We want to continuously reduce our own CO₂ footprint. By 2030, we will halve our CO₂ emissions and by 2035 at the latest, we want to be completely climate neutral as a entire company0The EnBW climate neutrality target refers to our own emissions (Scope 1 and 2). Scope 3 is mainly influenced by the gas consumption of our customers and would require the use of climate-neutral gases in the future. The target refers to CO₂eq (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O and SF₆). The reference year is 2018.. Further information on our climate neutrality target is available at www.enbw.com/sustainability.
CO₂ footprint of EnBW
EnBW balances and reports its CO₂ footprint in accordance with the international standard "Greenhouse Gas Protocol", taking into account Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions.
In addition, EnBW reports the key figure "Avoided CO₂ emissions" as part of its CO₂ footprint. A key objective of the energy revolution is climate protection through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the efficient use of energy. The "Avoided CO₂ emissions“ are a further measure of EnBW's contribution to achieving this target. This includes all EnBW's activities - both internally and in relation to customers - that support implementation of the energy revolution.
Other indirect greenhouse gas emissions
- Upstream gas sales (gas procurement)
- Procurement of fuel
- Business trips
Indirect greenhouse gas emissions originating during the production of purchased electricity, steam, district heating and cooling that the company consumes; grid losses
- Grid losses
- Operation of plants, electricity grid
- Operation of plants, gas grid
- Operation of plants, water supply
- Buildings
Direct greenhouse gas emissions from sources belonging to or directly controlled by the company
- Electricity generation
- Heat generation
- Operation of gas pipelines and gas plants
- Operation of electricity grid
- Buildings
- Vehicles
Other indirect greenhouse gas emissions
- Gas consumption by customers
Scope 3 upstream: Upstream emissions by third parties
Scope 2: Indirect emissions at EnBW
Scope 1: Direct emissions at EnBW
Scope 3 downstream: Downstream emissions by third parties
Avoided CO₂ emissions
EnBW business activities that lead to the avoidance of CO₂ emissions and support the targets of the energy revolution:
- Expansion of the generation through renewable energies
- Energy supply contracting
- Energy efficiency projects and expansion of renewable energies at customers/partners
- Production and sale of bio natural gas
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9.6 | 10.8 | 16.6 | 16.7 | 16.5 |
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0.8 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
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49.5 | 42.0 | 16.8 | 23.7 | 12.4 |
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8.9 | 7.9 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 6.8 |
Further data on the CO₂ footprint can be found in the Environmental Data Table.
Direct CO₂ emissions are determined mainly by the deployment of power plants. In particular, the decrease in electricity generation from coal in combination with a significant increase in electricity generation from renewable sources led to a corresponding reduction in direct CO₂ emissions from 10.8 to 9.6 million t CO₂eq. Lower indirect CO₂ emissions from grid losses led to a fall in Scope 2 CO₂ emissions from 0.9 to 0.8 million t CO₂eq. Scope 3 CO₂ emissions are mainly influenced by the gas consumption of our customers and thus by gas sales in the B2C and B2B sectors. Due to a change in the classification of business activities, there was a shift between the Generation and Trading and Sales segments. The figures for the previous year have been restated accordingly. For this reason, and also as a result of the purchase of Gas-Union by VNG, gas sales and thus the Scope 3 emissions rose significantly in the 2020 financial year in comparison to the previous year. Primarily as a result of the increased generation from renewable energy sources, CO₂ emissions avoided rose from 7.9 to 8.9 million t CO₂eq.
Specific CO₂ emissions of the self-generated electricity
The specific CO₂ emissions of our own electricity generation describe those CO₂₂ emissions that are emitted on average by EnBW's entire generation portfolio for the production of 1 kWh. This key figure enables a direct comparison of CO₂ emissions from our electricity generation with CO₂ emissions from electricity generation in Germany as published in the context of electricity labelling in accordance with § 42 EnWG.
Renewables-based electricity generation increased significantly in 2020 relative to 2019. The increase mainly relates to the first full year of operation of our EnBW Hohe See offshore wind farm and our EnBW Albatros offshore wind farm going on stream in January 2020. Our generation volume from onshore wind farms and photovoltaic solar farms also increased. The share of own generation from renewable sources consequently went up significantly year-on-year to over 32%. Total own generation nevertheless fell from 47.8 TWh in the previous year to 36.6 TWh in 2020. This significant decrease was due to market price-driven lower utilisation of our thermal generation plants and notably also the decommissioning of Unit 2 at our Philippsburg nuclear power plant. As a result, our specific carbon emissions in own generation increased rose from 235 g CO2/kWh in 2019 to 268 g CO₂/kWh in 2020. EnBW’s specific carbon emissions in own generation continue to be below the German average of 352 g CO₂/kWh in 2019.
| EnBW Group | German average in previous year² | |
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268 | 352 |
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235 | 421 |
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340 | 435 |
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362 | 471 |
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347 | 476 |
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330 | 508 |
¹ Total own electricity generation with the nuclear power plants included. Own electricity generation contains own power plants, contracted power plants and longterm electricity supply contracts.
² The German average for the reporting year in question is not published until the autumn of the following year. Comparison is therefore with the German average for the previous year.