Actions
We report our general actions in relation to our climate change policy as part of our transition plan and as part of the resilience analysis of our material climate risks.
In the year under review, the following key actions were implemented in relation to our climate change policy.
Actions to reduce greenhouse gases
In line with our transition plan, the reduction of our greenhouse gas emissions is based on three key levers.
Green silicon production
Replacing fossil bituminous coal with biogenic reducing agents is one key lever we employ to cut greenhouse gas emissions in silicon production. In the year under review, we tested different types of biogenic reducing agents for use in the production process. We also investigated the capture of CO2 emissions in a pilot phase, which is required for larger-scale technical implementation at a later date.
Transforming our production processes
We assess our projects using financial and ecological metrics. This enables carbon-savings projects to be sorted by their avoidance efficiency and to be plotted on a carbon avoidance cost curve. Projects are implemented according to decreasing efficiency and have been covered by our sustainability budget since 2022. In 2024, the individual projects implemented accounted for an expected aggregate CO2 saving of more than 20 kt a year. One such example was the installation of a waste-heat utilization facility at the Nünchritz site to use reaction heat from an exothermic process to create steam. The resulting carbon-emission saving is expected to come to around 3 kt/year.
Purchase of renewable energy
Another key lever under our transition plan is the purchase of renewable energy. In the year under review, we switched our Jandira (Brazil) site over to renewable electricity.
Our transition plan and implementation of the resulting actions is based on the assumption that resources are available. This includes sufficient availability of electricity and thermal energy from renewable sources at all WACKER sites. Alternative feedstocks with low fossil CO2e footprints and low-GHG transportation options need to be available, too. To this end, WACKER works with energy and feedstock suppliers as well as logistics partners to secure the future availability of resources.
Energy-efficiency actions
We use our WACKER Operating System (WOS) to manage energy-efficiency actions. Our actions are designed to reduce feedstock consumption and to increase process and energy efficiency at our sites with the aim of further cutting specific operating expenses and GHG emissions.
In 2024, more than 900 actions were executed. They focused on increasing productivity and reducing specific energy consumption.
Many of our chemical reactions create heat, which can be used in other production processes. In addition to the recovery of heat from these reactions, we operate integrated heat-recovery systems that we continually enhance. In 2024, for example, we installed a new adsorber station in Burghausen which enables us to reduce standardized energy consumption by around 27,000 MWh per year and accordingly to cut the related CO2e emissions by around 11 kt per year.
Execution of our actions derived from WOS is managed by a committee made up of representatives from Corporate Sustainability, Engineering and Controlling on the basis of the carbon avoidance cost logic.
Actions for our product portfolio
In terms of our business development, we consider ourselves to be well positioned to tackle future developments. We regularly analyze the long-term competitiveness of our products and sites, which includes assessment of customer demands, market conditions, regulatory requirements and technological developments. We strive to work together with our customers to further develop sustainable solutions and find suitable applications for promising fields.
