Protecting the environment, including air quality, is a key task for our company. It forms the basis for an environmentally friendly energy supply for our customers. Below you can find out more about our principles for reducing emissions, in particular air pollutants, which EnBW is committed to complying with.
How we record our emissions
Industrial plants that fall under the Industrial Emissions Directive
The EU Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) is the central directive for protecting people and the environment from pollution from industrial plants. The IED contains regulations for industrial plants that are particularly relevant to the environment. The aim is to prevent or reduce emissions into the air, water and soil as far as possible in order to protect human health and the environment from pollutants.
Air pollutant emissions are monitored using permanently installed measuring devices, known as continuous measurements, or through regular measurement campaigns over a specified period of time. The measuring and evaluation equipment is certified in accordance with DIN EN 15267, and regular functional tests and calibrations are carried out by independent, approved measuring institutes at specified intervals.
Compliance with legal requirements and permit conditions is checked, among other things, by regular on-site inspections by the competent authorities. For this purpose, official monitoring plans and programmes are drawn up, and the interval between on-site inspections is determined on this basis and is one to three years, depending on the risk level (Section 52a (3) BImSchG). In addition, internal and external environmental audits and inspections are carried out. All our sites with IED plants
Combustion plants falling under the IED.
Our power plant locations
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Location
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Operating company
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
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Location
Altbach/Deizisau cogeneration plant
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Operating company
EnBW AG
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Stuttgart-Gaisburg combined heat and power plant
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Operating company
EnBW AG
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Stuttgart-Münster combined heat and power plant with waste incineration plant
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Operating company
EnBW AG
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Heilbronn cogeneration plant
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Operating company
EnBW AG
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Marbach power station
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Operating company
EnBW AG
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Walheim power plant
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Operating company
EnBW AG
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Rhine Harbour Steam Power Station
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Operating company
EnBW AG
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Lippendorf lignite-fired power station, Block S
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Operating company
EnBW Kraftwerk Lippendorf Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH (owner)
Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG, LEAG (operator) |
Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
(Certificate held by the operating company LEAG) |
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Location
Lausward combined heat and power plant
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Operating company
Stadtwerke Düsseldorf AG
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Flingern cogeneration plant
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Operating company
Stadtwerke Düsseldorf AG
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Flinger Broich waste incineration plant
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Operating company
Stadtwerke Düsseldorf AG
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Garath cogeneration plant
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Operating company
Stadtwerke Düsseldorf AG
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Rostock Power Station
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Operating company
KNG Kraftwerks- und Netzgesellschaft mbH
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
in implementation, certification in 2026
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Location
Walsrode industrial cogeneration plant
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Operating company
EnBW Contracting GmbH
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Bad Lauchstädt underground gas storage facility
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Operating company
VNG Gasspeicher GmbH
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Bobbau gas compressor station (Raguhn-Jeßnitz)
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Operating company
ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Sayda gas compressor station
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Operating company
ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Location
Scharenstetten gas compressor station
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Operating company
terranets bw GmbH
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Certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001
✓
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Our measures for reducing emissions
We strive to credibly harmonise entrepreneurial, political and social goals in the area of the environment. Based on our strategy, our environmental aspects and the requirements of the energy transition, we have defined the reduction of pollutant emissions as a key area of action in environmental protection. Key performance indicators are determined annually and reviewed to ensure that the respective target values are achieved. The target values are reassessed and set in 5-year cycles.
We have set ourselves the goal of reducing the SO₂ intensity and NOx intensity of our own electricity generation to 2 to 5 mg/kWh and 40 to 60 mg/kWh respectively by 2030, which represents a reduction of more than 75% compared to the previous target values for 2025. As a new target, the dust intensity of our own electricity generation is also to be reduced to a maximum of 0.5 mg/kWh by 2030. You can find a summary of our performance indicators in our environmental targets.
Fuel Switch
EnBW is currently planning and implementing a fuel switch from coal to natural gas, a bridging technology, at several conventional power plant sites. The second step will be a further conversion to hydrogen. You can find detailed information about the fuel switch plans and the status of implementation of the individual projects on our topic pages.
Due to the fuel composition, the combustion of natural gas and hydrogen releases significantly fewer pollutants than the combustion of coal. With the further expansion of wind power and photovoltaics, pollutant emissions in our generation portfolio are also decreasing.
Flue gas cleaning technologies
We also ensure that the best available techniques (BAT) recognised throughout Europe are used to reduce emissions at our existing combustion plants. This is achieved, for example, by retrofitting flue gas cleaning technologies. In recent years, in particular, mercury separation has been optimised in several wet flue gas scrubbers, reducing the mercury content in flue gas by up to 70%. The following flue gas cleaning stages are generally installed at our hard coal-fired power stations:
Desulphurisation
During desulphurisation, the flue gas contaminated with sulphur dioxide (SO₂) flows upwards in a scrubber and is sprayed with a suspension of limestone and water. The SO₂ binds in the suspension and is collected in the absorber sump. The air blown into the absorber causes the calcium sulphite – the reaction product of sulphur dioxide, limestone and water – to oxidise into calcium sulphate (gypsum). The separation efficiency for sulphur dioxide in the wet scrubbing process is more than 90%.
Denitrification
The denitrification plant operates using the selective catalytic reduction process: ammonia is injected into the hot flue gas and the mixture is passed over catalysts, where a chemical reaction takes place. More than 70% of the nitrogen oxides (NOX) are converted into harmless nitrogen (N₂) and water (H₂O).
Dust removal
During dedusting, the fly ash is removed from the flue gas. This process takes place in large electrostatic precipitators. There, spray electrodes build up a strong electric field in which the ash particles are negatively charged. These then settle on the positively charged separation plates and are removed by knockers. More than 99.9% of the fly ash can be removed from the flue gas in this way.
Emissions guidelines at a glance
In addition to emissions, immissions are also taken into account. Emissions are defined as the release of pollutants or energy from a source into the environment, e.g. exhaust gases from a chimney. Immissions, on the other hand, are the effects of emissions on the environment, i.e. what arrives at a specific location.
Determination and assessment of immissions
Dispersion calculations are mathematical methods used to predict how air pollutants spread from an emission source in the atmosphere. They are a key tool in the approval process. Based on emission values and meteorological data, they are used to determine how pollutants spread and what concentrations occur at specific locations. Legally defined limit values also apply to immissions, and strict emission limits may be necessary to comply with these. The results of the dispersion calculations are also incorporated into the environmental impact assessment
Assessment in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (UVPG), Annex 1 "Projects subject to EIA". This specifies which projects are subject to an environmental impact assessment, a general or a site-specific preliminary assessment. If a preliminary assessment by the authorities determines that a project may cause significant environmental damage, an environmental impact assessment is required.
In addition to pollutants, energy, e.g. in the form of noise or vibration, can also lead to emissions. Vibrations mainly occur during the construction phase. The operation of generation plants and electric grids causes noise emissions. Our plants are designed in such a way that the limits according to the relevant regulation are complied with or significantly exceeded.