their customers (eg. large companies) the possibility of averting a resulting increase in electricity prices by implementing planned energy efficiency measures.
- According to the Federal Energy Efficiency Act, there are three obligations for large companies:
1. There are two options to choose from
a. Four-yearly performance of external energy audits
OR
b. Introduction of a certified energy management system, environmental management system or an equivalent state-recognised management system, with regular internal or external energy audit
2. Continuous documentation of management system or energy audits
3. Immediate notification of the introduction of a management system or the performance of the energy audit to the energy efficiency monitoring body.
Energy efficiency measures developed by the large companies must be validated by the monitoring body (method evaluation). If the company's own relevant measures for the energy supplier are not achieved, these can also be acquired from external companies through measure trading. - SMEs are exempt from the EEffG and thus not obliged to implement measures, but they can make them available via the trade in measures (trade sheet forms) if they are evaluated.
Energy efficiency in production – in reality
Energy-efficient production means more than simply reducing energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, or costs – it also involves linking energy and production data in order to analyze and optimize not only energy consumption but also the energy productivity of machines, plants, and processes. These measures provide the opportunity to achieve all-round improvements in process productivity and efficiency.
Transparent visualization of energy data
The question:
Do two similar machines consume different amounts of energy?
The answer:
Measuring devices are installed on both machines to record and evaluate the consumption data. The analysis shows that machine A requires more energy for vacuum operation and the conveyor belt requires more electrical energy.
The solution for greater efficiency:
A leakage in the vacuum system is identified and repaired. A motor with a defective bearing is identified on the conveyor belt, and it is replaced with a more efficient motor during its next maintenance.
Assessing and analyzing the energy efficiency of machines
The question:
I would like to purchase a new machine. How can I compare the consumption performance of the machines on offer and reduce energy consumption that does not contribute to added value?
The answer:
Using an appropriate solution, energy consumption can be ascribed to the individual energy operating states (off, standby, ready for operation, in operation) and evaluated and compared accordingly.
The solution for greater efficiency:
Machine suppliers can provide their customers with an energy consumption profile (standardized acceptance form) during the purchasing phase. Actual energy consumption on-site can be analyzed by means of a reference measurement. Using key energy performance indicators (EnPI) and benchmarks, all machines can be evaluated continuously and comprehensively and appropriate optimization measures can be implemented, e.g., adaptation of the standby mode.
Meeting requirements, identifying savings potential, optimizing contracts
The question:
How can I identify the savings potential in my operations, optimize my contract with the energy supplier, reduce my tax payments, and benefit from state subsidies?
The answer:
Introduce a certified energy data management system in production that reports and archives energy data in accordance with legal requirements (e.g., ISO 50001, German Renewable Energy Act).
The solution for greater efficiency:
Identifying the major energy consumers allows you to avoid energy peaks. An automated load management system can automatically shut down systems and make them available again. Forecasting the expected load profile enables you to negotiate an optimized contract with the energy supply company. Transparent energy consumption helps make personnel more aware of energy efficiency within the company, and energy efficiency measures and targets such as the annual increase in energy efficiency can be tracked and verified.
Our offer
Energy is a valuable resource. Anyone who wants to reduce energy costs, increase competitiveness and meet legal requirements knows that end-to-end energy management is indispensable for increasingly individualized production. To make the right decisions at the right time, you need to keep an eye on the energy consumption of your entire business.
Energy is also a decisive competitive factor - regardless of the industry.
Strict environmental regulations make energy-efficient solutions indispensable. However, great challenges are always also opportunities: because those who design plants to be energy-efficient can save considerable costs.
Our energy management solutions
To achieve the highest energy efficiency, you need the best products, system and solutions. With our unique range of energy-saving products, you can cover the entire energy management process - and find a tailor-made energy-efficient solution for every application.
Interactive brochure: "SIMATIC Energy Management":
Scalable SIMATIC software for energy management
Scalable software solutions serving every need, from individual machines to plant-wide solutions – with SIMATIC, you can implement consistent and expandable energy management scalable to your needs as they grow. Systems can be engineered quickly and easily while offering comprehensive analysis functions. Open interfaces give you a free hand for data input and forwarding, and the energy measurement modules of SIMATIC Energy Meter provide an ideal basis for collecting and recording data on any energy medium.
Become a member of our "EM Community"
Sign up and get top information from our experts!
Learn from our specialists news about the legal situation, CO2 footprint and subsidies, define your measurement points and create your measurement concept with our help.
We show you how to record and visualize your energy data, cover the topic of active load management and machine efficiency analysis.Finally, we help you turn data into information and introduce you to our energy data management.
If you are curious and want to learn more, become a member of the Energy Management Community and get access to exclusive and exciting information in the form of webinars.
Register now for free and benefit from the advantages!
