Energy from a growing proportion of renewable sources and security of supply are at the top of our agenda. With the measures of the EnBW sustainability agenda, we are driving the transformation of EnBW towards significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and responsible use of natural resources. The underlying objectives, milestones, measures, assumptions and information on progress measurement and external audit can be accessed here.
Environmental measures in the focus area Energy of Change
Renewable energies
We are expanding renewable energies in line with our stakeholders’ interests.
The
As part of the EnBW Sustainability Agenda measure “Renewable energies,” we are implementing a central ESG data platform that creates transparency about the sustainability requirements and indicators pertaining to our projects. This will provide project participants with the ideal basis for driving forward the expansion of renewable energies in line with our stakeholders’ interests.
* Our 2030 target is to increase the combined production capacity of our photovoltaic and onshore wind power plants to 6 to 7 gigawatts.
* Our target is to invest 3.9 billion euros in renewable energies in the period 2023 to 2025. 1.3 billion euros are therefore to be invested annually in renewable energies within this period.
| Thermal | Renewable | |
| 2012 | 81.8 | 18.9 |
| 2013 | 80.9 | 19.1 |
| 2014 | 80.9 | 19.1 |
| 2015 | 76.4 | 23.6 |
| 2016 | 76.9 | 23.1 |
| 2017 | 74.2 | 25.8 |
| 2018 | 72.1 | 27.9 |
| 2019 | 68.2 | 31.8 |
| 2020 | 61.0 | 39.0 |
| 2021 | 59.9 | 40.1 |
| 2022 | 58.3 | 41.7 |
| 2023 | 45.1 | 54.9 |
| 2024 | 41.3 | 58.7 |
| 2025 | 34.4 | 65.4 |
The major projects presented here will increase renewable power production by around 8.4 gigawatts – enough to supply 8.9 million households with electricity.
CO₂ reduction
Our implementation plan describes the measures to achieve our science-based climate protection goals.
Our
To achieve these goals, we plan to
As part of the measure, we are implementing a platform for the central management of decarbonization processes – for example, the divestment of power plants, termination of coal procurement contracts, or reduction of natural gas sales. In addition, we are expanding our roadmap by integrating the upstream and downstream emissions (Scope 3) not previously included, with the aim of a 67-percent reduction by 2035 and a 90-percent reduction by no later than 2050 compared to the base year 2018.
* Our 2040 target is to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 95 percent compared to the base year 2018. This equals a reduction from 17.6 million tons to 0.9 million tons CO₂ equivalent.
* Our 2050 target is to reduce scope 3 emissions by 90 percent compared to the base year 2018. This equals a reduction from 50.8 million tons to 5.1 million tons CO₂ equivalent.
| CO₂ intensity | |
| 2018 | 548 |
| 2019 | 406 |
| 2020 | 342 |
| 2021 | 478 |
| 2022 | 491 |
| 2023 | 319 |
| 2024 | 272 |
| 2025 | 353 |
By switching to natural gas and phasing out coal, we are immediately reducing our emissions compared to previous coal-based electricity generation, while also creating the conditions for future energy production with lower greenhouse gas emissions, for example through the use of renewable gasses. On the way to energy production with lower CO₂ emissions, we are thus securing jobs while also securing the long-term supply of electricity and district heating to households and industry in Baden-Württemberg. Details on the objectives, measures and assumptions can be found here.
Our coal power plant in Altbach/Deizisau is set to be replaced by a gas power plant in 2026, which is also capable of burning hydrogen.
From 2026, instead of coal we also want to use a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant and eventually switch to hydrogen in Heilbronn.
In 2019, we replaced the Stuttgart-Gaisburg coal-fired power plant with a gas heating plant. Switching from coal to natural gas can reduce the CO₂ emissions of the respective power generation by up to 60 %.
In Stuttgart-Münster, we want to replace the final coal power plant in Stuttgart with a gas power plant in 2026 that can also run on hydrogen.
Hydrogen and decarbonized gases
We are making decarbonized gases fit for the future.
In the future, decarbonized gases and particularly sustainably certified hydrogen are meant to replace fossil fuels where electricity from renewable energies cannot – for example, to store energy, fuel turbines, or power industrial high-temperature processes. At EnBW, we want to make our contribution to tapping the
With the EnBW Sustainability Agenda measure “Hydrogen and decarbonized gases,” we are laying the foundations for building a sustainable hydrogen value chain: We plan to record all emissions along possible supply routes, prepare our power plants for the switch to hydrogen, and work with our partners in politics and business to design the framework of the German and European hydrogen economy.
For the measure “Hydrogen and decarbonized gases” we are setting targets based on the following key performance indicators (KPIs):
Get an overview of our H₂ projects across Germany – from offshore production to H₂-ready gas plants.
Customer solutions
We are enabling our customers to take climate protection into their own hands.
From power from 100% renewable sources to Germany's best e-mobility offering: With the EnBW ecosystem, we support the use of solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the areas of energy, heat and mobility. And we are constantly developing our products and services to enable our customers to take climate protection into their own hands.
As part of the EnBW Sustainability Agenda measure “Customer solutions,” we are developing new offers that can help reduce and visualise our customers’ CO₂ footprint – such as energy-efficient hardware or individual data evaluations in our apps. This is how we make the energy and mobility transition a highly personal experience.
For the measure “Customer solutions” we are setting targets based on the following key performance indicators:
Grid expansion
In addition to economic criteria, we also take environmental and social aspects into account when developing our grids.
The grid integration of renewable energies and e-mobility offerings is of central importance for the energy and mobility transition. In addition to connecting the steadily increasing number of power plants and charging points, our
The EnBW Sustainability Agenda measure “Grid expansion” forms the framework for joint sustainability initiatives with our grid companies – from innovation, climate and environmental protection projects to training offers to the sustainable
For the measure “Grid expansion” we are setting targets based on the following key performance indicators (KPIs):
So far, we measure the following KPIs:
EnBW’s own grid companies are responsible for grid planning, construction and operation. Their expertise in electricity, gas, water and telecommunications enables us to bring the infrastructure for the energy transition to the streets and homes.
Electricity
A total of around 95,000 kilometers of cables, which connect over 235,000 renewable generation plants and over 2,5 million grid customers, make the distribution grid of Netze BW the largest in Baden-Württemberg. We are continuing to expand it through our grid company Netze BW in order to supply the people in our region with more and more electricity from renewable energies. In particular, we are stabilizing it by reinforcing our 110 kV high-voltage grid.
Gas
The pipelines of the gas transmission and distribution grids belonging to Netze BW and terranets bw networks have a combined length of around 8,000 kilometers. We use them not only to supply more than 250,000 grid costumer in Baden-Württemberg, but also parts of Bavaria and Central Germany as well as Liechtenstein, Austria and Switzerland. With the expansion and conversion, we are supporting the energy transition and preparing the pipelines for the possible use of hydrogen – including the new South German natural gas pipeline, which will be “H₂-ready” from the start.
Water
We use Netze BW Wasser to supply Stuttgart’s residents with over 40 million cubic meters of clean drinking water every year from Lake Constance and the Donauried near Ulm. Stuttgart’s altitude calls for a pipeline, storage and pumping system extending over a total length of 2,500 kilometers, which is unique in Germany. We take advantage of the high water pressure that it provides: Through energy recovery, the system now generates twice as much electricity as it consumes.
Telecommunications
With our companies NetCom BW and Plusnet, we are giving more and more people in Baden-Württemberg and Germany access to fast Internet. By connecting rural areas to our broadband networks, we are improving people’s quality of life and promoting economic development in all regions. To date, around 90,000 private and business customers throughout Germany have benefited from this.
We are increasingly anchoring circular economy principles in our business model
The responsible use of
With the EnBW Sustainability Agenda measure “Circular economy,” we are firmly establishing the principle of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” across all phases of our projects – from planning to development to implementation. We want to build a comprehensive material flow database to identify recycling potential and develop a circular economy checklist and policy for our employees.
The measure “Circular economy” is in development.
Biodiversity
With our Group-wide biodiversity concept, we want to make a contribution to protecting and promoting biodiversity.
Preserving
The concept will serve to identify risks and opportunities for biodiversity and adopt appropriate support and protection measures across the entire core business. In addition to direct interventions at the sites, this also includes indirect measures such as training courses. On top of that, we are setting out EnBW’s biodiversity principles in a policy and expanding our reporting on biodiversity matters.
For the measure “Biodiversity” we are setting targets based on the following key performance indicators (KPIs):
So far, we measure the following KPIs:
Every wind, solar or hydroelectric power plant is a contribution to climate protection, but at the same time an intervention in nature. For us, this not only means that we have a responsibility not to harm the local flora and fauna as much as possible - but also the opportunity to develop our plants into recreational areas for plants and animals.
Wind farms
Consideration for flying and aquatic animals
Before we implement a new wind project, we check all the impacts on biodiversity. Among other things, biologists record the wildlife living at the planned site and develop appropriate protective measures. These can be, for example, compensation roosts for bats.
Our offshore wind farms are protected areas for fish and marine mammals such as porpoises, seals and harbor seals, where they find refuge from fishing and shipping traffic. Artificial reefs are created on the foundations of the turbines, while the risk of injury to migratory birds is kept to a minimum as they largely fly around the areas.
Solar parks
A protective roof
The panels of our solar parks are ideal as “protective roofs” over natural habitats, while we create natural barriers and refuges for animals by planting hedges around the installations. This allows ecosystems to recover and be used for light agricultural activities such as grazing and beekeeping - often where the land was previously intensively farmed. When the solar parks have reached the end of their lifespan, we dismantle them completely.
Hydroelectric power plants
Help with fish migration
Hydropower plants interrupt natural river courses and therefore also the migration routes of fish. To ensure that salmon, allis shad, sea trout, sea lamprey etc. can still reach their spawning and feeding grounds, we equip our plants with so-called fish ladders and fish ladders. These artificial watercourses or structures (e.g. “fish lifts”) allow the animals to bypass the power plants unharmed.
At present, it is not yet technically possible to equip hydroelectric power plants on large, fast-flowing rivers in this way. We are therefore actively involved in developing new solutions such as fish-friendly turbines and trash racks. In the meantime, we are working with interim solutions such as the “fish cab”, where fishermen catch mature eels by hand and transport them to their spawning grounds.
Pollutants and water
We are reducing pollutants and water use at our power plants.
For
As part of the EnBW Sustainability Agenda measure “Pollutants and water,” we are refining our existing targets for NOx, SO₂, and waste water reduction, and supplementing them with equally ambitious targets for water extraction from alternative sources, fresh water extraction, particulate matter and mercury emissions. Implementation of the necessary measures is ensured via a central management platform.
For the measure “Pollutants and water” we are setting targets based on the following key performance indicators (KPIs):
So far, we measure the following KPIs:
* Our 2025 target is to reduce the wastewater intensity of our own electricity generation by 20 to 30 percent compared to the base year 2018. This equals a reduction from 30.7 liters to 21.5 to 24.6 liters per kilowatt hour.
* Our 2025 target is to reduce the NOx intensity of our own electricity generation by 10 to 20 percent compared to the base year 2018. This equals a reduction from 337 milligrams to 270 to 303 milligrams per kilowatt hour.
* Our 2025 target is to reduce the SO₂ intensity of our own electricity generation by 15 to 25 percent compared to the base year 2018. This equals a reduction from 295 milligrams to 221 to 251 milligrams per kilowatt hour.