Environmental training in brief
Here you will find a short version of the environmental training presentation.
The available energy sources we use today in order to supply the need of our society do have an impact on the environment to a certain degree. As all companies we must take our responsibility to improve the environment and quality of life. This presentation tells about what actions and responsibilities Vattenfall takes to protect the environment.
Why?
The environment concerns us all and we take our share of responsibility regarding environmental protection. The world is dependant on energy, which makes it important to develop safe solutions for the future. Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Our company values include principles regarding the environment relating to the UN initiative Global Compact.
Local and international laws demands us to take actions in areas such as water and ground protection, waste, contaminated sites and emissions to air in order to secure the environment for the future.
How?
Our work and responsibility for the environment is a part of the great effort being carried out all over the world. We are optimistic in our efforts to ensure that environmental aspects are taken into account at every stage of our operations in order to make the best possible choices for the environment.
Environmental responsibility
We take responsibility for the future by promoting innovative solutions. We are committed to maintaining an open dialogue. We comply with existing laws, regulations and permits and behave responsibly towards the environment. Our high level of competence enable us to make sound business decisions with respect of the environment. We protect the environment and focus our concerns on the well being of people.
Future
We test new technologies and participate in research projects to explore the energy solutions of tomorrow.
Our actions
We operate in all segments of the electric value chain including mining, electricity generation and heat, transmission and distribution and sales. Our largest electricity customers are industries and energy companies. Our main home market today is Sweden, Finland, Germany, Poland and Denmark. In total we are about 33,000 employees in the group. The conditions for our operations in our countries are different due to differences in natural resources and historical backgrounds.
The emissions of our operations
We make large efforts to increase the efficiency, and thus reduce the environmental impact of our existing plants. Our lignite-fired generation plants in Germany are among the most modern of their type in the world. In Poland our ongoing modernisation programme will reduce the emissions substantially. We have also converted several heating plants in Sweden and Finland from fossil fuels to bio fuels.
Influence on nature and landscape
In recent years we have identified a need and taken responsibility for improving the quality of the land on and around our properties.
Contaminated ground have been identified and characterised and is now undergoing control programmes. In the case of any danger actions are taken immediately.
All of the sites with contaminated ground on our properties are a result of previous waste management measures and leaks and accidents.
We take care of waste both from nuclear and coal generation.
Research and development
Large research and development efforts are made to increase the efficiency of existing plants. This enables us to produce more electricity and heat with essentially the same resource use.
We also support and follow longer term Research and development even if commercial breakthroughs probably lie more than ten years off.
Vattenfall's project on CCS
In 2003 we began a major research and development project concerning the capture and storage of the green house gas carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants. The project is designed to achieve secure, cost-effective and feasible technologies for an almost complete elimination of carbon dioxide emissions – allowing us to produce energy that does not contribute to global warming. Much research and development needs to be performed, with the construction of a 30 MW pilot plant as an important milestone. The pilot plant will be built near our lignite-fired power plant at Schwarze Pumpe, Germany. The construction has started and the plant will be in operation by mid 2008.
For more information on Vattenfall's initiative on carbon dioxide capture and storage:
Vattenfall's project site on CCS - (new window)
Our actions - Nordic countries
We are one of the major generation, sales- and distribution companies on the Nordic market.
Our electricity generation in Sweden is dominated by hydro power and nuclear power.
We have 17 % market share of the district heating market in Sweden and substantial heating operations in Finland.
Hydropower stations and dams cause changes for the landscape. Some of our operations affect the temperature of the water in the surrounding area, but with small effect on the flora and fauna.
The emission levels from our nuclear power and hydropower plants are very low.
A significant waste is radioactive waste from our nuclear power plants and a full waste management program has been developed.
In our efforts to recreate valuable natural environments we have declared areas to be protected areas.
We have converted a large number of heating plants from fossil fuel to bio fuel.
We have among the safest water dams in the world.
We conduct and follow research and development work regarding renewable energy sources such as wind power, solar energy, bio fuel and hydro power.
Our actions - Poland
Our operations in Poland have an impact on the environment and with the entry into the European Union the environmental issues has been given even more attention.
We generate electricity and heat in our plants in Warsaw and distribute electricity in southern Poland.
We are among the three largest electricity generation and sales companies in Poland and the second largest on electricity distribution.
Our company Vattenfall Poland is market leader in Poland for district heating.
The emissions from our power plants are our most dominant sources for environmental impact.
The ash from our fossil fuel combustion is one of our most significant byproduct. All of our produced ashes are however utilised.
As a result of Poland’s entry into the European Union we will make major investments in our power plants in order to meet requirements regarding higher technical and environmental standards.
A team of experts have been set up to form the Environment Protection Department in order to handle problems related to ecology that we may encounter.
In order to meet requirements from the European Union we have set up a project team for implementing biomass technology to investigate the possibilities to burn biomass together with coal.
Our actions - Germany
We mainly operate heat and power plants and combined heat and power plants and we also use nuclear power and hydro power.
We are the third largest company on generation and sales, the fourth largest company on distribution and the largest heating company in Germany.
Germany represents our largest single electricity market in Europe today.
Our mining operations have an impact on the landscape and water balance in the surrounding area.
Our power plants are mainly based on fossil fuel and the combustion results in emissions to air.
Our electricity transmission networks have an impact on large areas of land.
Beside the big complex of re-cultivating areas in eastern Germany, completely new villages have been built after re-location as a result of our mining operations.
We have reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more than 30%, dust particulates by 99% and acidifying emissions by about 96%.
We are engaged in several projects regarding environmental protection as well as research and development projects on alternative sources of energy.
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