“Whether it’s sustainability, measuring emissions, calculating environmental data or even climate protection – these are all issues that drive me in my day-to-day work. As a raw materials company, we have a special responsibility in this regard. In Germany and Europe, we are subject to specific laws and regulations, which we comply with. We too are part of a changing Europe.
This includes, for example, the EU Methane Regulation. Against this backdrop, last year alone we checked our pipelines and installations for leaks at around 180,000 measurement points. The inspection teams take a very meticulous approach. For example, they check whether a screw on a pipeline needs tightening. All gas-consuming installations, such as combined heat and power plants, are also put through their paces.
I am particularly proud of our energy management system, including our ISO 50001 certification – simply because, after many years, this standard has almost become second nature to us. Many plant managers and engineers now have a very clear understanding of where energy savings can be made. Last year, for example, our team at the Schneeren plant implemented a project to make gas drying more energy-efficient. This will enable us to save an extra half a gigawatt of electricity every year going forward. Purchasing renewable electricity with a guarantee of origin has also become standard practice for us – totalling around 24 gigawatt-hours last year.
Our targets for reducing energy consumption and emissions will remain ambitious in the future too. So, as an environmental engineer at Neptune Energy, I’ll continue to have plenty to do.”