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.
Emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3)
Other indirect greenhouse gas emissions
- Upstream gas sales (gas procurement)
- Procurement of fuel
- Business trips
Scope 3 upstream: Upstream emissions by third parties
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
Scope 2: Indirect emissions at EnBW
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
Scope 1: Direct emissions at EnBW
Other indirect greenhouse gas emissions
- Gas consumption by customers
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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16.3 | 9.6 | 10.8 | 16.6 | 16.7 |
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0.4 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
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60.9 | 49.8 | 42.0 | 16.8 | 23.7 |
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9.8 | 8.9 | 7.9 | 6.9 | 6.3 |
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 2021, lower wind yields and market-driven developments, especially in the gas sector, primarily led to higher electricity generation at our fossil fuel-fired power plants and thus to an increase in direct CO₂ emissions from 9.5 million t CO₂eq in 2020 to 16.3 million t CO₂eq in 2021. Netze BW acquired certificates of origin for sufficient quantities of green electricity in 2021 to cover its procurement of electricity to compensate for grid losses and thus permanently withdrew these certificates from the market. As a result, the Scope 2 emissions of Netze BW related to the procurement of electricity to compensate for grid losses fell to zero. This resulted in a fall in the Scope 2 CO₂ emissions at EnBW from 0.77 to 0.44 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. The Scope 3 emissions increased in the 2021 financial year in comparison to the previous year. This was primarily due to higher gas sales compared to 2020. Due to updated avoidance factors from the German Environment Agency and an increase in biogas activities, CO₂ emissions avoided rose from 8.9 to 9.8 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.
Own generation increased in 2021 compared to the previous year to 42.4 TWh. This development was primarily attributable to the significantly higher deployment of our thermal generation plants as a consequence of prices on the market. Despite further expansion of renewable power plants, generation based on renewable energies fell in comparison to the level in the previous year. Poorer wind conditions were the main reason for this decrease, which resulted in lower volumes of electricity generated. Generation from hydropower plants stood at the same level as in the previous year. These trends in thermal and renewable generation were observed across Germany in 2021. The proportion of own generation from renewable energy sources thus fell in comparison to the previous year to 27.6%. As a result, our specific carbon emissions in own generation increased rose from 268 g CO₂/kWh in 2020 to 386 g CO₂/kWh in 2021.
| EnBW Group | German average in previous year² | |
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386 | 310 |
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268 | 352 |
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235 | 421 |
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340 | 435 |
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362 | 471 |
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.