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Climate protection has high priority at Bayer
Commitment to climate protection has high priority in Bayer’s sustainability strategy. The company has adopted a variety of measures and introduced numerous products that help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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| Bayer operates modern production facilities all over the world. This picture shows a polycarbonate production plant in Map Ta Phut, Thailand. The use of polycarbonates makes cars lighter, helping to reduce fuel consumption. |
Bayer is very well positioned in terms of climate-friendly utility supplies and production efficiency. Major capital expenditures and technological improvements have helped the company to reduce the burden on the environment by a substantial 5.5 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent since 1990.
Significant energy savings
Current examples of Bayer’s efforts in the area of climate protection are the use of a “regenerative thermoreactor” at the Dormagen Chemical Park and an innovative process for producing toluene diisocyanate (TDI) at Bayer MaterialScience’s site in Shanghai.
The new reactor in Dormagen will reduce CO2 emissions from thermal waste air incineration by 11,000 metric tons per year in future. What is more, the process is so efficient that natural gas consumption can be reduced by more than 90 percent.
The pioneering technology for TDI production results in energy savings of around 40 percent due to a significant reduction in the use of solvents. The pilot plant in Dormagen with an annual capacity of 30,000 tons has been operating successfully since mid-2004. The new technology to produce the polyurethane raw material will be used in a world-scale facility for the first time at the Shanghai site, giving an annual capacity of 300,000 tons.
Bayer’s success in saving energy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions has also aroused considerable interest at international level. The company once again received the “Best in Class” award in fall 2006 for its commitment to climate protection, retaining its position in the global Climate Leadership Index.
Dr. Wolfgang Plischke sees this success as a direct result of Bayer’s sustainability strategy: “Our inclusion in the Climate Leadership Index once again is testimony to our efforts to reduce greenhouse gases in recent years and to our climate strategy as a whole.” The significant reduction has been attained above all through clear decision-making. Bayer has introduced new technology in its production processes, closed down outdated plants and now obtains energy from power plants that are far more efficient than their predecessors. Also contributing to the reduction in emission volumes have been organizational changes and portfolio streamlining. Many of the company’s products themselves contribute to climate protection, including lightweight materials such as polycarbonate that reduce gasoline consumption in cars. Polyurethanes also play an important role. These materials are used to insulate refrigerators, for example, and in building construction. They provide equally effective protection against heat and cold, helping to reduce the amount of energy used by heating, cooling and air conditioning systems.
Renewable and climate-friendly raw materials, too, are key to finding sustainable answers to the pressing international challenge of protecting the climate while ensuring adequate raw material supplies. Of particular significance are the renewable raw materials being used to produce a new generation of fuels called biofuels. “We are looking at plants that are rich sources of energy and are not used for food production,” says Plischke.
The new reactor in Dormagen will reduce CO2 emissions from thermal waste air incineration by 11,000 metric tons per year in future. What is more, the process is so efficient that natural gas consumption can be reduced by more than 90 percent.
The pioneering technology for TDI production results in energy savings of around 40 percent due to a significant reduction in the use of solvents. The pilot plant in Dormagen with an annual capacity of 30,000 tons has been operating successfully since mid-2004. The new technology to produce the polyurethane raw material will be used in a world-scale facility for the first time at the Shanghai site, giving an annual capacity of 300,000 tons.
Bayer’s success in saving energy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions has also aroused considerable interest at international level. The company once again received the “Best in Class” award in fall 2006 for its commitment to climate protection, retaining its position in the global Climate Leadership Index.
Dr. Wolfgang Plischke sees this success as a direct result of Bayer’s sustainability strategy: “Our inclusion in the Climate Leadership Index once again is testimony to our efforts to reduce greenhouse gases in recent years and to our climate strategy as a whole.” The significant reduction has been attained above all through clear decision-making. Bayer has introduced new technology in its production processes, closed down outdated plants and now obtains energy from power plants that are far more efficient than their predecessors. Also contributing to the reduction in emission volumes have been organizational changes and portfolio streamlining. Many of the company’s products themselves contribute to climate protection, including lightweight materials such as polycarbonate that reduce gasoline consumption in cars. Polyurethanes also play an important role. These materials are used to insulate refrigerators, for example, and in building construction. They provide equally effective protection against heat and cold, helping to reduce the amount of energy used by heating, cooling and air conditioning systems.
Renewable and climate-friendly raw materials, too, are key to finding sustainable answers to the pressing international challenge of protecting the climate while ensuring adequate raw material supplies. Of particular significance are the renewable raw materials being used to produce a new generation of fuels called biofuels. “We are looking at plants that are rich sources of energy and are not used for food production,” says Plischke.
Worldwide climate protection initiative
Bayer participates in numerous international initiatives designed to engender a commitment to protecting the climate. For example, the company was one of the first to sign up to the worldwide climate protection initiative “3C: Combating Climate Change”. This joint initiative currently comprises 30 multinational companies that are contributing their specialist knowledge and experience to developing an effective climate protection policy for the period after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. Companies are being urged to play an active role and contribute to climate protection by developing innovative technologies and products. “This is exactly the requirement that Bayer is fulfilling with its overall sustainability strategy,” says Plischke.
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