Being a responsible company, we are resolute in our quest to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has set itself the goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 (relative to the 2006 baseline).
While our energy-related emissions remained largely stable in 2013, we recorded an increase in our process-related emissions1. Although we reduced process-related emissions per product unit by 21%, overall total emissions rose due to a significant increase in production volume. Overall CO2eq emissions in 2013 totaled 524 metric kilotons (2012: 502 metric kilotons).
Progress 2013
Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by around 1%, relative to the 2006 baseline
Our climate protection program EDISON consolidates all climate protection and energy efficiency activities of the Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. In 2013, we once more identified a number of projects to help us achieve our CO2 reduction targets. We are now conducting around 300 individual projects under the auspices of EDISON. Around two-thirds of these have already been launched, or are in the process of being implemented. Larger projects include the construction of carbon-neutral biomass power plants in Jaffrey, New Hampshire (USA) and Goa, India. Approved in 2012 respectively 2013, they are scheduled to go on line in autumn 2014 and will reduce CO2 emissions by around 3,500 metric tons per year in Jaffrey, and 11,500 metric tons per year in Goa. Through the cogeneration plant at our Gernsheim site in Germany that went on line in mid-2013, we are saving around 6,000 metric tons of CO2 per year.
Energy management plays a key role in our efforts for sustainable energy efficiency and climate change mitigation. Our production sites in Darmstadt and Gernsheim account for around 40% of our global energy consumption. In 2012, both of these sites qualified for ISO 50001 – Energy Management System certificates, which were reaffirmed in 2013. Our Taoyuan site in Taiwan received the ISO 50001 certificate in 2013 for the first time. Counting the Bari and Tiburtina sites in Italy, that makes five of our production sites that have a certified energy management system.
In 2013, we furthermore revised our company car policy and defined a reduction goal. By 2020, we intend to decrease the Group-wide CO2 emissions of our company car fleet by 30% relative to the 2012 baseline. Our vehicles will be more fuel-efficient and emit less CO2, which will enable us to contribute to climate change mitigation and cut down costs.
Case study: Getting energy from a nutshell
At our site in Goa, India, we are currently constructing a power plant that will utilize climate-neutral biomass as fuel.
