Climate protection targets

The Science Based Targets initiative is an independent initiative founded by four leading environmental and climate action organizations: WWF, CDP, the United Nations Global Compact and the World Resources Institute (WRI). It helps companies develop science based climate targets. Following completion of the SBTi process, a company has reduction targets that are consistent with the Paris Climate Agreement.

EnBW’s Scope 1, 2 and 3 climate targets have been evaluated and validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). These are thus compatible with the requirements of the Paris Climate Agreement. EnBW completed the development and validation of its science based targets in February/March 2023.

For Scopes 1 and 2, the target level is consistent with a 1.5° C pathway.

Specifically, this means: EnBW will reduce its Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 83% by 2035 (base year 2018). The Scope 1 and 2 emissions that then remain will be neutralized using recognized carbon offset projects. Scope 3 emissions from gas activities (upstream and downstream emissions) will be reduced by 43% over the same period compared to the 2018 baseline.

The most important step in achieving Scope 1 greenhouse gas reductions is EnBW’s planned early phase-out of coal. We are therefore planning to phase out coal by 2028, provided that the German government’s policy framework allows.

Our climate targets are defined by clear and scientifically validated reduction paths. Validation of the science based targets means that EnBW has a set of reduction targets that are consistent with the Paris Climate Agreement. This is our priority.

In the final step from 2035, we will become climate neutral. We will offset any remaining greenhouse gas emissions by supporting recognized climate change mitigation projects that meet the highest standards.

We already set ourselves a target of 2035 for Scope 1 and 2 climate neutrality in 2020. Our subsidiaries Energiedienst and Netze BW already achieved climate neutrality in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Since 2012, we have reduced our portfolio by about 2,700 megawatts of carbon-intensive generating capacity. (Of these, 9 – effectively 10 – coal, gas, or oil-fired units totaling approximately 1,800 MW have been designated as reserve power plants and are no longer available to us for market use (9 owned power plants plus the large Mannheim 7 power plant)).

With clear milestones and in line with the 1.5 °C target, we plan to fully phase out our remaining coal-fired power plants by 2028, provided that the German government’s policy framework allows. These cover the expansion of renewable energies, the transmission and distribution grids and the gas infrastructure in Germany.

At three coal-fired sites (Heilbronn, Altbach/Deizisau, and Stuttgart-Münster), we have concrete plans to switch from coal to gas and, in the future, to green hydrogen. For the remaining sites, various regional options are available, including decommissioning, transfer to the grid reserve and fuel switch. In the case of jointly owned power plants, EnBW will enter into discussions with the respective partners and complete the coal phase-out in dialog with local stakeholders. After 2028, we plan to have no more coal-fired generation on the market.

With the planned accelerated coal phase-out, EnBW wants to play its part in decarbonization and has formulated its ambition in clear terms. However, we have to acknowledge that we are one part of the energy transition. The German government’s plans, among other things for the expansion of renewable energies, the expansion of transmission and distribution systems and development of the necessary gas infrastructure in Germany, are needed as a key prerequisite for the achievement of our targets.

The coal phase-out is expected to result in emission reductions ranging from 10 to a maximum of 20 million tons per year. Over a 10-year period (between EnBW’s planned coal phase-out and the legally mandated coal phase-out), the savings amount to between 100 and 200 million tons of carbon. However, the exact amount will depend on future developments in the energy market, in particular gas, coal and carbon prices.

The responsibility to deliver power and heat to our customers remains our top priority. This is why we are not only retiring power plants. We are also:

1. Investing very heavily in renewables
2. Pressing ahead with the addition of climate-friendly dispatchable capacity. We have already started fuel switch projects at three sites in Baden-Württemberg.
3. Finally, the transmission system operators’ grid reserve safeguards system stability