As from 2035, net zero emissions in Scope 1 and 2 – i.e. emissions from a company's own production and emissions from external energy sources: This is the ambitious climate protection objective that plastics manufacturer Covestro from Leverkusen has set itself. By 2030, the company, which produces at three sites in North Rhine-Westphalia, plans to invest up to €600 million in switching to more efficient production processes, green electricity and steam from renewable energies.
"Over the past two years, we have been working flat out to implement our vision of a completely circular economy. This approach makes us a pioneer in our industry," says Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of Covestro. The company already achieved its goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2025 in 2021. Some innovative products, such as the world's first climate-neutral polycarbonate needed for electric car charging stations, are already part of the product range, with more to follow.
Covestro intends to pursue various approaches to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout its production operations: The use of innovative catalysts, for example, is intended to reduce the use of nitrous oxide. Supply agreements with energy companies are designed to secure the supply of electricity from renewable energies. The chemical company is also investigating how steam can be generated sustainably – for example from biogas or green hydrogen.
